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Talk:List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces

Experimental Pistols
Why is it that there are some pistols that are designed in the 1800s and 1900s considered "experimental"? I don't think the US Military is considering adopting a US made P08 Luger any time soon. 75.181.53.227 (talk) 20:48, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Lugers were tested in 9mm and .45ACP at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the early 20th century, so "experimental" refers to tested n their day but not adopted.Naaman Brown (talk) 15:13, 2 April 2009 (UTC)

Springfield 1903
Is the Springfield 1903 still in service in the US military? Lefty 16:29, 2004 Aug 4 (UTC)

 * Not that I know of. While I believe it did see some use in Korea it was no longer in the armories by the time Vietnam rolled around.  Maclyn611 19:59, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC)

 * I beleive it is still used in some cerimonial role, along with the M1 Garand (marines use that). Both should probably be re-added to 'in secondary/cerimonial roles' along with their bayonets. user:pzg ratzinger

im like 99% sue the m1 gand is only used for cemimonyl duties(Esskater11 23:30, 30 April 2007 (UTC))

M1917
The M1917 link doesn't say anything about a revolver...? --Kenyon 16:56, May 14, 2005 (UTC)
 * Actually a google search turned up this. Added it to the disambiguation article. --Kenyon 17:15, May 14, 2005 (UTC)

List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
I think that this article should be switched back to its original name "List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces." The current name is too broad and will invite the addition of commercial firearms. I also disagree with the reordering of the weapons from the previous standard of Current, Obsolete, and Experimental. I suspect that the author in question was not intending to vandalize the page, but the end result displays an equal amount of damage.

As an aside, the XM307 and XM312 need to be moved to the "List of Crew Served Weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces." D.E. Watters 00:04, Jun 4, 2005 (UTC)

List name
Why is "U.S." and not "US"? or even "USA"? GraemeLeggett

 * I don't have a particular reason for it other than the list previously had this name. I guess that "US" could work just as well; that way it would match List of crew served weapons of the US Armed Forces.  However, then you have List of weapons of the U.S. Marine Corps. --D.E. Watters 16:06, Jun 13, 2005 (UTC)
 * Could spell it out, United States Marine Corps, or collapse it completely USMC, but anyhow aren't the Marine Corps part of the US Armed Forces? GraemeLeggett 16:23, 13 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * True, but the USMC uses certain weapons that are specific only to that service. The USMC list also contains more than just individual and crew-served weapons.  In any case, I don't have a dog in that fight. --D.E. Watters 17:13, Jun 13, 2005 (UTC)

Mk 4 issue
I guess its not there anymore, but didn't it used to say in your (D.E. Watters) that the Mk 4 Mod 0 at some point became the navy designation for the rifle configuration? Not to doubt new information, and I added the Mk 4 Mod 0 bit on the M16 page too, I'm just trying to clear this up. --Thatguy96 20:49, Oct 13, 2005 (UTC)

 * Ezell referenced the Mk 4 Mod 0 as the "Stoner rifle" in "Small Arms Today". At the time, I thought that he meant the Stoner 63.  Dockery claims that all of the SEALs' Stoner 63 were eventually configured as LMGs.  Since Dockery's research is so focused on the SEALs that I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. --D.E. Watters 15:08, 14 October 2005 (UTC)

HK 416/417
Is the US military actually testing either of these systems? I have no heard that and I think it would be big news.
 * I have only heard some rumours, thats all.
 * the only units currently using them are certain JSOC elements and Federal Agencies
 * Does the Asymmetric Warfare Group fall under USSOCOM? Because they are the only US military organization known to be using them. -- Thatguy96 04:44, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

Ive seen a source of it being used but ONLY as they were testing it i personaly want a source that theyre actualy using these continualy(ForeverDEAD 00:09, 10 August 2007 (UTC))

The Asymetric Warfare Group equips itself with anything they hear CAG is carrying. CAG is known to use them and their procurement predates the AWG's buy based on the open source information out there. Various other SOF units have purchased 416 uppers as well. -- HS —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.60.227.174 (talk) 03:06, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

SAW Candidates
Ve3, do you have any info on the XM223? The only entry I found on the internet makes it sound like the XM233, and I can't tell which is the typo, or if they're actually different weapons. --Thatguy96 15:57, Nov 10, 2005 (UTC)
 * Na, actually I was hoping you might know! Ve3 00:10, 11 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Yeah. The only thing online I can find about the XM223 is that its a Maremont SAW candidate.  Now, the XM233 is also something I've seen described as a Maremont SAW candidate.  They're both in 6x45mm SAW or I would've assumed one was the updated variant when the swap was made to 5.56x45mm NATO.

 * "Small Arms of the World, 12th Ed." and "Janes Infantry Weapons 1976" both list the 6mm Maremont entry as the XM233. This makes a certain amount of sense when the other two 6mm SAW candidates were the XM234 and XM235. --D.E. Watters 21:01, 3 December 2005 (UTC)

s
Ve3, I'm guessing you did the grenades thing. Oddly enough I was thinking about creating a single entry, a survey of US hand grenades since WWII. Do you think specific pages for each grenade would be nesseacy? I don't see why they can't all be on the same page. --Thatguy96 16:03, Nov 10, 2005 (UTC)
 * That is a nice article you made there- I will just change it to a link to that. Ve3 00:10, 11 November 2005 (UTC)

Sensors?
Sensors are not weapons last I checked. Shouldn't a seperate list be created for other personal infantry equipment, even if its weapon related? Not all of those sensors are weapons related I think either --Thatguy96 18:10, Nov 10, 2005 (UTC)

 * Well the IR lasers are not exactly sensors, but yes, its better of elsewhere. It was baiscally (and the nades thing too) just to have something down, even if its not in the best spot for while. Ve3 00:10, 11 November 2005 (UTC)

Cartridges
I removed the references to M193 and M885. The standard 5.56mm cartridge currently in use is the 62 grain M855, not M885. I did not feel that the inclusion of cartridges for specific weapons was helpful, since M193 can be fired without problem out of a 1:7 or a 1:12 twist barrel. The information is overly specific since it leaves out the M196 tracer, the M856 tracer, the M995 armor-piercing, and M956 armor-piercing tracer. Also, some weapons prefer to use the 77 grain Mk 262 Mod 0 or Mod 1 cartridge. Pettifogger 03:13, 11 November 2005 (UTC)

Shotguns
I'm pretty sure that the military inventory includes the Mossberg 590. . I think the Mossberg 590 was adopted by the USMC in 1987. Pettifogger 22:45, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

 * Yes, both are in inventory. As a matter of fact, there were a couple of notices in FBO just today from the US Army for shotgun ammo.  They specifically mentioned that the ammo needed to work in the Mossberg 500 and 590, Winchester 1200, and Remington 870. --D.E. Watters 23:39, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Is the Winchester 1200 still in service too then? Ve3

 * Yes. Pettifogger 22:42, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

Why are there three listings for the M97 and two listings for the M12? Is there any need for the duplication considering the listings go to the same place? --Charles 04:22, 21 May 2006 (UTC)
 * The Winchester 1897 should get two entries, because the commercial M1897 was purchased for use in the Phillipines, and the "trench gun" versions were purchased for WWI. --Pettifogger 07:24, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

When the Army was gearing up for World War I, all the new equipment they bought were classified as M1917. This unfortunately, included all the shotguns. However, internal documents usually just called them Winchester M97, Winchester M12, or Remington 10 riot guns, whether or not they had the heatshield and bayonet attachment or not, to avoid confusion. "The new weapon was officially adopted in 1917 as the 'Trench Gun -- Model 1917' . . . . As we will see, in addition to the Model 1908, two other types of shotguns were eventually adopted during WWI and given the same 'Trench Gun - Model 1917' nomenclature." --Pettifogger 07:24, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

m249
All the m249 and m240's have been removed. They are crew served weapons according to army documentation. Moved them to the crewserved list. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  16:42, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

Please stop adding the m249's and m240's on the list. They are NOT individual weapons. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:21, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * They need to be on both lists- even though they are classified as such cs, they are not always used that way. In addition, that section is for ar/saw's- which does not always relate to if it was crew served or not. Because of this the AR list would be innaccurate on either page, so some compromise must be made for it either way. Ve3 00:23, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * I should add this problem exists in the anti-tank assault section as well- some of those were technically cs weapons as well. The same is true for sensors section- there are also some crew served sensors/lasers. Splitting these up would problematic, and they are some in error in either case so a compromise must be made. Ve3 00:32, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * The m240B is NEVER used as an individual weapon: it ALWAYS has a second person assistant gunning, or is vehicle mounted. Either way it's a crew served weapon not individual. The m249 is usually only carried by one person, however according to the army doctrine, it's still a crew served weapon. I'm telling this from having been an m240 and m249 gunner in the us army. They do NOT count as individual weapons. An individual weapon is a weapon that is completely designed to be operated,carried, and maintained by 1 person....i.e. a rifle, pistol, etc. THAT's why the m249 and M240B do not count: they are designed to have ammunition carried by an assistant gunner. Your information is incorrect, and needs to be changed, or else you need to change the title of the page to not say Individual Weapons. Otherwise, your information does NOT meet wikipedia criteria. ⇒    SWAT Jester   [[Image:Flag_of_Iceland.svg|18px|]]  Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:36, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

First hand source: from army.mil "The M240B is a ground-mounted, gas-operated, crew-served machine gun." ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:39, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

M249 is a crew served weapon source: FAS.org, scroll down to see the M249/Minimi, same page also shows the m240B, and m60's. You need to remove these weapons from the Individual list. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:41, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Further link from USMA.edu (us military academy).

