Wikipǣdia:Tutorial (Registration)
Frontpage, 1: Editing, 2: Formatting, 3: Wikipedia links, 4: Related site links, 5: External links, 6: Talk pages, 7: Keep in mind, 8: Registration, 9: Namespaces, 10: Wrap-up
Registration is optional
adihtEveryone is welcome to contribute to Wikipedia, regardless of whether they choose to register a username or not.
There are two main reasons people are encouraged to register:
General benefits
adihtThe free account gives you many benefits, including more editing options and user preferences. One handy feature is the watchlist, which makes it easier for you to track changes to pages you are interested in. Another is the ability to move or rename a page. (Do not move pages simply through copying and pasting as the edit history is not preserved that way. Instead, ask at the Village pump for a registered user's help.)
An unregistered user is identified by their machine's IP address, which is used as their public identifier when they make contributions (and sign comments on talk pages). Your computer's IP address can sometimes be used to find information about you, so registering increases your privacy by hiding it. On the other hand, because IP addresses are often non-permanently allocated by DHCP, unregistered users sometimes find it more difficult to gain respect and recognition from other editors through building a good track record. It can also be more difficult to carry on conversations with such non-registered users since they lack a unique talk page.
Finally, only registered users are allowed to become administrators (or sysops).
Perceived benefits
adihtMany Wikipedians consider registering to indicate a greater willingness by you to stand behind your edits, and your comments on discussion pages. This means your contributions to articles and discussion pages will generally be given more weight, at least when you make the entries while logged in.
How to register
adihtTo register, or to see more detailed information regarding the benefits of registering, you can click the Log in link at the top right corner of any page.
Continue with the tutorial.
Frontpage, 1: Editing, 2: Formatting, 3: Wikipedia links, 4: Related site links, 5: External links, 6: Talk pages, 7: Keep in mind, 8: Registration, 9: Namespaces, 10: Wrap-up