Hi,
The latest tech newsletter is now available at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2013/49 . Below is the English version.
You can help write the next newsletter: whenever you see information about Wikimedia technology that you think should be distributed more broadly, you can add it to the next newsletter at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tech/News/Next .
More information on how to contribute is available at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tech/News#contribute . You can also contact me directly.
The newsletter is now being delivered across wikis using the new MassMessage system, which should be faster than the previous bot-powered system. I've done several tests, but since it's the first time we're using MassMessage for Tech news, please let me know if you notice any issues.
As always, feedback (on- or off-list) is appreciated and encouraged.
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Latest *tech news https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News* from the Wikimedia technical community. Please inform other users about these changes. Not all changes will affect you. Translationshttps://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2013/49are available.
This newsletter is now posted using MediaWiki message deliveryhttps://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki_message_delivery .
*New features*
- The CommonsMetadatahttps://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:CommonsMetadatafeature was added to all wikis. It creates metadata information about multimedia files (like their license) that can be read automatically by computer programs. It not only works for Commons, but for all wikis, and you can use it for files on your wiki by editing templateshttps://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/commons:Special:MyLanguage/Commons:Machine-readable_dataused to describe metadata. [1]http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-ambassadors/2013-November/000508.html - JavaScript https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/w:en:JavaScript code used on Wikimedia sites is now saved locallyhttps://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/w:en:Web_storageon your computer to load faster. [2]http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2013-December/073330.html
*VisualEditor https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/VisualEditor/Portal*
- You can now paste formatted content copied from external sources (not just as plain text) into VisualEditor; this includes copy/pasting from other VisualEditor windows. [3]https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?oldid=836802#2013-12-05_.28MW_1.23wmf6.29 - You can now open VisualEditor by adding ?veaction=edit to the page URL, regardless of your user preferences. [4]https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?oldid=836802#2013-12-05_.28MW_1.23wmf6.29 - Many bugs have been fixed, and VisualEditor should also look faster, for example when you save a page. [5]https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?oldid=836802#2013-12-05_.28MW_1.23wmf6.29
*Problems*
- Due to issues, the new search tool ("CirrusSearchhttps://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Search") was recently removed from wikis where it was enabled, then added again. [6]http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-ambassadors/2013-December/000514.html
*Future*
- MediaWiki 1.23wmf6 https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki_1.23/wmf6was added to test wikis on December 5. It will arrive to non-Wikipedia wikis on December 10 and all Wikipedia wikis on December 12 (calendarhttps://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki_1.23/Roadmap ). - The old Etherpad tool (replaced by a new versionhttp://etherpad.wikimedia.org) will be removed on December 30, 2013. You can still save old pads before that date using the old address: https://etherpad-old.wikimedia.org. [7]http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2013-November/073249.html
*Tech news https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News prepared by tech ambassadors https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/Ambassadors and posted by MediaWiki message delivery https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/User:MediaWiki_message_delivery • Contribute https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News#contribute • Translate https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Tech/News/2013/49 • Get help https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tech • Give feedback https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Tech/News • Subscribe or unsubscribe https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Global_message_delivery/Targets/Tech_ambassadors.*