 * I have no doubt it is used as crew-served weapon, but the AR/SAW section cannot be split up that way. Also, even though it may 100 percent always be used as a crew-served weapon in the Army, this may not hold true for other branches, and special operations.
 * The page must make compromises to cover over 200 years worth weapons, the varying defitions of use, and for categories. Keeping a unified AR/SAW list is one of these, the anti-tank assault is another. Ve3 00:44, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

No, it does not work at all. You're saying on a list of oranges you have to include apples. the m249, m240, and m60 are crew served weapons, not individual weapons. I've shown you the research showing that. They do not belong on this list. Why is this so hard to understand? These are not branch specific definitions....this is the way the Department of Defense classifies for procurement purposes. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:49, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Yet another link to the m240, m249, and m60 being referenced as crew-served weapons: they're supplied with the crew served weapons technical manual:,   ⇒    SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:52, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Do you understand the difference between a crew served and individual weapon? An individual weapon is designed to be carried, maintained, operated all by one person (with the exception of all grenade launchers are considered crew served weapons). Crew served weapons are designed to be carried, maintained, or operated by more than one person. These include sniper rifles, grenade launchers, and machine guns such as the m249, m60 and m240. All of these weapons either require a second person to operate or maintain, or were designed with that capability in mind. That is why an m4/m16 is an individual weapon....two people can't fire one. A sniper rifle, or SAW/AR are crew served: they're both designed to have a gunner( or sniper) and assistant gunner (or spotter). A weapon cannot be crew served AND individual at the same time. It does not work like that. That's like saying something can be an apple AND and orange at the same time. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  00:58, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * Yes, I KNOW they are all normally crew-served and who uses that definition! That is why the pages are organized this way. However, they can ALSO be used as individual weapons and they are most certainly used as SAW/AR- which is why the section makes a note of CS classification. There is no good way to handle it- including them but making a note of their nature is a way of being accurate. Not allowing for this exception is also problematic.
 * Deleting them, and removing the note is of course a option, but the another note must be made that that sub-section is not entirely complete and makes it harder to understand that aspect of their use. This is not even unique to that section- the anti-tank assault section has the same issue. Ve3 01:01, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

No, they CANNOT be used as an individual weapon. You're not understanding. Look at the definition above of what an individual weapon is. As these are CREW SERVED weapons, they CANNOT be USED as an individual weapon. Please just assume good faith and remove them. Their continued presence is incorrect, and actually against wikipedia's policy (I've cited my sources showing my point and met the grounds of verifiability|verifiability.) I'm removing them one last time. Do not revert this edit. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  01:06, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * Yes, many of them can, and they have- However, this does not effect there overall classification as CS. This is why that section makes of note this. The anti-tank and sensor sections have the same problem of mixing CS and individual weapons- its a neccesary evil to keep those sections together.

You will never see an m240 being used in the US military as an individual weapon. I'm telling you that right now, as a prior M240 gunner. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  01:18, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * There is a big difference between just listing them incorrectly as ind. when they are crew-served, and talking about a limited use, in a sub-section and making a note of there other use. Ve3 01:14, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

You're not understanding though. This isn't a list of "Maybe possibly in an alternate dimension be used as individual weapons". This is a list of ACTUAL individual weapons. Therefore, ALL the crew served weapons need to go. The entire SAW/AR section needs to go (minus a few like the M16 HBAR), the entire sniper rifle section, most of the explosives, etc. ⇒    SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  01:18, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * The use of some of these as individual weapons exists. How to handle in-between cases is a hard one. Up till now, the route has been to have subsections, and make accurate sub-sections even when thre is a mix of use. If they are moved to CS its NOT going to be totally accurate either, and splitting the sub-sections will make a confusing mess. Then the subsections will need notes they are incomplete! Ve3 01:33, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

Look it will be very easy. Watch: The sniper rifles, AR/SAW's, all go to the crew served list only. The sensors and anti tank weapons get moved individually based on whether they can be cited as crew served or not. Easy enough. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  01:41, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * Not all sniper rifles, ar/saws are crew-served, and splitting up the anti-tank section is going to be confusing too. That said, I will only go along with this if the sub-sections are kept together, and notes(similar to the ones that exist currently, but noting ind. rather than CS use) are included. What must not happen is that a type of use or weapon, does not get covered on EITHER page.
 * If you are going to do this, you also might want to get the opinions of some other people update the page like Thatguy and DEwatters. Ve3 01:50, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * I'm pretty sure Thatguy will agree with me, he knows me from elsewhere. ⇒    SWAT Jester   [[Image:Flag_of_Iceland.svg|18px|]]  Ready    Aim    Fire!  02:39, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * I'll agree you know more about policy than me, but I'll admit I have no idea how we can call all of the sniper/marksman rifles crew-served weapons. I don't understand how that works, and since this is a public encyclopedia you're going to have to explain it somewhere so everyone does.  I'd really like a more of a concrete explanation myself.  In the field is their an assitant to the guy carrying the SDM-R or SAM-R?  Or does it have to do with the fact that his weapon might need to be maintained by more than just him.  On a seperate note, Ve3, if you don't understand something and don't agree with it, don't just revert the edit, this is what discussions are for.  Chances are someone has done it for a good reason. -- Thaguyt96 23:45, 10 February 2006

Sniper rifles and marksman rifles are considered crew-served because when used properly, there is both a sniper and a spotter. If you want to split hairs, dedicated marksman rifles such as the SAM-R or SPR would not be considered crew served weapons in common use due to current SOP has just one marksman with them, no spotter. However, on paper, in both TM's and procurement documents, they ARE designed to be used with a spotter, so they WOULD technically still be crew-serveds. Obviously this only applies to the US armed forces, as US military doctrine is that snipers work in pairs. Other armies may have their snipers go alone....for them it would not be considered crew-served. But, this list is only for the US Armed forces that doesn't matter. Make sense Thatguy?

So you have:

SAWs and MG's: designed to have a loader or assistant gunner/spotter Sniper rifles and marksman rifles: designed to spotter assistant.

Hence, crew served qualification. ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  06:31, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

 * The issue was not that they are normally crew served, its that the list contains ind. AND CS used weapons- some were used for both and some were around before this terminolgy was common. To make it accurate the list just needs to make a note of the dual nature- regardless if it is on this page or the other. You seem to think the issue was defining what CS and Ind. are, and moving things around- but it is just not this simple. In the future you could save yourself trouble by putting less work into trying to convince people of your side of the argument and more into understanding  what the argument is about. Ve3 18:24, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

g36
wanna show us those links batman? ⇒   SWAT Jester     Ready    Aim    Fire!  18:19, 7 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Also, Batman, if you mean you found soldiers using the XM8 (which is not the same as the G36 despite obvious influences), we've already got that. -- Thaguyt96 15:37, 7 March 2006

MA-1/"Survival rifles"/AR-7
I linked the MA-1/AR-5 to a small article on same. Was the MA-1 here was originally to be covered by a general survival rifle article? If so, that's a bit beyond me right now, but I've done what I can.

Small point, I question the inclusion of the AR-7 here as an Air Force survival rifle. I don't believe it was ever issued as such, and the ArmaLite website makes no mention of any such sales. The ArmaLite website does verify the AR-5/MA-1 was sold to the Air Force. Tychocat 08:04, 24 May 2006 (UTC)
 * I had originally set up the linking like that because I wasn't sure any of them warranted their own entry. If someone wants to do specific entries for them I see no reason not to.  If someone goes out and writes something up specifically about the Ithaca M6 then I see no reason why eventually the idea of a general USAF survival rifle or survival rifle article can't be tossed. --Thatguy96 10:49, 24 May 2006

List of American Swords
To correct the gaps in this page's list of American weapons, I have contributed a starting list of standard and well-known American military and naval sword models, or patterns. Creating a separate page for each of these historical swords will be a monumental task, to which I invite all those with an interest in this subject to contribute. Your ideas concerning other additions or corrections are appreciated. Thanks for your ideas and consideration. Jack Bethune 22:55, 16 June 2006 (UTC)
 * technicly the 1840 NCO sword is in service.Brian in denver (talk) 17:42, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

AUG
Hey I found this *Modern Firearms article on the AUG, it says the AUG is used by the United States Coast Guard, therefore it should be listed here. QZXA2 01:31, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

No, it isn't. The only major US government user has been the US Customs Service. D.E. Watters 01:54, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

something wrong
for the rifles section in obsolete it has wewpoans in thier then next to it in peretha-c's it says still in limited use. shouldnt it go in limited use section (Esskater11 21:33, 12 June 2007 (UTC))

what does it mean the 416 is out of service
last time I checked it was only removed from the asymmetric warfare group. whats all this stuff about an unauthorized purchase?

