Wikipedia:Wikibreak

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This essay contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. Essays may represent widespread norms or minority viewpoints. Consider these views with discretion.

A wikibreak, wikiholiday, wikivacation or leave of wiki-absence is a period when even a wikiholic must be parted from Wikipedia—though, presumably only temporarily.

[edit] Concept

The pain involved varies from Wikipedian to Wikipedian. Some find it easy to endure, whereas others find the separation agonizing. Often the latter find themselves grasping at any opportunity to go online "just to check what's happening".

The degree of coercion also varies. Some remarkable individuals are actually capable of taking a voluntary wikiholiday: they are to be admired for their strength of character. Some people have to enforce their departure for their own good. Others still are forced into it through circumstances beyond their control: it is often at such times that Wikiholics discover their condition.

[edit] When to depart

• You are going to go traveling.
• You are a student and you have exams or other pressing schoolwork.
• You get a divorce.
• You feel exhausted by your regional weather.
• You are neglecting your work and job.
• You have a new video game to obsess over for the next few days.
• You find yourself repeatedly assuming bad faith.
• You are stressed to the point that it affects your editing.
• You have a new girlfriend or boyfriend.
• And your girlfriend or boyfriend wants you to spend more time with them.
• Your girlfriend or boyfriend cheats on you and you break up.
• Conversely, your girlfriend or boyfriend breaks up with you. (Wouldn't this be the perfect time to increase your time with Wikipedia?)
• You have to look for a job. ('Though editing Wikipedia is a great way to deal with the boredom.)
• You have been making false edits, not verifiable or under copyright protections, including the GFDL and Fair Use licenses.
• You have to move.
• You have neglected to pay your Internet bill and are without Internet access.
• You are sick.
• You died. (Relax. You aren't dying. If you think you are, call 911 right away.)
• Your Wikistress is making it hard to work.
• You need time to relax and think, so that when you do return to Wikipedia, you'll hopefully be refreshed.
• Your time on Wikipedia is having a drastic effect on your life outside of Wikipedia.
• Your computer broke.
• It takes you several hours to make and perfect a single edit, because you're worried your edit will be corrected by someone else.
• You find yourself checking your watchlist compulsively throughout the day to defend your edits against vandals and other ne'er-do-wells.
• You find yourself wanting to make edits, but can't because you've hit the wiki wall!
• You're giving up editing Wikipedia for Lent or a similar religious observance.
• You have been grounded by your parents, business partner or significant other from using the computer.
• You've been blocked indefinitely from editing Wikipedia, per ruling of administrators, Jimbo Wales and/or the Arbitration Committee. See block log.
• You are addicted.
• You become disillusioned with the project.
• You find yourself suffering from Adminitis. (Go ahead, look it up.)
• You are being driven WikiInsane due to a WikiOverload from too much WikiCrap!!!

[edit] When to come back

• You came back from travelling.
• You have either been unblocked or your block has expired.
• Your spouse asks you to buy a new car. Just buy it and come straight back.
• Your exams are over.
• You decide that your divorce has left you more time to be a Wikipedian.
• You find out your new girlfriend or boyfriend is a Wikipedian, too.
• Especially when you find that now you've been spending a lot of time editing, discussing, fighting over and making up with said friend.
• You're finished moving.
• You decide to give up smoking so that you can pay your Internet bill.
• You've recovered from your sickness.
• You have been reincarnated (religious beliefs are a factor here).
• Or you realise you really hadn't died in the first place.
• Or you've been resurrected and come back from the dead. (Don't forget to tell us how!)
• You've let go of all your Wikistress.
• You've done all the relaxing you can do and besides, all that talk about relaxation and thinking clearer is baloney anyway.
• Since your computer is broken, you find yourself at the library every day, editing Wikipedia under Windows 2000.
• You are cured from being a wikiaddict. (It may never happen. Most probably, you will never recover.)
• You've decided to take a break from your Wikibreak.

[edit] The wikibreak templates

When taking a wikibreak, it is a good idea to inform your wikifriends that you are not active and indicate when you might be back. You can use the wikibreak template for this purpose. Let's say Example wants to go on wikibreak until Christmas. He would then place this text on the top of his user and/or talk pages:

{{wikibreak|[[User:Example|Example]]| on December 25}}

He would get this:

Example is taking a short wikibreak and will be back on Wikipedia on December 25

For a longer break, he could also use {{Long Wikibreak}}, writing

{{Long Wikibreak|[[User:Example|Example]]| next summer, God willing and the creek don't rise.}}

which renders thus:

Example is taking a long wikibreak and will be back on Wikipedia next summer, God willing and the creek don't rise.

