MediaWiki talk:Confirmemail body

Vars:

$1: IP Address in use during the confirmation request

$2: Wiki userid

$3: Confirmation link

$4: Expiration timestamp

— xaosflux ^Talk 03:19, 4 March 2006 (UTC).

confusing text in Wikipedia e-mail address confirmation

(copied from Wikipedia:Village_pump_(proposals)/Archive)

I suggest correcting the current illogical and otherwise confusing text to the following because most normal users whose email address is misused would not understand the current message:

If you did not register an account with this email address or do not know what Wikipedia is, please do *not* click on the link.

(Current message text: Someone, probably you, from IP address xxxx, has registered the account "xxx" with this e-mail address on Wikipedia.

To confirm that this account really does belong to you and activate e-mail features on Wikipedia, please open this link in your browser:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Confirmemail/xxxx

If this is *not* you, please do not follow the link. This confirmation code will expire at 08:48, 21 October 2006.) --Espoo 11:10, 14 October 2006 (UTC)

Well it can be changed easily enough (MediaWiki:Confirmemail body), but I don't see anything confusing in the current version. What is it you find hard to understand in it? Prodego ^talk 14:17, 14 October 2006 (UTC)

If normal computer users (much more clueless than even WP users) are victims of harassment and get an email due to a bogus registration saying "If this is *not* you, please do not follow the link", they will think "why yes, this *is* me" and think they have to click the link. People who understand the technical aspect involved of course understand what is meant although the verb "is" is a completely illogical and ungrammatical attempt to refer to "belong" and/or "register". --Espoo 14:48, 14 October 2006 (UTC)

• How does this sound... "if you did not recently register for Wikipedia..." ? >Radiant< 09:02, 15 October 2006 (UTC)

Better than my suggestion in any case :-) How about this addition (to prevent social engineering)?:

If you did not recently register for Wikipedia (or if you registered with a different email address), please do *not* click on the link. - You don't have to do anything else to ensure that the registration of this email address at Wikipedia is automatically rejected. --Espoo 13:35, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good. I would personally say the last phrase would be better as "otherwise, this request will automatically be rejected in x days." With x being whatever we use. --tjstrf 16:18, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

"Otherwise" after "please do not click on the link" is not logical or understandable. I suggest this:

If you did not recently register for Wikipedia (or if you registered with a different email address), please do *not* click on the link. - Then the registration of this email address at Wikipedia will be automatically rejected. --Espoo 00:16, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

Too many if/then are confusing for users. I've updated this with some of the suggestions above, please post back if we still may need more. — xaosflux ^Talk 20:06, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

Last change

This was discussed here (see also outreach:Account_Creation_Improvement_Project/Testing_content#Email_welcome). Nemo 10:18, 28 April 2011 (UTC)

If someone has the time

I don't see documentation anywhere for this file on mediawiki. SChalice 20:44, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

Reword proposal

Hey everyone,

As some of you might know, the editor engagement group in WMF engineering is working on a notifications system, which is going to include both Web and email notifications support. (This is primarily being lead up by the part of the team not focused on experimental feature ideas, so I'm not spending 100% of my time on it. It's primarily Fabrice, Kaldari, Benny, and Vibha, for those interested.)

Anyway, I noticed that the English Wikipedia version is obviously customized pretty heavily (compared to the default you can see on French Wikipedia, for instance). The purpose of these additions, namely inviting people to try editing and other activities, is pretty positive. But in light of the new notifications underway, one of which will be a separate notification to invite those who haven't yet edited with their accounts to give it a try, I'd like to propose that we refocus this email on to the basics of how to confirm your email and why. How about something like the version below... ? Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 21:23, 1 April 2013 (UTC)

Hello $2,

Welcome to Wikipedia! You've joined the English-language version of the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. 

To confirm your email address, please open this URL in your browser:

$3

This link expires at $4 (UTC).

Confirming your email address will allow you to:
* get a password reminder emailed to you if you forget your password
* exchange emails with other Wikipedia editors
* receive notifications about activity on Wikipedia relevant to you, such as when someone leaves you a message

If you wish to be able to recover your account but don't want to receive other email, visit your preferences at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Preferences

Thanks, and once again, welcome!

This email is generated automatically, and does not accept replies. If you didn't register an account on Wikipedia, feel free to disregard this message or click this link:

$5

"English language" should be hyphenated in "English language version" as a compound modifier. Marcus Qwertyus (talk) 06:49, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

 Done Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 16:34, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

Looks good to me. Much better than the lengthy one just now which floods new editors with a lot of information they don't really need. Why not maintain a link to the editing tutorial however? I'd imagine many people registering have done so with the intention of editing (why register if you intend to just read?).