The HK416 for some reason has been removed from the asymetric warfare groups, but it is still in use by Delta force, it shouldn't be listed as "out of service" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.244.231.159 (talk) 16:13, 14 August 2008 (UTC)

Canceled experiments
Should canceled experiments go under the obsolete section or stay under experimental forever? I think it would make more sense to move them to obsolete and note that the model was "never issued".206.130.99.180 (talk) 07:38, 17 October 2008 (UTC)

Carbines section
If muskets are going to be included in the rifles section, we should also include carbines in there as well, because there's little functional difference between rifles and carbines (compared to modern rifles and muskets) and most writers and manufacturers don't really distinguish between them, or they consider carbines simply to be a type of rifle. Should these two sections be merged? 206.130.99.180 (talk) 09:25, 20 October 2008 (UTC)

M16A2
Why is it listed as "out of service"? AFAIK the A2 is still the standard alongside the A4. Did something change? -ANK 71.244.129.247 (talk) 02:28, 9 April 2009 (UTC) You're right. Someone moved it to the "In Active Service (Some Brances or Limited Roles)" Section. I've even heard someone say "Some of us were still getting A2's" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.210.65.165 (talk) 12:19, 3 March 2011 (UTC)

Pistols
Whoever keeps saying that the Mk 23 and the M1911 are both obsolete pistols needs to either prove that they are obsolete (give us a source) or stop what they are doing. As far as I know, the Mk 23 is still in uses by SOCOM and the M1911 is still in use by Delta Force. -67.77.149.120 (talk) 02:35, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Missing Sniper Rifle
I work for IMFDB.org and this is my first edit. I realized that this page is missing the Mark 12 Mod 0 rifle. Is this weapon not used by the armed forces? I would edit this page myself but I have not created an account before and don't want to. -75.94.26.221 (talk) 15:50, 07 February 2010 (UTC)

Airforce pilots handgun
Airforce pilots are issued Glock 19s. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.30.50.180 (talk) 18:45, 18 January 2011 (UTC)

LAW
Why are there 11 versions of the LAW in service? It would be hard to issue because... its just too many versions. The AT Section would have to have room for AT4's and SMAW's.216.210.65.165 (talk) 12:06, 4 March 2011 (UTC)February 27, 2011

No...I figured it out. The Army uses their 6 variants in the 3 platoons' Weapons Squads. The USMC has an AT Section with 5 LAW's and 1 M136/Mk 153.216.210.65.165 (talk) 12:06, 4 March 2011 (UTC)March 4, 2011

And why did you split up the AT Section? By the way the Javelin is on Both "Missile Launchers" and "Antitank/Assault"

CAR-15
Are the CAR-15's really out of service? They don't seem to be. But if that's wat it says, then I guess they are. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.210.65.165 (talk) 04:07, 27 February 2011 (UTC)

Mk 12 SPR & M14 still in use
When I saw the SPR, it looked more like a Sniper/DM rifle than just a standard rifle. Or do they used the unscoped variant of it? And are there still some regular M14s in service or are they all scoped? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.210.65.165 (talk) 23:52, 27 February 2011 (UTC)

 * It's unlikely that there many SPRs that aren't scoped, otherwise one can't really take advantage of it benefits over the M4A1. That doesn't mean that it couldn't be set up with iron sights, and EOTech or and Aimpoint. I'm sure different optics are in use and the sighting system doesn't make it another "variant."

 * There are still "standard" M14s in service and I believe that the navy still uses some unscoped rifles aboard ship. New Hampshirite (talk) 05:03, 28 February 2011 (UTC)

Bazooka and Boys AT Rifle
Where are the M1/9/20 Bazookas? I sware they were used in WWII-Vietnam. Also, should the Boys Antitank Rifle go on the crew-served list? I know they were used by US Rangers in WWII.216.210.65.165 (talk) 12:15, 3 March 2011 (UTC)March 3, 2011

Carbines
I see that most of the Cold War Carbines are put of service. Are they all replaced with the new M4 when it came out? And did they not have a standard carbine from when the M1 retired to 1997?216.210.65.165 (talk) 12:03, 4 March 2011 (UTC)March 4, 2011

Seperating Between Experimental and Obsolete Pistols
Can someone distinguish between the service pistols and expiremental/cancelled pistols? If I don't get a reply soon I'll just try my best at it. What confuses me, for example, is the B92SB. It says "JSSAP Winner", but says nothing about it being used.174.106.144.134 (talk) 13:30, 5 March 2011 (UTC)March 5, 2011

Uhh...What happened to the Mk 18?
In the crew-served page, the Mk 18 is a "Belt-fed automatic grenade launcher", but when I click on it, it goes to the CQBR. Maybe there isn't a page for the GL, and the CQBR is the Mk 18 that Wikipedia thinks it is. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.106.144.134 (talk) 13:36, 5 March 2011 (UTC)

Mines
Would a section on mines be put in here or under crew served? (America789 (talk) 21:33, 19 April 2012 (UTC))
 * Probably crew-served, though smaller anti-personnel mines would probably fit in here. Nohomers48 (talk) 23:27, 19 April 2012 (UTC)

ID this firearm
Does anyone know about this unusual firearm?. It comes under US Patent 2,436,175.
 * Image
 * Patent — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bhvtz (talk • contribs) 00:20, 15 June 2012 (UTC)
 * That's a Neal Submachine Gun, obscure and odd revolver-thing based on the Webley-Fosberry-type semi-auto revolver principle, only with a barrel fitted to each cylinder and a loading mechanism added. Herr Gruber (talk) 07:52, 26 November 2015 (UTC)

HK Mark 23 removed?
Is it actually out of service? I'm aware that the pistols were generally unpopular and did not see too much combat use but as far as I know USSOCOM still has them in inventory. --Chaingunfighter (talk) 04:17, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for speedy deletion: You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 01:22, 1 August 2022 (UTC)
 * Police Carbine APC Parabellum 9x19 calibre Switzerland Swiss defence industrry military technology 001.jpg

Major cleanup
I'm making a major cleanup effort on this article -- I've removed all the inappropriate entries (sniper rifles, ATGMs, etc.) that all belong on the crew-served page. Next, will be going through and cleaning up the sourcing, and removing inaccurate claims. Finally, will add a few missing items not covered here already. ⇒  SWAT Jester   Shoot Blues, Tell VileRat! 19:18, 23 February 2024 (UTC)


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Salamander (video game)

Salamander, retitled Life Force (ライフフォース) in North America and in the Japanese arcade re-release, is a scrolling shooter arcade video game developed and published by Konami. Released in 1986 as a spin-off of Gradius, Salamander introduced a simplified power-up system, two-player cooperative gameplay and both horizontally and vertically scrolling stages. Some of these later became normal for future Gradius games. In Japanese, the title is written using ateji, which are kanji used for spelling foreign words that has been supplanted in everyday use by katakana. Contra, another game by Konami was also given this treatment, with its title written in Japanese as 魂斗羅 (kontora).

Salamander was followed with a sequel in 1996 titled Salamander 2.

Gameplay
The first player controls Vic Viper and the second player takes the reins of debuting spacecraft Lord British, which is sometimes referred to as "Road British" due to the ambiguity of Japanese-to-English romanization. The game features six stages which alter between horizontal and vertical scrolling.

Players are allowed to continue from where they leave upon death instead of being returned to a predefined checkpoint as per Gradius tradition. There are no continues in single player mode, and two in the two-player mode. The number of continues can be changed through DIP switches. The player gains power-ups by picking up capsules left behind by certain enemies, as opposed to the selection bar used in other Gradius games. However, the Japanese version of Life Force keeps the selection bar.

Many of the power-ups can be combined. For example, an option fires a second (or third) salvo of missiles or ripple/plutonic lasers if these power-ups have been attained. The ripple and laser, however, are mutually exclusive. The only power-up that can survive the ship's destruction is the options (called "multiples" in the English release), they followed the exact flight path of the player's ship and fired when they did, but were otherwise invulnerable. Upon the ship's destruction, the options float in space for a brief time before disappearing; the new ship can grab and retain them.

Development
The arcade version of the game was released under its original title in Japan and Europe, and as Life Force in North America. The Japanese and European versions are nearly identical, but the American version changes the game's plot by adding an opening text that establishes the game to be set inside a giant alien life-form which is infected by a strain of bacteria. Stages that feature starfield backgrounds were changed to the web background from Stage 1 to maintain consistency with the organic setting of the plot. The power-ups are also given different names, with the "Speed-Up" becoming "Hyper Speed", the "Missile" becoming the "Destruct Missile", the "Ripple Laser" becoming the "Pulse Laser" and "Force Field" becoming the "Shield". Narration is added to the beginning of each stage, detailing the area of the alien's body which the player is currently inhabiting such as "Enter stomach muscle zone" or "Bio-mechanical brain attack".

Konami later released an enhanced version of Salamander in Japan in 1987 bearing the American title of Life Force which further fleshes out the organic motif. All of the backgrounds and mechanical enemies are completely redrawn and given organic appearances. The power-up system was also modified, with the Japanese Life Force using the same power-up gauge as the original Gradius. Some music tracks have been completely changed for this release and the power-up gauge is arranged differently for both players.

Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum
Ocean Software on their Imagine label, released licensed versions of Salamander for computer systems by Spectrum, Commodore and Amstrad in 1988. The Spectrum and Amstrad versions were generally criticized, but the Commodore 64 version was highly praised by the critics of the day, particularly Zzap!64. Though missing two of the six stages, the simultaneous two player mode and gameplay being much easier than its arcade counterpart, the Commodore port is generally considered to be one of the best arcade conversions on this system.

Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System
Salamander was ported to the Family Computer in Japan in 1987. Instead of being a direct port of Salamander, elements were taken from the original Salamander and the Japanese Life Force re-release, and some elements, such as levels and bosses, were removed to make way for new content. Most of the background graphics and enemy sprites from Salamander are used in favor of those used in Life Force, though the Gradius-style power bar is used in place of the original instant pick-up system. In 1988, North America received a port as well for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The NES version is practically identical to its Famicom equivalent, other than not having the multiple endings, having two option power ups instead of three, and being titled Life Force. The North America version was later re-released for the Virtual Console on February 16, 2009 for the Wii, on January 23, 2014 for the Nintendo 3DS and August 21, 2014 for the Wii U. The European version is titled Life Force: Salamander on its cover and was released on November 22, 1989. The NES version makes use of the Konami Code, which increases the number of lives from three to 30. The first two levels of Life Force were profiled in the second issue of Nintendo Power, issued in 1988. Several issues later the entire game was re-profiled.

