Help:Readers' FAQ
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
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[edit] How do I search Wikibooks?
- There should be a small search box at the top and bottom of the screen. Just type in what you're looking for and press enter. See Wikibooks:Searching for more details.
- You can also use Google to search Wikibooks by following this link. Google's index will be somewhat outdated, however.
[edit] What is the license agreement on the contents of Wikibooks?
- Wikibooks modules are all open content and are covered by the GNU Free Documentation License. See Wikibooks:Copyrights.
[edit] Can I mirror entire sections of the Wikibooks to my site? How much can I quote?
- You may mirror or quote as much as you wish, as long as you follow the provisions of the GNU Free Documentation License. See Wikibooks:Copyrights.
[edit] If I link a word from my site to the Wikibooks, am I required to use the GNU FDL for my site? What if I use a small quote (3-4 sentences)? What if I quote entire modules?
- The answer to the first two is "no", since it is covered by the fair use doctrine. For the third, check with your lawyer. However, Wikibookians try to assume good faith, so we won't be suing you. :)
[edit] Can I get Wikibooks on CD, or download it for offline use?
- There are no CDs currently available. The database can be downloaded here, but you'll need to set up a web server, PHP, MySQL and our wiki software to make use of it.
[edit] Download a Wikibook
All Wikibooks pages are free for private use (and public, assuming the GFDL is followed), so you are entirely free to download pages for offline perusal and do what you will with them, be it converting them into a single long HTML page, a PDF or what have you.
Programs like wget or curl can be used to download pages, singly or en masse ("recursively"); most modern browsers like Firefox or Konqueror have a feature to manually save a web page locally to disk with all the style elements and images necessary to reconstruct it offline.
[edit] How do I cite a Wikibooks module?
- Cite it as you would any other web page in accordance with the normal citation practice the publication you are submitting the paper to follows. Because Wikibooks modules are constantly edited, it would be a good idea to include the URL for the specific version of the module you accessed. You can determine this URL by clicking the "Page history" link and clicking on the date of the version you want (likely the one at the top). The URL of the resulting page is a permanent link back to that version no matter what changes are made afterwards. Citing the individual authors is not necessary.
[edit] How do I print a wikibook?
- The easiest is to print it through your browser. Newer browsers will be able to access the print view stylesheet which removes the Wikibooks interface and some colors. For older browsers you may need to make use of the "printable version" link in the toolbox at the bottom of the menu on your left. Try a print preview (if your browser has this function) to see how it will print and remember to try the alternative "printable version", which can be accessed through the toolbox on the left sidebar of every Wikibooks page.
- If the preview is not to your liking you could try copying and pasting it into a word processor. Use the "printable version" link to remove the menus and other things that won't print well and then just copy all or some of what you want. You can then easily edit out sections you don't want to print, or change the font size and other specifics to your liking.
Some books provide special print version (click link for full list) with all content in a single page.
[edit] How do I download a zipped or PDF version of a wikibook?
This is not currently possible, unless the author has specifically arranged it themselves. You can however try making your own PDF, using tips from the above section and free PDF-making software like Open Office and share it with us.
| This article is part of the Wikibooks FAQ |
| FAQ pages... |
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Overview - Readers - Contributing - Editing - Administration - Technical - Problems - Miscellaneous |
| See also... |