Perhaps after the preferences line something simple such as Planning on contributing to Wikipedia? Why not check out the Wikipedia tutorial at [1] to help you get started Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 09:46, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

• Added another version with the link to the tutorial below so we can see what it might look like Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 15:23, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

I removed the Tutorial or other invitations to edit since specifically because we are going to be inviting people to do so with a separate, bonafide welcome email. :) Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 16:31, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

Aah, I read it as in you would send them this then only send another email to those who hadn't edited after a certain amount of time had elapsed since they created their account. I asume you mean they'll get the welcome email then after they confirm their account? In which case I support your version Cabe6403 ^{(Talk•Sign)} 18:00, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

Yeah sorry, I should have been specific. :) They will get an invitation to edit as soon as they confirm their email address (so they'll get it after responding to this one). For those who have made an edit, they get a different welcome email not making a redundant "first edit" invitation. Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 19:05, 2 April 2013 (UTC)

Extended content

Hello $2, Welcome to Wikipedia! You've joined the English language version of the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. To confirm your email address, please open this URL in your browser: $3 This link expires at $4 (UTC). Confirming your email address will allow you to: * get a password reminder emailed to you if you forget your password * exchange emails with other Wikipedia editors * receive notifications about activity on Wikipedia relevant to you, such as when someone leaves you a message If you wish to be able to recover your account but don't want to receive other email, visit your preferences at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Preferences Planning on contributing to Wikipedia? Why not check out the Wikipedia tutorial at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Tutorial to help you get started. Thanks, and once again, welcome! This email is generated automatically, and does not accept replies. If you didn't register an account on Wikipedia, feel free to disregard this message or click this link: $5

Okay, I've posted the new version now, since it's been a couple days and no new issues have arisen. Thanks for the feedback Marcus and Cabe, Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 18:23, 4 April 2013 (UTC) (From VPP thread) Comments/questions:

• Hello $2, Welcome to Wikipedia!

  I am feeling uneasy to welcome someone until the email id is confirmed and we can be sure that the email id owner registered the account!
  • I think being friendly is a good idea in general, and it certainly doesn't hurt. The email and account not matching is an edge case, right? Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 01:09, 25 April 2013 (UTC)

• You've joined the English language version of the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

  - Someone (most probably YOU) have registered an account at Wikipedia... Anyone can register the account, it is a common question in email forums that other editors registering account for them.
  • Per the above. It's probably beneficial to assume good faith considering the most common use case. The near-end text about a mismatch covers this case. Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 01:09, 25 April 2013 (UTC)

• You've joined the English language version of the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

  - Unnecessary inclusion of tagline! He is never going to tell like this I have joined English language Wikipedia that anyone can edit. It can be kept simple "you have joined Wikipedia community". Though it is not a big issue.
  • I don't think it's unnecessary. These people just signed up. (The average time to confirmation is 20 minutes.) Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 01:09, 25 April 2013 (UTC)

• Planning on contributing to Wikipedia?

  - Unnecessary question! Surely they are, that's why they have created the account.

• Why not check out the Wikipedia tutorial at

  I am not sure if the "Tutorial" is the best link here. And this link and few more links (like Getting Started, YFA, link to Help Desk, Teahouse can be added in the email once the email id is confirmed like Congratulations! You have successfully verified your email address... ....... .... Help links}}

• ...please open this URL in your browser

  sounds like you are asking to copy paste in address bar. Most people will just click on it, which is missing! It can be mentioned in two steps- click on the link and if clicking does not work copy paste the link in address bar and press "Enter"!

Welcome to Wikipedia! You've joined the English language version of the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. ...To confirm your email address..

-There is a missing point between these two sentences "You need toconfirm your email address before starting using the account"

• Since we have an active OTRS team and Help Desk too, there might be a link to ask questions for help (though not many people will need help in this process, but, just as a formality)
• What's the subject line of this message? Some site (most probably Facebook uses a catchy subject line "You're one step away from.." I also like the plain and simple subject line "Please verify your email address" --Tito Dutta (contact) 23:12, 5 April 2013 (UTC)
  • The subject line is "Wikipedia email address confirmation" I believe. I would have left some other inline comments above, but is sounds like some of things you're commenting about were removed in the new version. Steven Walling (WMF) • talk 01:09, 25 April 2013 (UTC)

Edit request

Change "password reminder" to "password reset". Both are distinct. Thanks. Marcus Qwertyus (talk) 01:16, 14 April 2013 (UTC)

I agree, but maybe we should change that whole line to "reset your password via email if you forget it" or something alone those lines for further clarity? Thehelpfulone 01:33, 14 April 2013 (UTC)

 Done. I used the suggested wording but left out "if you forget it", as using the reset feature isn't, technically, conditional on forgetting one's password. (pedantic, I know...) Feezo (send a signal | watch the sky) 05:04, 14 April 2013 (UTC)

Protected edit request on 30 January 2022

Please change the link from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Preferences to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Preferences. Wikipedia is https by default and the http link redirects to https. ಮಲ್ನಾಡಾಚ್ ಕೊಂಕ್ಣೊ (talk) 14:45, 30 January 2022 (UTC)

 Done. Feezo (send a signal | watch the sky) 16:11, 30 January 2022 (UTC)