MSX
The MSX port of Salamander (沙羅曼蛇) is significantly different from the original and any other ports. New to this port is a graphical introduction that introduces human pilots for each ship, as well as names for each stage. The levels are notably longer than the arcade original, and the player is forced to start from a pre-defined checkpoint upon death of either pilot, instead of starting where he left off. After level two, the player can choose the order of the next three stages. In addition, the player can collect "E" capsules by destroying certain enemies. Collecting fifteen will permanently upgrade one of the available weapons on the power-up bar. Some weapons allow the player ships to merge, one player controlling movements and the second player controlling weapons. Instead of the Vic Viper and the Lord British Space Destroyer, the ships are known as the Sabel Tiger and the Thrasher; piloted by human characters named Iggy Rock and Zowie Scott. The story takes place in the year 6709 A.D and has 2 different endings. The MSX version was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan on January 12, 2010. It was later released for the Wii U's Virtual Console on July 20, 2016. They were also made available for the Project EGG on Windows Store on May 19, 2015.

PC Engine
A version for the PC Engine was released on December 6, 1991. Based on the arcade version of Salamander, changes on this port include starting from a pre-defined checkpoint upon death in 1 Player mode, faster enemy animations, and improved music. In Japan, the PC Engine version was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console on September 11, 2007, for PlayStation Network on July 21, 2010 and for the Wii U's Virtual Console on October 22, 2014, and also for the Project EGG con Windows Store on March 3, 2014. It was released in North America on November 16, 2017 for the Wii U Virtual Console. The PC version is on the TurboGrafx-16 Mini released in 2020 and is the sole title from the compilation that is excluded from the Japanese model while being included in the North American and European ones.

PlayStation and Sega Saturn
A compilation titled Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus was released in Japan for the Sega Saturn on June 19, 1997, and for the PlayStation on July 6 of the same year. The compilation includes Salamander, the Japanese version of Life Force, and Salamander 2. Konami announced that the PlayStation version would be released in the U.S. as part of a bundle with Gradius Gaiden, but this release was later cancelled.

Mobile Phones
Salamander was released for mobile phones in 2003.

PlayStation 4
All three arcade versions (Salamander, and the American and Japanese adaptations of Life Force) were ported to the Arcade Archives on November 27, 2015 in Japan exclusively for PlayStation 4. It was later released worldwide in Spring 2016. It was published by Hamster Corporation.

PlayStation Portable
Another compilation of the Salamander series, titled Salamander Portable, was released for the PlayStation Portable on January 24, 2007 in Japan. The PSP compilation features all three games previously included in the Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus, as well as Xexex and the MSX version of Gradius 2 (a.k.a. Nemesis II, which is unrelated to the arcade game Gradius II: Gofer's Ambition).

iOS
On December 20, 2010, an application called PC Engine Game Box was published in the App Store which served as a portal to download classic PC Engine video games. Among the downloadable titles is the PC Engine version of Salamander for a fee.

Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection
The arcade version is included on Konami's Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection released in April 2019 in digital-only format for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Initially, the compilation in Japan only had the Salamander version of the game, while everywhere else featured the American Life Force instead. In June 2019, Konami added for free the Japanese versions of the respective games on the western Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection. Only the Salamander version can be played in this addition, as the Japanese Life Force is not part of the compilation. Conversely, the American version of Life Force was added to the collection in Japan in that same update.

Reception
In Japan, Game Machine listed Salamander on their August 15, 1986 issue as being the second most successful table arcade unit of the month. It went on to be the top-grossing arcade game on Japan's Gamest charts between September and October 1986.

In 1997, Electronic Gaming Monthly rated the NES version the 76th best console video game of all time, calling it "one of the coolest shooters ever, and ... one of the first big two-player simultaneous shooters on the NES." They particularly noted that the graphics in the fire stage were "mind-blowing back in the day". In 1993, Commodore Force ranked the game at number 19 on its list of the top 100 Commodore 64 games.

Anime
Salamander (沙羅曼蛇) is a 1988 OVA mini-series by Studio Pierrot, directed by Hisayuki Toriumi. There were three episodes released on VHS and Laserdisc between February 25, 1988 and February 21, 1989. The series was licensed by a British company Western Connection. The series is not canon, however; as the MSX Gradius series states that the events with Gofer take place over a two-hundred year period following the crisis with Zelos and his Salamander Armada. In this mini-series, it is revealed that the Bacterians capture sentient life to create leaders for their space armada. They capture sentient life via a dark fog going through space that changes inorganic matter into organic matter (the large brain-like final bosses in the games); and that they are a crystal-like life-form in origin. Noriko Hidaka provided the voice of the protagonist Stephanie. In the anime, the Lord British Space Destroyer was named after one of the protagonists, Ike Lord British of planet Latis; thus making it Lord British's Space Destroyer.

 * Releases
 * Vol. 1: Salamander (沙羅曼蛇) (based on Salamander)
 * Vol. 2: Salamander: Meditating Paula (沙羅曼蛇 瞑想のパオラ) (based on Gradius)
 * Vol. 3: Salamander: Gofer's Ambition (沙羅曼蛇 ゴーファーの野望) (based on Gradius II)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Salamander (video game)


text:
PowerJet

PowerJet is a Franco-Russian 50-50 joint venture created in 2004 by aeronautical engine manufacturers Snecma (Safran) and NPO Saturn. The company is in charge of the SaM146 program – the sole powerplant for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner – including design, production, marketing and after-sales support. It delivers a complete propulsion system, comprising engine, nacelle and equipment.

PowerJet has two production sites: one in Villaroche (France) and the other in Rybinsk (Russia).

History
Snecma and NPO Saturn began cooperating in 1998, when Snecma subcontracted the production of CFM56 engine parts to NPO Saturn. In 2004, the creation of the PowerJet joint venture took the collaboration a step further.

In 2005, the production plant VolgAero was founded in Rybinsk, in order to make parts for the SaM146, as well as parts and assemblies for other engines produced by the two parent companies.

In 2007, Snecma and NPO Saturn built an open-air test cell in Poluevo, near Rybinsk, to handle certification tests for the SaM146. It is the only open-air test facility for this type of engine in Europe and it also provides test services for other engines.

On 23 June 2010, it was announced that EASA certified PowerJet for its SaM146 engine. It gained Russian certification in August 2010 and the following year the Superjet 100 entered service.

In late March of 2022, following international sanctions against Russia over the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, PowerJet terminated its contract to provide parts, technical support, engine maintenance, or repair services with regard to the SaM146.

title: PowerJet


text: Category:Islands of Antarctica

title: Category:Islands of Antarctica


text:
Talk:Boggle

Untitled
Is Boggle Ultimate played widely? It's consuming a large amount of space in the article, and I'd like reassurance that it's played outside Oregon. Ventura 16:30, 2004 Aug 4 (UTC)

 * I've never heard of "Boggle Ultimate", but it is mildly interesting and I vote to keep the description of the rules. I'm less interested in the strategy section, because it doesn't give me any useful information about how to decide when to turn over the timer.  Personally, I expect that the quicker player would always turn over the timer immediately.  When I played with my sister in high school, our standard Boggle timer was broken, so we used timers borrowed from other games.  When we used a timer of 2.5 minutes I won nearly every game, and when we used a timer of 3.5 minutes she won nearly every game.  I was quicker but her vocabulary was larger.  Therefore, if I played "Boggle Ultimate" against my sister, I would immediately turn over the timer on every game, and it would be no different than regular Boggle.  Yawn.  Maybe the whole section can be compressed to two sentences.  --Fritzlein 18:38, 5 Aug 2004 (UTC)

I've removed the Boggle Ultimate section. Unless there is verification that this variant is well known, it should not be reinstated. Peter O. (Talk, automation script) 00:29, Jan 1, 2005 (UTC)

Boggle Variants
I added information about Boggle variants, including some details I'm not entirely sure about.

1) I changed the Boggle Master section to state that SOME editions of "Boggle Master" include the optional 4x4 adapter. My copy of Boggle Master was not sold with an adapter.

2) I added the "Boggle Challenge Cube" variant. I purchased this set used, and it included only 16 cubes (15 white cubes, plus the red challenge cube). From the picture on the box, I believe this set was originally sold with a total of 17 cubes (the standard 16 white cubes plus the extra red cube). If anyone can confirm this, I would be interested.

3) I added the "Body Boggle" variant. I have this game, and have read the instructions, but have never been inclined to play it.

4) I added the "Boggle Bowl" section. I have NOT seen this game recently, nor have I read the rules. I'm only guessing that it is vaguely like Scrabble.

5) I have not seen Math Boggle game myself, but I remember seeing it on eBay years ago. If anyone can confirm or deny its existance, I would be interested.

6) Are there other variants I don't know about? I seem to recall seeing "French Boggle" once, but I don't feel confident about that one. Please let me know if you have information about others.

I think regular Boggle (4x4 or 5x5) is a wonderful game, but these ill-conceived variants are just interesting peculiarities.

Trivia entry may not be correct for all versions of boggle
Harkening back to my ill-spent youth, I distinctly recalled forming inappropriate words that started with 'F' and rhymed with "truck". So, I dusted off my Boggle game, and here are my dice:

 * V-I-T-E-G-N
 * A-C-E-S-L-R
 * V-A-Z-E-D-N
 * I-C-A-T-A-O
 * N-O-D-U-K-T
 * E-N-I-P-H-S
 * O-R-I-F-B-X
 * K-U-L-E-G-Y
 * E-Y-I-E-H-F
 * E-S-U-T-L-P
 * E-W-O-S-D-N
 * P-E-C-A-D-M
 * A-L-I-B-T-Y
 * S-A-H-O-M-R
 * J-A-B-O-M-Qu
 * U-R-I-G-L-W

As you can see, 'K' and 'F', while occurring only once each, occur on separate die. At least they do in my set. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be anything to indicate the age of my game except that I've had it for as long as I can remember and there is a (c)1976 on the box.

