Wikiquote:Rollback feature

Shortcuts: WQ:ROLLBACK WQ:RBK WQ:ROLL

This page is a guideline on Wikiquote.
It tells about ways to do things, which many users agree should be the way things should be done.
Major changes to this page should be talked about on the talk page before changing.

The rollback feature is a special tool used to revert vandalism. It is given to administrators and other trusted people.

Using rollback

Rollback should only be used to revert obvious vandalism. This is because it does not let you leave an change summary. Instead, the summary reads, "Reverted changes by X to last version by Y". It is done at once and does not need you to make sure you are doing it, which is different from the undo feature.

Other correct uses of rollback are changes by banned users. Unhelpful changes made in your userspace may also be rolled back. If you are not sure whether to use this tool on a single change, please use the undo feature. If you make an obvious mistake, or you need to revert your changes quickly, using rollback on yourself is also allowed.

When not to use rollback

Rollback must not be used to remove good-faith changes by other users. If the tool is used wrongly, it could be removed by an administrator.

How it works

Rollback is the fastest way to undo vandalism. If the vandal made one change, the rollback button will change back to the older change just before the vandal. The rollback button will undo every change by the top user, so if the vandal changed it 6 times in a row, all six changes will be removed. If another user changed after the vandal, the rollback feature will change back to that user's changes, and will not undo all the changes by that user.

The feature leaves an automatic edit summary:

m Reverted changes by Example (talk) to last version by Example2

Because it is only for vandalism, the software automatically marks the change as "small" or "minor", hence the m.

Getting rollback

You may get rollback by asking an administrator's on his/her talk page. Or you may file a request at Wikiquote:Requests for rollback. Please note these few rules:

You must have an account. User rights cannot be given to IP users.
You must not be banned when you ask.
You should have made at least a few changes here.
If you have been blocked recently, it is unlikely that you will be given rollback.
If you have vandalized before, you may not be given this tool for a while. Administrators can choose if they want to give it to you, but only if you have shown a clear change in your behaviour.

The Simple English Wikiquote is a small set of regular users, and does not get vandalised often, so a long history of regular vandal-fighting will not be needed. You just need to show that you know vandalism is, and more importantly, what it is not.

Testing rollback

Testing the tool can be done at Wikiquote:Rollback feature/Testing ground. Please do not test on other people's changes.