[edit] The other wikibreak template

When taking a wikibreak, it is a good idea to inform your wikifriends that you are not active and indicate when you might be back. However, not all wikipedians have the self-discipline to keep away for various reasons, so this template was created for those who feel like taking a wikibreak, but at the same time will return to make small edits every once in a while. Let's say Example wants to go on wikibreak until Christmas. He would then place this text on the top of his user and/or talk pages:

{{Attempting_wikibreak|[[User:Example|Example]]| on December 25|I}}

He would get this:

Example is trying to take a wikibreak and will be back on Wikipedia on December 25. Most likely, however, Example won't be able to keep away from Wikipedia for that long, and will probably be back a lot earlier, possibly even making some small edits every now and then anyway.

[edit] The Busy Template

An alternative for those weaning themselves more slowly from Wikipedia is the 'Busy' template, which is designed for those who are being overtaken by "real" life (if you have one) work. Wikipediholics can use this template to assuage the guilt associated with long breaks from the Wiki. If Example were using this template, he would place the following text at the top of his user page:

{{busy|[[User:Example|Example]]}}

or

{{busy|~~~}}

and they will get this:

Example is busy in real life and may not respond swiftly to queries.

[edit] The School template

When school beckons, or any other school for that matter, use

{{Attempting school wikibreak}} 

to get:

I'm taking a short wikibreak due to school and will be back on Wikipedia sometime down the road. Most likely, however, I won't be able to keep away from Wikipedia for that long, and I'll probably be back a lot earlier while making some small edits every so often. Messages left for me may not be replied to for a while.

[edit] The Busy on Weekdays because of School Template

School can make weekday activity impossible, or, at the very least, quite difficult. To let people know that your activity on weekdays may be somewhat restricted, add

{{Busyweekdays}} 

to your userpage, which will bring this about:

Because of school, Wikibreak will not be very active on weekdays, but should be back editing voraciously on weekends (except while doing homework).

[edit] The Off and On WikiBreak Template

There are times when one is having trouble being able to consistently make contributions for some reason. If you are inconsistently able to make edits, add

{{Off and On WikiBreak}} 

to your userpage, which will bring this about:

Wikibreak is currently busy and is going to be on Wikipedia in off-and-on doses.

[edit] The College template

A template for those college students smart enough to make studying a priority. Type

{{College wikibreak}} 

and you'll see:

Wikibreak is taking a wikibreak to attend college and will be back on Wikipedia once college is over, though some editing may be done from time to time. Talk page messages might not receive a timely response.

Also, you can use

{{College wikibreak|date}} 

to specify the date that your school finishes. That will produce:

Wikibreak is taking a wikibreak to attend college and will be back on Wikipedia once college is over on date, though some editing may be done from time to time. Talk page messages might not receive a timely response.

[edit] The Exams template

Another template for those who have exams coming up soon, to add it just add the following text at the top of your user page:

{{exams}}

and you will get this:

Wikibreak is taking a short wikibreak to get ready for exams and will be back on Wikipedia once the exams are over.

Alternatively, you can use

{{exams|date}} 

to specify the date that your exams finish. That will yield:

Wikibreak is taking a short wikibreak to get ready for exams and will be back on Wikipedia once the exams are over on date.

[edit] The Semi-wikibreak Exams Template

Wikibreak is taking a short Semi-Wikibreak to get ready for exams and will be back on Wikipedia once the exams are over.

{{Semi-Exams}}

[edit] The sick/ill template

For those of us who are sick or ill and would thus be partially inactive, Wikipedians can use this template to indicate this.

{{user health inactive}}

and the user will see this:

This user is currently experiencing health issues that may affect his or her ability to work on Wikipedia. Please bear in mind that these issues may temporarily affect this user's ability to carry out his or her usual Wikipedia duties. This user may not consequently be able to respond to talk page messages or e-mails in a timely manner during affected periods, and your patience is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[edit] The fractured wrist template

For those of us who have a broken wrist and would thus be partially inactive, Wikipedians can use this template to indicate this.

