Hoi, When usability improvements are to be implemented, it will change the dynamics of a project. It is easy to argue why the smaller projects need more content and more contributors. It is also easy to argue the same for the bigger and biggest projects. When a skin becomes available with a BIG button saying "Create new article", there will be loud voices explaining why it is a bad idea. Arguments that make sense up to a point.
It is important to start thinking in terms of: when it becomes easier to contribute to a MediaWiki project, what are the implications. I am of the opinion that this will be on balance beneficial. But that is just me.
I have not been addressing the board. I am grateful if the board takes an interest but I would prefer it when the WMF organisation takes up the baton. At most and at best the board can give usability more of a priority, but I would not be surprised if the organisation is ready to give usability more priority without Board involvement. The timing would not be that bad as the new developers are getting experienced and I expect that most of the work associated with the fund raiser is done.
If you are a developer, I would LOVE you to have a look at the code. I would love to see proposals for a skin that does include a "CreatePage" button. I would love you to fix the bugs that have been identified by MinuteElectron. I am sure that there is enough that you can do to make usability an issue that we are now starting to address. Thanks, GerardM
2008/12/1 Nathan nawrich@gmail.com
Thanks for that, Gerard. In other terms I suppose my question would be this: You've identified a problem (usability, particularly in languages with the smallest or least technologically wealthy communities) and a partial solution (usability extensions developed by UNICEF). Your post, though, had the tone of hoping that readers would offer assistance of some sort - so what assistance would you like? Was your post aimed primarily at the Board, or is there something that other people could be doing as well?
Nathan
On Mon, Dec 1, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Gerard Meijssen gerard.meijssen@gmail.comwrote:
Hoi, The software has been tested but not all extensions are considered ready for WMF production. I am establishing contacts with, among others, people at UNICEF to make sure that we identify the outstanding issues carefully and fix them efficiently. Given that the CreatePage extension requires
changes
to the skin, it may make sense to consider using a superset of monobook
(I
do not know how feasible this is).
Given that the software is already being localised at Betawiki, we do not need to restrict ourselves to English. I understand that UNICEF uses some of their software in Swahili :) I would love to consider Swahili for this
...
Kennisnet is interested in this functionality, that would make Dutch an option. It needs to be clear that it is not only Wikipedia projects that will benefit.
The benefits from a more useable interface have little to do with a "simple" approach. Newbies are not able to contribute. Our need for more contributors and content is most dire in our smallest projects. Personally I am not
that
interested in using "simple" as a test environment. From my perspective,
it
should be there for all the projects that want it. Obviously, when this extension is localised first, it will be more effective.
When we are to test this in a Wikimedia Wiki, we need to get involvement from Brion. It would help a lot when the WMF actively takes part in this collaboration and make usability a priority. Thanks, GerardM
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