View source for MarioWiki:Why create an account?

You do not have to [[Special:UserLogin|log in]] to read the Super Mario Wiki. You don't even have to log in to edit articles—anyone can edit [[MarioWiki:Protected pages|almost]] any article, even without logging in. Nevertheless, creating an account is quick, free and non-intrusive, and it is generally considered a good idea to do so for a variety of reasons. For those out there who are interested in creating an account to assist the Super Mario Wiki in being the best information database of the ''Super Mario'' franchise, we here as the community of the Super Mario Wiki greatly encourage you to join us!

''Note: To create a user account for the Super Mario Wiki, go to the [[Special:CreateAccount|account creation page]].''

==Username==
When an account is created, you get to choose a username for yourself as long as it is available and unique. All of the edits that you make on that account will be assigned to that name, meaning that you get full credit for your contributions in the page history. To view your contributions, you can click on the "contributions" link at the top of the page when you are logged in.

You can have your own '''[[MarioWiki:Userspace|user page]]''' to write a bit about yourself. While the Super Mario Wiki is not a homepage provider, you can use this to write about your hobbies, display a picture, and so on. User pages are often used by users to maintain a list of articles that they have created or contributed to that they are proud of, or to collect valuable information from the wiki.

You will also have your own '''user talk page''' that you can use to communicate with other users. Whenever someone leaves a message or edits your talk page, you will receive a notification at the top of every page of the Super Mario Wiki. In addition to the talk page, other users will be able to contact you via email if one is provided. This feature is ''anonymous''; the user who emails you will not know your email address until you respond.

==Reputation and privacy==
You do not need to reveal your [[wikipedia:Real life|real life]] identity, but having an account gives you a fixed Super Mario Wiki identity that other users will recognize. There are many benefits to building a reputation for yourself as a logged-in user. As the number of edits grow and you make yourself known in the community, the other users grow to trust and respect you, and you will probably make some friends along the way. You can also work with other users on big editing projects, including [[mb:forums/57|wiki collaborations]].

Being logged in also means that your IP address is not available to the public, as it would be if you were able to edit anonymously. However, even if you have an account, your IP address can still be accessed by [[MarioWiki:Administrators|administrators]] and [[MarioWiki:Patrollers|patrollers]]. See [[MarioWiki:Privacy policy|our privacy policy]] for more information. The privacy implications of this vary, depending on the nature of your [[wikipedia:Internet service provider|Internet service provider]], local laws and regulations, and the nature and quantity of your edits to the Super Mario Wiki. Be aware that wiki technologies and policies may fluctuate.

==New editing options==
There are many features of the [[wikipedia:MediaWiki|MediaWiki]] software (which powers the Super Mario Wiki) that are only available to registered users. As well as editing, users can create articles, [[Special:Upload|upload files]], and [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Moving a page|move pages]], a feature that is very important to maintain structure and consistency on the wiki.

One very important feature which active contributors will likely use a lot are
'''[[wikipedia:Help:Watchlist|watchlists]]'''. You will get a new "Watch" link on every page you view. If you click that link, a page will be added to your watchlist. This list is basically a filtered view of the "Recent changes" page which only shows changes recently made to items in your watchlist. This way you can keep track of pages you work on without having to follow all changes.

==Many user preferences==
Aside from these features, you can customize the way MediaWiki behaves in great detail. You can change the entire appearance of the website by picking, for example, the "Vector" skin over the default "MonoBook" skin, how you want the date and time to be displayed, whether links should be underlined, the behavior of the editing box, how many pages should be displayed in page lists, and much more.

==Administrator status==
[[MarioWiki:Administrators|Administrators]] can delete and undelete pages, protect them from being edited, edit protected pages, check IP addresses and block users for violation of our policies. [[MarioWiki:Patrollers|Patrollers]] can also block vandals and check IP addresses, and [[MarioWiki:Bureaucrats|bureaucrats]] can do all of this, as well as rename users and promote or demote people from these ranks. Collectively known as the wiki staff, these users create and enforce policies, and are key to maintaining the wiki by double-checking the quality of edits, deleting [[:Category:Pages to be deleted|unwanted pages]], quelling arguments between users, and putting a stop to [[MarioWiki:Vandalism|trolling and vandalism]].

Once you have been a registered user for a while, you may even be promoted and join the ranks of the Super Mario Wiki's staff. See [[MarioWiki:FAQ#How do I become a patroller or admin?|here]] for more information about what it takes to become a staff member.

==Voting and discussions==
Anyone can comment on talk page discussions whether logged in or not, but your opinion may be given more weight if it is attributed to a fixed identity with a record of sensible commentary and informed edits. Only registered users can create or vote on [[MarioWiki:Proposals|proposals]] and [[MarioWiki:Featured articles|featured article]] nominations. The only voting open to anonymous users are the [[MarioWiki:Polls|polls]] on the [[Main Page|main page]] and the annual ''Super Mario'' awards that are held as part of the Super Mario Wiki's [[MarioWiki:Anniversary|anniversary]] celebrations.

[[Category:Super Mario Wiki]]