====

You've actually got two K's there, and two F's, not one of each. All the more likely for making your inappropriate words. The newer version (see below) has still 2 F's, but only 1 K. And these three are all on the same cube, making this particular word impossible.

Psymann 13:35, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

====

I recently played a game with friends on their set (a pretty recent UK version with a blue box). I was amazed how easy I was finding it to get words. So I went and compared it to my old version (c1986, yellow box, sold in the UK). They've very different indeed.

New Version | Old Version AAEEGN  |   AACIOT ELRTTY  |   AHMORS AOOTTW  |   EGKLUY ABBJOO  |   ABILTY EHRTVW  |   ACDEMP CIMOTU* |   EGINTV DISTTY  |   GILRUW EIOSST  |   ELPSTU DELRVY  |   DENOSW ACHOPS  |   ACELRS HIMNQU  |   ABJMOQ EEINSU  |   EEFHIY EEGHNW  |   EHINPS AFFKPS  |   DKNOTU HLNNRZ  |   ADENVZ DEILRX  |   BIFORX

[* See note below regarding correction. -Dfred, 2009-02-03]

Distribution: A: vi      |   viii   |   -2 B: ii      |   iii    |   -1 C: ii      |   iii    |   -1 D: iii     |   iiii   |   -1 E: xi      |   x      |   +1 F: ii      |   ii     |. G: ii      |   iii    |   -1 H: v       |   iii    |   +2 I: vi      |   vii    |   -1 J: i       |   i      |. K: i       |   ii     |   -1 L: iiii    |   v      |   -1 M: ii      |   iii    |   -1 N: vi      |   v      |   +1 O: vii     |   vi     |   +1 P: ii      |   iii    |   -1 Q: i       |   i      |. R: v       |   iiii   |   +1 S: vi      |   v      |   +1 T: viiii   |   v      |   +4 U: iii     |   iiii   |   -1 V: ii      |   ii     |. W: iii     |   ii     |   +1 X: i       |   i      |. Y: iii     |   iii    |. Z: i       |   i      |.

As you can see, the new version has removed many of the more awkward B, C, D, G, K, L, M and P which don't tend to help form long words, and have added more H, N, R, S, T and W, which tend to form longer words. It's also amended the vowels, taking a less helpful A and I to become a more useful E and O.

The new version is so easy that my friends had long-ago decided not to allow three-letter words at all - and even with this rule, in the few games I played, the new game with words of four letters and above was easier than the old one with three letters and above...

Psymann 13:32, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Correction to "new version" dice above
I've been working on some improvements to the boggle game included in the free bsdgames collection. One addition is an option to use the new dice patterns. For convenience I just pasted the values given above, however when later verifying those values against actual dice I found a discrepancy: CIMOTU versus CIMOTV, as it originally appeared above. All the other values matched. So there was either a transcription error or the dice are different in my 2009 US-purchased version and a UK-purchased version from mid-2007. Given the visual similarity of U/V and lack of other changes I'm thinking error. I changed it above... --Dfred (talk) 18:14, 3 February 2009 (UTC)
 * Entirely probable it's an error on my part when I copied the letters. It's not a copy I own myself, so I can't check easily.  Given I wrote it in a hurry in a friend's kitchen on the back on an envelope at midnight, it's entirely possible that I misread a U as a V when copying it up on the computer the following day. Psymann (talk) 23:20, 30 July 2011 (UTC)

Boggle Challenge Cube
To answer the question about the extra cube in the Challenge Cube set, yes, the set was originally sold with the 16 traditional cubes plus the red challenge cube. I believe this was so the players could opt to play with either the standard rules or by the "challenge" rules with a single set.

Television show
This entry is currently part of the Word Game TV Shows category. I can't find any evidence that there was ever a Boggle TV show - can someone cite a reference?

Longest game ever trivia
I just removed this bullet point from the trivia section: *The longest series of straight Boggle games ever recorded occured in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia on the 24rd of September 2006 at the Argyle Gardens Retirement Village. The competition was between three of the retirees; Floss, Pearl and Ian who played a total of 107 games over a period of 18.5 hours. The long duration of the tournament was the result of adding an unorthodox rule whereby play must continue until the first player wins a number of games that is equal to their age. Pearl was the eventual winner with an impressive 65 wins followed by Floss with 47 and Ian with 42. Floss had the longest word unsurpassable which ironically describes the marathon event quite accurately. After the game Ian remarked "because I'm the eldest by five years, I was bound to lose". I'd originally added the citation needed tag but decided the whole paragraph should be excised, mostly because the scores don't add up (107 games = 65 + 47 + 42 wins?), which casts some doubt on the already dubious claim. If someone can come up with a reliable source for this, please feel free to add it back into the article. Schi 23:19, 6 October 2006 (UTC)

Boggle Master cubes
I've typed in the letters on the cubes of my Boggle Master set for someone, so I thought, why not post here as well. The set has an English and a French manual. Here are the cubes.

AAAFRS AAEEEE AAFIRS ADENNN AEEEEM AEEGMU AEGMNN AFIRSY BJKQXZ CCNSTW CEIILT CEILPT CEIPST DDLNOR DHHLOR DHHNOT DHLNOR EIIITT EMOTTT ENSSSU FIPRSY GORRVW HIPRRY NOOTUW OOOTTU

– b_jonas 20:08, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

Big Boggle (1979)
In attempting to verify the above dice against my Big Boggle set from 1979 I found the following four differences: Above  -->  My 1979 set - CCNSTW -->  CCENST DDLNOR -->  DHLNOR   (note same as #17 above) DHHNOT -->  DDHNOT HIPRRY -->  IPRRRY

These differences result in the following cube patterns in my 1979 Big Boggle set:

01 AAAFRS 02 AAEEEE 03 AAFIRS 04 ADENNN 05 AEEEEM 06 AEEGMU 07 AEGMNN 08 AFIRSY 09 BJKQXZ 10 CCENST 11 CEIILT 12 CEILPT 13 CEIPST 14 DDHNOT 15 DHHLOR 16 DHLNOR 17 DHLNOR 18 EIIITT 19 EMOTTT 20 ENSSSU 21 FIPRSY 22 GORRVW 23 IPRRRY 24 NOOTUW 25 OOOTTU

As noted above, dice 16 & 17 (DHLNOR) are duplicates. I bought this set used, but it is otherwise complete and in good shape. I have very carefully verified the above values as correctly representing my set... It would be interesting to know whether:

 * 1) The duplicated DHLNOR dice are present in other 1979 Big Boggle sets?
 * 2) The dice differences are real changes between Big Boggle and Boggle Master, or errors in copying the dice down from Boggle Master?

--Dfred (talk) 22:46, 16 September 2013 (UTC)
 * A little additional research has answered these questions. Found this 2004 posting to the wordgame-programmers@yahoogroups list which confirms both b_jonas's info for Boggle Master as well as mine for Big Boggle.  And apparently 5x5 Boggle Deluxe has yet another cube set.  --Dfred (talk) 00:00, 17 September 2013 (UTC)

Parker box designer having a laugh
I have a set of Boggle bought in the UK branded Parker.

The dice layout shown in the product photo on the outside of the box has the word ARSE clearly visible!

In the photo, the dice are layed out like this:

S I. . P. E E U S A N S R I B

The dots indicate positions where dice are either absent or not landed to the point of non-ambiguity. All letters are the right way up apart from the U which is rotated a quarter of a turn anti-clockwise.

Starting from the dice showing A, we need only go SW, N, NE to spell "ARSE".

Now surely this is the sort of thing that the designer would check for. I can only imagine that the designer did it deliberately as a joke.

Should we re-introduce a trivia section and mention this?

Duckbill (talk) 07:49, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

I jest not. Someone else has one as well and has uploaded a photo: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/43873. I was wondering if the joke might have been spotted and the box changed, making the joke boxes into valuable collectors' items. Duckbill (talk) 07:57, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Making words out of a Set of letters
My son has a project due Friday and he has to make every possible word out of these letters AEEIOBELNRT   could someone get back to me on a program perhaps iI can get from the internet to make this possible.

Sincerely,

JennyMay Murrin

PS E-Mail is fluffywolftail@yahoo.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.230.73.84 (talk) 20:55, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

 * This Talk page is for discussion of how to improve the article. That is how Wikipedia works. If you want help to help your son cheat on his homework, find a forum for asking questions. They do exist. David Spector (talk) 00:34, 19 December 2022 (UTC)

link to "Fun and Games with the English Language"
Following up on a suggestion from McGeddon, I would like to propose that one or both of the following be added as external links:

(1) "Fun and Games with the English Language", URL= http://phillipmfeldman.org/English/index.html

(2) the Boggle-specific portion of the above page, URL= http://phillipmfeldman.org/English/index.html#Boggle

Note that there is not much material on Wikipedia on the subject of solving word puzzles algorithmically. It is my understanding that Wikipedia does not allow the submission of original work, so I cannot directly post my content on Wikipedia, but it should be possible to post external links to my material. Please consider this.

Phillip Dr. Phillip M. Feldman (talk) 05:01, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

If there are concerns about this request, please let me know what they are and I'll do my best to address them.

Phillip Dr. Phillip M. Feldman (talk) 03:55, 2 May 2013 (UTC)

Correct spelling of inventor's first name
It's "Allan," not "Alan." I should know, I'm his son. A quick google search is not a good authority - there are too many misspellings. Here's a link to a newspaper article from Boggle's early days:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19781209&id=sYRQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-RIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5118,2546867

Let me know if you need further proof.

