WikiFur:Be bold

Be bold!
The WikiFur community encourages users to be bold when updating pages. Sites like ours develop faster when everybody helps to fix problems, correct grammar, add facts, make sure wording is accurate, and of course, add new articles. We want everyone to participate in making WikiFur a better resource for the community. That's why there are edit tabs plainly available all over the site: not only do we allow you to edit, we want you to do it. Just try to be civil and be careful. Remember, too, that others here will edit what you write. Do not take it personally! They, like all of us, just wish to make WikiFur as good a resource as it can possibly be.

Also, when you see a conflict in a talk page, do not be just a "mute spectator." Be bold and drop your opinion there.

...but please be careful
WikiFur is growing because our contributors are boldly making changes to help it evolve into a solid reference. Being bold does not mean being reckless, however. Try to think through the changes that you are making, and decide if they help to make WikiFur a better resource for all. In particular, try to ensure that what you write is factual and uses a neutral tone. Don't be overly afraid of accidentally breaking things, since most edits can be undone relatively painlessly. Our software keeps a copy of every edit to every article, so that changes can be rolled back in the event of problems.

Often it is easier to see that something is not right rather than to know exactly what would be right. We do not require that everyone be bold. After all, commenting that something in an article is incorrect can be the first step to getting it fixed. Use the article's talk page to propose changes, and consider adding an appropriate edit flag to the article if you know how. It is true, though, that problems are more certain to be fixed, and will probably be fixed faster, if you are bold enough to do it yourself.

Non-article namespaces
Although editors are encouraged to be bold in updating articles, more caution is sometimes required when editing pages in non-article namespaces. Examples of such namespaces are listed below. To determine the namespace of a page, look at the title. If it begins with a word and a colon (such as WikiFur: or Category:) then it is a non-article namespace. If the page title does not have such a prefix, it is a standard topic article and can usually be freely edited.

Problems may arise for a variety of reasons in different contexts in non-article namespaces. These problems should be taken into account in deciding whether to be bold, and how bold to be.

Wikifur namespace
The admonition "but please be careful" is especially important in relation to WikiFur's policies and guidelines, where key parts may be phrased in a particular way to reflect a very hard-won, knife-edge consensus - which may not be obvious to those unfamiliar with the background. Although you are welcome to correct grammatical and spelling errors immediately, please use the discussion page to suggest more far-reaching changes to pages in this namespace.

Template namespace
Being bold in updating templates can have far reaching consequences. This is because template changes can affect a large number of pages with a single edit; moreover some templates also form part of wide-ranging, uniform systems of templates across WikiFur, such as stub templates. Templates, moreover, may have complex source code that can easily be broken by untested changes (although they can fortunately be corrected with a single revert).

Category namespace
Creating new categories or reorganizing the category structure may come to affect many pages. There are detailed pages on Wikipedia that explain the guidelines on categorization and overcategorization. Although those pages should not be construed as WikiFur policy, please consult them before making changes to categories.

File namespace
New images should be uploaded with new names rather than overwriting old ones. Doing otherwise risks having the old image confused with the new one. Adding information to the description of an existing image is definitely an area where being bold applies.

User namespace
It is generally recommended that you do not edit another Wikifurry's user page or comments left on talk pages (other than your own, and even then do not be reckless). Fixing vandalism is nearly always welcome, even on user pages. Specific users will let you know if they find your changes inappropriate or if you have given incorrect information.

Standards of quality
Unlike Wikipedia, WikiFur does not have strict standards of notability or verifiability. Given the rather specialized nature of our site (and indeed, of the furry fandom as a whole!), we would rather have several thousand articles of varying quality than to have a few dozen articles that have been polished to academic perfection. Certainly, it is important to cite sources whenever possible, especially when documenting something that may be controversial. We envision that over time, the articles will gradually improve thanks to the collaborative effort of our contributors. After all, that's why we're asking you to be bold!

Summary
WikiFur wants you to be bold in contributing material and editing pages. Use common sense and good judgment, and remember to follow our policies and guidelines... but please don't be a spectator. Do your part to help us make WikiFur the furry encyclopedia.