{{user broken wrist}}

and the user will see this:

This user currently has a fractured wrist that may affect his or her ability to work on Wikipedia. Please bear in mind that these issues may temporarily reduce the number of non-orthopedic-cast-enveloped hands available to this user with which to carry out their usual Wikipedia duties. This user may not consequently be able to respond to talk page messages or e-mails in a timely manner, and your patience is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[edit] Vacation templates

{{holiday}} 

produces

This user is away on holiday and may not respond swiftly to queries.

{{vacation}} 

produces

Wikibreak is away on vacation and may not respond swiftly to queries.

{{vacation2}} 

produces

This user is taking a short wikibreak to go on a vacation.

{{vacation3}} 

produces

This user is currently, or is about to be, on vacation in real life and may not be able to respond immediately to queries. He or she may pop in now and then from an available online source.

{{vacation3|[[User:Example|Example]]|start=7 June 2009|end=23 June 2009}}

Produces:

Example is currently, or is about to be, on vacation in real life from 7 June 2009 until 23 June 2009 and may not be able to respond immediately to queries. He or she may pop in now and then from an available online source.

[edit] The No-Internet Access template

{{No-Internet}} 

produces

Wikibreak has no immediately available Internet access and will be taking a wikibreak of indeterminate length.

[edit] The Internet Upgrade template

{{Upgrade|Example}} produces

Example is currently upgrading/changing his/her internet connection. As such, internet downtime may result, thus causing an inability to contribute to Wikipedia.

Usage:

{{Upgrade|Your username here}}

[edit] The Got Grounded Template

This template is dedicated to students who got grounded by their parents due to their excessive use of the computer and, ultimately, Wikipedia.

{{Grounded|[[User:USERNAME GOES HERE|USERNAME]]}}

produces

Unfortunately, Example got grounded by his or her parents from using the computer. He or she would be having a wikibreak of indeterminate length, until the grounding period is over.

* In this case, the user is named "example".

[edit] Retirement template

We hope this never happens, but sometimes good things must come to an end. If you are retiring from Wikipedia you can use the Retirement template:

{{retirement|[[User:Example|Example]]}}

and it will produce:

Unfortunately, Example has retired as a Wikipedia editor. Best wishes and good luck!

If you simply say:

{{retirement}}

it will automatically say your user name

Unfortunately, Wikibreak has retired as a Wikipedia editor. Best wishes and good luck!

In this case, it takes the name of this page which is Wikibreak.

Alternately, if you say:

{{User EX-WP}}

This box will be produced:

This editor has decided to leave Wikipedia.

For a simpler message:

{{retired}}

and it will define:

If you want an animated/looping image:

[[Image:Miranda-retired.gif]]

This message will be produced:

[edit] Bonked/Fatigued templates

{{bonked}} 

produces this:

Wikibreak is currently wikibonked and is operating at a lower edit level than usual. Hitting the wall is a temporary condition, and the user should return to normal edit levels in time.

[edit] Indefinite inactivity

{{Personalissues}} produces:

[edit] Personal Issues

As well as the above personal issues template, if you are coming back, you can display: {{Personalissuesunspecified}} which is

[edit] Ditched by Girlfriend /Boyfriend

When your girlfriend or boyfriend cheated on you, because you were not able to spend quality time with them because you were too much involved in editing Wikipedia. {{Ditched}}

This user had been ditched by his girlfriend! . This user will be back when he gets another girlfriend or a Wikipedian girlfriend.

[edit] Semi-wikibreak

A semi-wikibreak is a Wikibreak taken by Wikipedians who are not fully on a wikibreak, but are not fully editing. There are many possible reasons for a semi-wikibreak; including, for example:

• busy at work or school
• going on vacation
• new puppy isn't housebroken yet
• toilet got backed up
• slow internet connection
• boyfriend or girlfriend needs more attention
• Super Bowl season
• Stanley Cup Finals
• sharing computer with others
• ran out of coffee
• computer is dead.

Use Template:Semi-wikibreak:

Wikibreak is on a "semi-wikibreak" and will be back on Wikipedia soon.

[edit] Got Bullied

When you recently got bullied/wedgied: {{Bullied}}

This user has recently been bullied or worse, wedgied. This user will return after he/she feels better.

[edit] See also

• meta:Wikibreak
• Wikibreak enforcer