(sorry if I didn't follow proper Wikipedia rules - I just registered to fix this one issue) [-- Unsigned comment by User:Aturoff]

 * Hello Aturoff... You did the correct thing, especially providing the corroborating information.  I was able to find the same spelling in several other articles related to the wedding at F.A.O. Schwarz.  I have added the Milwaukee Sentinel article as a reference to the article.

 * Do note that there are some guidelines about conflicts of interest in editing Wiki articles, but help correcting biographical information is always appreciated. Thanks!  --Dfred (talk) 23:41, 6 September 2013 (UTC)

 * Thanks for your help Dfred. I'm new here - still trying to figure things out.--Aturoff (talk) 00:17, 7 September 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
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Woke change
For some reason, and I doubt it’s a good one, the game no longer recognizes the word “rape” or any of its variants! Seriously!!! Is this a cultural statement!?!? It’s a word, not a threat! 47.203.194.162 (talk) 14:05, 18 November 2021 (UTC)

Silliness
Why does the game not recognize the word “rape” ? Do they really think they will improve our culture by pretending it doesn’t exist?? Woke gone too far…again! 47.203.194.162 (talk) 14:07, 18 November 2021 (UTC)

Letters on each cube?
I didn't see a list of the letters on each cube. Is this considered proprietary information, protected by law? If not, can someone add it please? David Spector (talk) 00:31, 19 December 2022 (UTC)

title: Talk:Boggle


text: User talk:128.186.173.108

title: User talk:128.186.173.108


text:
User talk:Seanyoung

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

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Disputed fair use rationale for Image:Konami usas cover.jpg
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Proposed deletion of Konami Sound Cartridge

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Proposed deletion of Konami SCC

The article Konami SCC has been proposed for deletion because of the following concern: "No indication of notability, and no sources"

While all constructive contributions to Wikipedia are appreciated, pages may be deleted for any of several reasons.

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title: User talk:Seanyoung


text:
User talk:Keresaspa

Cathy Barry
I've added multiple additional refs and information to the Cathy Barry article. It would be helpful if you could vote (either way) on the deletion vote.

Cheers 79.69.109.128 (talk) 10:41, 17 August 2017 (UTC)

Retired
Don't let them get you down. Come back. Emeraude (talk) 12:00, 21 August 2017 (UTC)

Reconsider it
You are a huge value to Wikipedia. Please come back.--Asqueladd (talk) 01:48, 24 November 2017 (UTC)

Orphaned non-free image File:Frankie Curry.jpg
Thanks for uploading File:Frankie Curry.jpg. The image description page currently specifies that the image is non-free and may only be used on Wikipedia under a claim of fair use. However, the image is currently not used in any articles on Wikipedia. If the image was previously in an article, please go to the article and see why it was removed. You may add it back if you think that that will be useful. However, please note that images for which a replacement could be created are not acceptable for use on Wikipedia (see our policy for non-free media).

Note that any non-free images not used in any articles will be deleted after seven days, as described in section F5 of the criteria for speedy deletion. Thank you. --B-bot (talk) 18:37, 20 February 2018 (UTC)

"Aryan Unity" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Aryan Unity. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2020 July 5 until a consensus is reached, and anyone, including you, is welcome to contribute to the discussion. – Arms & Hearts (talk) 13:42, 5 July 2020 (UTC)

Nomination of Fascism in Africa for deletion
A discussion is taking place as to whether the article Fascism in Africa is suitable for inclusion in Wikipedia according to Wikipedia's policies and guidelines or whether it should be deleted.

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Orphaned non-free image File:William Stobie.jpg
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Jacques Bainville
It would be greatly appreciated if you would unretire for the purposes of giving a cleanup pass of the Jacques Bainville article.

A quotation has been added to a citation that is not in the citation, with the complication that removing it and justifying the removal with pages 247-248 of "Dictators" would necessitate a dueling citations situation with Alastair Hamilton, a status quo which has held and you, the article creator, endorsed.

I would characterize the editor that made the addition as breezy, reckless, and currently active. Youkahainen of Pohyola (talk) 17:22, 14 November 2023 (UTC)

title: User talk:Keresaspa


text:
User talk:April kathleen

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

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title: User talk:April kathleen


text:
User talk:Crimson godfather

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

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I've deleted Crimson godfather test page. If you want to test creating pages, please do it at the test wiki. Guanaco 17:25, Aug 4, 2004 (UTC)

 * Please stop creating the test page. It's disruptive. You can test at Sandbox, or the test wiki above. [[User:Meelar|Meelar (talk)]] 17:33, 2004 Aug 4 (UTC)
 * If you have some use for a personal page, it needs to be either at one of the test locateions as listed above or in your User:Crimson godfather space, not in the encyclopedia article space, as you have been doing. -- Infrogmation 18:48, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC)

title: User talk:Crimson godfather


text:
User talk:Qwerty12345 (usurped)

Request for Usurpation
Hello, Qwerty12345. A request has been made at Changing username/Usurpations to usurp, or "take over", your username because another user would like to use it to edit. The changing username guideline allows a username that is not being actively used to be usurped if the user is given an opportunity to object and does not do so.

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If you do nothing : the request may be filled shortly, and your account will be moved to a generic username. You may request that it be moved to a new username of your choice at any time.

If you object to being renamed : please log in and make an edit to this page clearly stating that you object to usurpation.

Please note that even if your current username is usurped, you can still edit and your data will not be lost; your preferences, watchlist, and other user settings will be transferred to a new username.

Thank you for your time.--Qwerty12345tmp (talk) 16:56, 14 March 2011 (UTC)

Hello and welcome to Wikipedia! Hope you like it here, and stick around.

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 * To sign your posts (on talk pages, for example) use the '~' symbol. To insert just your name, type ~~~ (3 tildes), or, to insert your name and timestamp, use ~~~~ (4 tildes).
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Good luck!

Please note: adding a pornographic image to a page is not a minor edit. Regardless of any issue of the rights and wrongs of adding that image, I'm also not convinced that you hold the copyright to that image. -- The Anome 21:06, 4 Aug 2004 (UTC)

title: User talk:Qwerty12345 (usurped)


text:
David Kerr (Northern Irish politician)

David Thomas Kerr (born 1957 ) is a Northern Irish politician who is the Chairman of the UK-wide Third Way.

Early and personal life
Kerr was born in Belfast and, as of 2005, lived in the city's Shankill Road area.

National Front
Kerr began his political career as a member of the National Front (NF) in 1986, siding with the Political Soldier wing of the party during what was a period of internal division. He was a candidate for the party in Newtownabbey Borough Council twice during this period. As an NF member Kerr also chaired the North Belfast Independent Unionist Association, where he first developed his ideas on Ulster nationalism. As a regular columnist for Nationalism Today, the ideological journal of the Official National Front, Kerr frequently wrote on the topic of Ulster nationalism, which became the policy of the ONF in relation to Northern Ireland (in contrast to previous NF policy, which was supportive of Ulster loyalism).

Third Way
Kerr voted with others to disband the NF in 1989. In 1990, he was one of the founder members of Third Way, (which is now a think-tank). He is current party chairman of the offshoot National Liberal Party (NLP). Kerr is also the main force behind the Ulster Third Way, which acts as the Northern Ireland arm of the party whilst placing the main emphasis on the independence aspect. In the 2001 United Kingdom general election Kerr stood in the West Belfast constituency as a Third Way candidate but secured only 116 votes (a 0.3% share). He is also a regular writer for various party publications.

Ulster nationalism
As stated previously, Kerr has long been an advocate of an independent Northern Ireland and to this end he is the editor of Ulster Nation, the only current publication that advocates this position. In electoral terms, Kerr had also stood as a candidate in the European elections of 1994 under the title of 'Independent Ulster'. Somewhat oddly, given the peripheral nature of the independence position, Kerr was one of three candidates advocating this stance (Rev. Hugh Ross and Robert Mooney being the other two) and, as a result, suffered from a split vote to capture only 578 votes in what was a single Province-wide constituency. In the aftermath of this election a general meeting of pro-independence groups and individuals was organised by Ross after overtures were sent out to Kerr, Mooney and the Ballymena-based Ulster Party. Mooney, who had run as Constitutional Independent Northern Ireland and later formed the short-lived Northern Ireland Party, did not turn up but Kerr and Agnes McLeister of the Ulster Party (another minute group that was also Ballymena-based) agreed to pool resources and join forces with Ross's movement. Kerr went on to appear on the candidate list for the Ulster Independence Movement in the 1996 Forum election and the 1998 election to the Northern Ireland Assembly, although he was not elected.

Kerr is also the author of a book about one of the pioneers of Ulster nationalism, W. F. McCoy.

2005 general election
Most recently, in the 2005 general election, Kerr stood in the East Antrim constituency as a candidate for the Vote For Yourself Party, gaining 147 votes (0.5%). Kerr, who remains a Third Way member despite his candidature, claimed to be standing for the party as he endorsed their support for the use of referendums to decide policy. In a post on the Slugger O'Toole blog he explained "Rainbow George contacted me and asked me to stand for the Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket in a constituency outside Belfast in order to promote the ideas that Third Way and the Rainbow Dream Ticket share – Direct democracy".

Solidarity trade union
David Kerr was elected for a five-year period to the National Executive of Solidarity – The Union for British Workers in November 2007 and helped to launch the group in the province over the Twelfth in 2007.

Miscellaneous
He wrote a regular column, 'Kerr's Corner', in the Carrickfergus and North Belfast editions of The Belfast Biz (formerly "The Wizard"), a local freesheet. He is a keen cyclist in his spare time and is described on the Third Way's website as having a strong interest in environmental and housing issues.

