On 08/11/2007, Alexandre NOUVEL alexandre.nouvel@alnoprods.net wrote:
I believe that many users appear to be zombies when they don't speak English and get (a bunch of) automated templates written in English.
Other problem: most of the templates are WAY too wordy. I realise essential things need to be said, but I suspect no template that any user receiving it is expected to read should be over about three sentences. Two or one if possible. Not simpler than possible, but certainly as simple.
(Templates tend to suffer badly from [[m:instruction creep]], as lots of people think of *just one more important thing* people should see in them. This leads to the template appearing as a "too long; didn't read" blob on a talk page.)
So I'd suggest anyone adding welcome/warning templates to do their best to guess the user language. I'd also would like to propose that bots would not add automatically welcome templates after only one or two edits: this should be let to users as long as the bot has no ways to guess the newbie preferred language... I understand that this would add to the current huge load of work, but I'm sure that would dramatically improve the warmth of the user first contact with the community :)
Definitely.
Hmm. What are the requirements for a Commons admin?
* a coupla hundred uploads * knowledge of the intricate and tight-arsed Commons rules on eligible content (particularly the thicket of what's public domain in what country) * willingness to do admin shitwork. * convincing others you are clueful. Long-term admin and bureaucrat on en:wp probably counts.
(The third is why I haven't tried - I know damn well I haven't time to do the third.)
The main problem is finding people who fit both the second and third. Yer average en:wp goldfarming admin prospect doesn't seem to be good at 2, and/or there isn't enough social cachet.
(The above was a response to a query from Secretlondon on her LJ: http://secretlondon.livejournal.com/347850.html - comment would also be welcome on what audio would be useful to add to Commons, as she's found her MiniDisc recorder and started recording piles of common sounds.)
- d.