Kerr is a supporter of Neo-Confederate policies in the Southern United States and has declared his support for the re-establishment of the Confederate States of America. However, in an interview conducted for Cornell University in 2003 Kerr confirmed that, despite taking this position, neither he as an individual nor Ulster Third Way as a group had established any formal links with any Neo-Confederate groups.

title: David Kerr (Northern Irish politician)


text:
Stiefel–Whitney class

In mathematics, in particular in algebraic topology and differential geometry, the Stiefel–Whitney classes are a set of topological invariants of a real vector bundle that describe the obstructions to constructing everywhere independent sets of sections of the vector bundle. Stiefel–Whitney classes are indexed from 0 to n, where n is the rank of the vector bundle. If the Stiefel–Whitney class of index i is nonzero, then there cannot exist $$(n-i+1)$$ everywhere linearly independent sections of the vector bundle. A nonzero nth Stiefel–Whitney class indicates that every section of the bundle must vanish at some point. A nonzero first Stiefel–Whitney class indicates that the vector bundle is not orientable. For example, the first Stiefel–Whitney class of the Möbius strip, as a line bundle over the circle, is not zero, whereas the first Stiefel–Whitney class of the trivial line bundle over the circle, $$S^1 \times\R$$, is zero.

The Stiefel–Whitney class was named for Eduard Stiefel and Hassler Whitney and is an example of a $\Z/2\Z$-characteristic class associated to real vector bundles.

In algebraic geometry one can also define analogous Stiefel–Whitney classes for vector bundles with a non-degenerate quadratic form, taking values in etale cohomology groups or in Milnor K-theory. As a special case one can define Stiefel–Whitney classes for quadratic forms over fields, the first two cases being the discriminant and the Hasse–Witt invariant.

General presentation
For a real vector bundle $E$, the Stiefel–Whitney class of $E$ is denoted by $w(E)$. It is an element of the cohomology ring

 * $$H^\ast(X; \Z/2\Z) = \bigoplus_{i\geq0} H^i(X; \Z/2\Z)$$

where $X$ is the base space of the bundle $E$, and $\Z/2\Z$ (often alternatively denoted by $$\Z_2$$) is the commutative ring whose only elements are 0 and 1. The component of $$w(E)$$ in $$H^i(X; \Z/2\Z)$$ is denoted by $$w_i(E)$$ and called the $i$-th Stiefel–Whitney class of $E$. Thus,

 * $$w(E) = w_0(E) + w_1(E) + w_2(E) + \cdots$$,

where each $$w_i(E)$$ is an element of $$H^i(X; \Z/2\Z)$$.

The Stiefel–Whitney class $$w(E)$$ is an invariant of the real vector bundle $E$; i.e., when $F$ is another real vector bundle which has the same base space $X$ as $E$, and if $F$ is isomorphic to $E$, then the Stiefel–Whitney classes $$w(E)$$ and $$w(F)$$ are equal. (Here isomorphic means that there exists a vector bundle isomorphism $$E \to F$$ which covers the identity $$\mathrm{id}_X\colon X\to X$$.) While it is in general difficult to decide whether two real vector bundles $E$ and $F$ are isomorphic, the Stiefel–Whitney classes $$w(E)$$ and $$w(F)$$ can often be computed easily. If they are different, one knows that $E$ and $F$ are not isomorphic.

As an example, over the circle $$S^1$$, there is a line bundle (i.e., a real vector bundle of rank 1) that is not isomorphic to a trivial bundle. This line bundle $L$ is the Möbius strip (which is a fiber bundle whose fibers can be equipped with vector space structures in such a way that it becomes a vector bundle). The cohomology group $$H^1(S^1; \Z/2\Z)$$ has just one element other than 0. This element is the first Stiefel–Whitney class $$w_1(L)$$ of $L$. Since the trivial line bundle over $$S^1$$ has first Stiefel–Whitney class 0, it is not isomorphic to $L$.

Two real vector bundles $E$ and $F$ which have the same Stiefel–Whitney class are not necessarily isomorphic. This happens for instance when $E$ and $F$ are trivial real vector bundles of different ranks over the same base space $X$. It can also happen when $E$ and $F$ have the same rank: the tangent bundle of the 2-sphere $$S^2$$ and the trivial real vector bundle of rank 2 over $$S^2$$ have the same Stiefel–Whitney class, but they are not isomorphic. But if two real line bundles over $X$ have the same Stiefel–Whitney class, then they are isomorphic.

Origins
The Stiefel–Whitney classes $$w_i(E)$$ get their name because Eduard Stiefel and Hassler Whitney discovered them as mod-2 reductions of the obstruction classes to constructing $$n-i+1$$ everywhere linearly independent sections of the vector bundle $E$ restricted to the i-skeleton of X. Here n denotes the dimension of the fibre of the vector bundle $$F\to E\to X$$.

To be precise, provided X is a CW-complex, Whitney defined classes $$W_i(E)$$ in the i-th cellular cohomology group of X with twisted coefficients. The coefficient system being the $$(i-1)$$-st homotopy group of the Stiefel manifold $$V_{n-i+1}(F)$$ of $$n-i+1$$ linearly independent vectors in the fibres of E. Whitney proved that $$W_i(E)=0$$ if and only if E, when restricted to the i-skeleton of X, has $$n-i+1$$ linearly-independent sections.

Since $$\pi_{i-1}V_{n-i+1}(F)$$ is either infinite-cyclic or isomorphic to $$\Z/2\Z$$, there is a canonical reduction of the $$W_i(E)$$ classes to classes $$w_i(E) \in H^i(X; \Z/2\Z)$$ which are the Stiefel–Whitney classes. Moreover, whenever $$\pi_{i-1}V_{n-i+1}(F) = \Z/2\Z$$, the two classes are identical. Thus, $$w_1(E) = 0$$ if and only if the bundle $$E\to X$$ is orientable.

The $$w_0(E)$$ class contains no information, because it is equal to 1 by definition. Its creation by Whitney was an act of creative notation, allowing the Whitney sum Formula $$w(E_1 \oplus E_2) = w(E_1)w(E_2)$$ to be true.

Definitions
Throughout, $$H^i(X; G)$$ denotes singular cohomology of a space $X$ with coefficients in the group $G$. The word map means always a continuous function between topological spaces.

Axiomatic definition
The Stiefel-Whitney characteristic class $$w(E)\in H^*(X; \Z/2\Z)$$ of a finite rank real vector bundle E on a paracompact base space X is defined as the unique class such that the following axioms are fulfilled:

 * 1) Normalization: The Whitney class of the tautological line bundle over the real projective space $$\mathbf{P}^1(\R)$$ is nontrivial, i.e., $$w(\gamma^1_1)= 1 + a \in H^*(\mathbf{P}^1(\R); \Z/2\Z)= (\Z/2\Z)[a]/(a^2)$$.
 * 2) Rank: $$w_0(E) = 1 \in H^0(X),$$ and for i above the rank of E, $$w_i = 0 \in H^i(X)$$, that is, $$w(E) \in H^{\leqslant \mathrm{rank} (E)}(X).$$
 * 3) Whitney product formula: $$w(E\oplus F)= w(E) \smile w(F)$$, that is, the Whitney class of a direct sum is the cup product of the summands' classes.
 * 4) Naturality: $$w(f^*E) = f^*w(E)$$ for any real vector bundle $$E \to X$$ and map $$f\colon X' \to X$$, where $$f^*E$$ denotes the pullback vector bundle.

The uniqueness of these classes is proved for example, in section 17.2 – 17.6 in Husemoller or section 8 in Milnor and Stasheff. There are several proofs of the existence, coming from various constructions, with several different flavours, their coherence is ensured by the unicity statement.

The infinite Grassmannians and vector bundles
This section describes a construction using the notion of classifying space.

For any vector space V, let $$Gr_n(V)$$ denote the Grassmannian, the space of n-dimensional linear subspaces of V, and denote the infinite Grassmannian

 * $$Gr_n = Gr_n(\R^\infty)$$.

Recall that it is equipped with the tautological bundle $$\gamma^n \to Gr_n,$$ a rank n vector bundle that can be defined as the subbundle of the trivial bundle of fiber V whose fiber at a point $$W \in Gr_n (V)$$ is the subspace represented by W.

Let $$f\colon X \to Gr_n$$, be a continuous map to the infinite Grassmannian. Then, up to isomorphism, the bundle induced by the map f on X

 * $$f^*\gamma^n \in \mathrm{Vect}_n(X)$$

depends only on the homotopy class of the map [f]. The pullback operation thus gives a morphism from the set

 * $$ [X; Gr_n]$$

of maps $$X \to Gr_n$$ modulo homotopy equivalence, to the set

 * $$\mathrm{Vect}_n(X)$$

of isomorphism classes of vector bundles of rank n over X.

(The important fact in this construction is that if X is a paracompact space, this map is a bijection. This is the reason why we call infinite Grassmannians the classifying spaces of vector bundles.)

Now, by the naturality axiom (4) above, $$w_j (f^*\gamma^n)= f^* w_j (\gamma^n)$$. So it suffices in principle to know the values of $$w_j (\gamma^n)$$ for all j. However, the cohomology ring $$H^*(Gr_n, \Z_2)$$ is free on specific generators $$x_j\in H^j(Gr_n, \Z_2)$$ arising from a standard cell decomposition, and it then turns out that these generators are in fact just given by $$x_j=w_j (\gamma^n)$$. Thus, for any rank-n bundle, $$w_j= f^*x_j$$, where f is the appropriate classifying map. This in particular provides one proof of the existence of the Stiefel–Whitney classes.

The case of line bundles
We now restrict the above construction to line bundles, ie we consider the space, $$\mathrm{Vect}_1(X)$$ of line bundles over X. The Grassmannian of lines $$Gr_1$$ is just the infinite projective space

 * $$\mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R}) = \mathbf{R}^\infty/\mathbf{R}^*,$$

which is doubly covered by the infinite sphere $$S^{\infty}$$ with antipodal points as fibres. This sphere $$S^{\infty}$$ is contractible, so we have

 * $$\begin{align}

\pi_1(\mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R})) &= \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z} \\ \pi_i(\mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R})) &= \pi_i(S^\infty) = 0 && i > 1 \end{align}$$

Hence P∞(R) is the Eilenberg-Maclane space $$K(\Z/2\Z, 1)$$.

It is a property of Eilenberg-Maclane spaces, that

 * $$ \left [X; \mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R}) \right ] = H^1(X; \Z/2\Z)$$

for any X, with the isomorphism given by f → f*η, where η is the generator

 * $$H^1(\mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R}); \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z}) = \Z/2\Z$$.

Applying the former remark that α : [X, Gr1] → Vect1(X) is also a bijection, we obtain a bijection

 * $$w_1\colon \text{Vect}_1(X) \to H^1(X; \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z})$$

this defines the Stiefel–Whitney class w1 for line bundles.

The group of line bundles
If Vect1(X) is considered as a group under the operation of tensor product, then the Stiefel–Whitney class, w1 : Vect1(X) → H1(X; Z/2Z), is an isomorphism. That is, w1(λ ⊗ μ) = w1(λ) + w1(μ) for all line bundles λ, μ → X.

For example, since H1(S1; Z/2Z) = Z/2Z, there are only two line bundles over the circle up to bundle isomorphism: the trivial one, and the open Möbius strip (i.e., the Möbius strip with its boundary deleted).

The same construction for complex vector bundles shows that the Chern class defines a bijection between complex line bundles over X and H2(X; Z), because the corresponding classifying space is P∞(C), a K(Z, 2). This isomorphism is true for topological line bundles, the obstruction to injectivity of the Chern class for algebraic vector bundles is the Jacobian variety.

Topological interpretation of vanishing

 * 1) wi(E) = 0 whenever i > rank(E).
 * 2) If Ek has $$s_1,\ldots,s_{\ell}$$ sections which are everywhere linearly independent then the $$\ell$$ top degree Whitney classes vanish: $$w_{k-\ell+1}=\cdots=w_k=0$$.
 * 3) The first Stiefel–Whitney class is zero if and only if the bundle is orientable. In particular, a manifold M is orientable if and only if w1(TM) = 0.
 * 4) The bundle admits a spin structure if and only if both the first and second Stiefel–Whitney classes are zero.
 * 5) For an orientable bundle, the second Stiefel–Whitney class is in the image of the natural map H2(M, Z) → H2(M, Z/2Z) (equivalently, the so-called third integral Stiefel–Whitney class is zero) if and only if the bundle admits a spinc structure.
 * 6) All the Stiefel–Whitney numbers (see below) of a smooth compact manifold X vanish if and only if  the manifold is the  boundary  of some smooth compact (unoriented) manifold   (Warning:  Some Stiefel-Whitney class could still  be non-zero, even if all the Stiefel Whitney numbers vanish!)

Uniqueness of the Stiefel–Whitney classes
The bijection above for line bundles implies that any functor θ satisfying the four axioms above is equal to w, by the following argument. The second axiom yields θ(γ1) = 1 + θ1(γ1). For the inclusion map i : P1(R) → P∞(R), the pullback bundle $$i^*\gamma^1$$ is equal to $$\gamma_1^1$$. Thus the first and third axiom imply

 * $$i^* \theta_1 \left (\gamma^1 \right ) = \theta_1 \left (i^* \gamma^1 \right ) = \theta_1 \left (\gamma_1^1 \right ) = w_1 \left (\gamma_1^1 \right ) = w_1 \left (i^* \gamma^1 \right ) = i^* w_1 \left (\gamma^1 \right ).$$

Since the map

 * $$i^*: H^1 \left (\mathbf{P}^\infty(\mathbf{R} \right ); \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z}) \to H^1 \left (\mathbf{P}^1(\mathbf{R}); \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z} \right )$$

is an isomorphism, $$\theta_1(\gamma^1) = w_1(\gamma^1)$$ and θ(γ1) = w(γ1) follow. Let E be a real vector bundle of rank n over a space X. Then E admits a splitting map, i.e. a map f : X′ → X for some space X′ such that $$f^*:H^*(X; \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z})) \to H^*(X'; \mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z})$$ is injective and $$f^* E = \lambda_1 \oplus \cdots \oplus \lambda_n$$ for some line bundles $$\lambda_i \to X'$$. Any line bundle over X is of the form $$g^*\gamma^1$$ for some map g, and

 * $$\theta \left (g^*\gamma^1 \right ) = g^*\theta \left ( \gamma^1 \right ) = g^* w \left ( \gamma^1 \right ) = w \left ( g^*\gamma^1 \right ),$$

by naturality. Thus θ = w on $$\text{Vect}_1(X)$$. It follows from the fourth axiom above that

 * $$f^*\theta(E) = \theta(f^*E) = \theta(\lambda_1 \oplus \cdots \oplus \lambda_n) = \theta(\lambda_1) \cdots \theta(\lambda_n) = w(\lambda_1) \cdots w(\lambda_n) = w(f^*E) = f^* w(E).$$

Since $$f^*$$ is injective, θ = w. Thus the Stiefel–Whitney class is the unique functor satisfying the four axioms above.

Non-isomorphic bundles with the same Stiefel–Whitney classes
Although the map $$w_1 \colon \mathrm{Vect}_1(X) \to H^1(X; \Z/2\Z)$$ is a bijection, the corresponding map is not necessarily injective in higher dimensions. For example, consider the tangent bundle $$TS^n$$ for n even. With the canonical embedding of $$S^n$$ in $$\R^{n+1}$$, the normal bundle $$\nu$$ to $$S^n$$ is a line bundle. Since $$S^n$$ is orientable, $$\nu$$ is trivial. The sum $$TS^n \oplus \nu$$ is just the restriction of $$T\R^{n+1}$$ to $$S^n$$, which is trivial since $$\R^{n+1}$$ is contractible. Hence w(TSn) = w(TSn)w(ν) = w(TSn ⊕ ν) = 1. But, provided n is even, TSn → Sn is not trivial; its Euler class $$e(TS^n) = \chi(TS^n)[S^n] = 2[S^n] \not =0$$, where [Sn] denotes a fundamental class of Sn and χ the Euler characteristic.

Stiefel–Whitney numbers
If we work on a manifold of dimension n, then any product of Stiefel–Whitney classes of total degree n can be paired with the Z/2Z-fundamental class of the manifold to give an element of Z/2Z, a Stiefel–Whitney number of the vector bundle. For example, if the manifold has dimension 3, there are three linearly independent Stiefel–Whitney numbers, given by $$w_1^3, w_1 w_2, w_3$$. In general, if the manifold has dimension n, the number of possible independent Stiefel–Whitney numbers is the number of partitions of n.

The Stiefel–Whitney numbers of the tangent bundle of a smooth manifold are called the Stiefel–Whitney numbers of the manifold. They are known to be cobordism invariants. It was proven by Lev Pontryagin that if B is a smooth compact (n+1)–dimensional manifold with boundary equal to M, then the Stiefel-Whitney numbers of M are all zero. Moreover, it was proved by René Thom that if all the Stiefel-Whitney numbers of M are zero then M can be realised as the boundary of some smooth compact manifold.

One Stiefel–Whitney number of importance in surgery theory is the de Rham invariant of a (4k+1)-dimensional manifold, $$w_2w_{4k-1}.$$

Wu classes
The Stiefel–Whitney classes $$w_k$$ are the Steenrod squares of the Wu classes $$v_k$$, defined by Wu Wenjun in 1947. Most simply, the total Stiefel–Whitney class is the total Steenrod square of the total Wu class: $$\operatorname{Sq}(v) = w$$. Wu classes are most often defined implicitly in terms of Steenrod squares, as the cohomology class representing the Steenrod squares. Let the manifold X be n dimensional. Then, for any cohomology class x of degree $$n-k$$,

 * $$v_k \cup x = \operatorname{Sq}^k(x)$$.

Or more narrowly, we can demand $$\langle v_k \cup x, \mu\rangle = \langle \operatorname{Sq}^k(x), \mu \rangle$$, again for cohomology classes x of degree $$n-k$$.

Integral Stiefel–Whitney classes
The element $$\beta w_i \in H^{i+1}(X;\mathbf{Z})$$ is called the i + 1 integral Stiefel–Whitney class, where β is the Bockstein homomorphism, corresponding to reduction modulo 2, Z → Z/2Z:
 * $$\beta\colon H^i(X;\mathbf{Z}/2\mathbf{Z}) \to H^{i+1}(X;\mathbf{Z}).$$

For instance, the third integral Stiefel–Whitney class is the obstruction to a Spinc structure.

Relations over the Steenrod algebra
Over the Steenrod algebra, the Stiefel–Whitney classes of a smooth manifold (defined as the Stiefel–Whitney classes of the tangent bundle) are generated by those of the form $$w_{2^i}$$. In particular, the Stiefel–Whitney classes satisfy the , named for Wu Wenjun:
 * $$Sq^i(w_j)=\sum_{t=0}^i {j+t-i-1 \choose t} w_{i-t}w_{j+t}.$$

title: Stiefel–Whitney class