The issue of unifying user names on a new phase, and the problems of maintaining article histories, is related, i think, to the notion i recently stated about the need for cross-langa transfers of articles, and a history related to these transfers. The idea of making something built willy nilly jive with something designed to the tits with structure seems -- as anyone will admit -- far fetched. But structure is whats required when integrating stuff -- and if structure is the key, then its got to be made to fit the hole that WP is in -- namely that of not living up to the teenage imagination.
When looked at from a macro-pedia point of view -- boiling it all down and considering trends in WP's IA -- the "next step" is looking like the long dreamt-of WP XML schema - as the foundation for a highly integrated, cross-langa manifestation of complex yet sublime brilliance. Of course it wasnt built that way... the much lauded simplicity-of-editing is the prime factor in a Wiki. Though compared to what the WP will someday be... the first Meatballish incarnation was but a cheezy homepage. (I wasnt around then, but I see other Meatballs around....)
The question then becomes, how might more advanced technologies actually integrate with Willy Nilly in a reasonable way to create the foundation for something that has titties. If its just a question of porting all of what exists to a new, unified Wikipedia system, then there are bound to be a few conflicts. I'm *not convinced that these anomalies exist in such a quantity that they couldnt be dealt wih by hand, or that these amount to anything thats worth discounting a potentially advantageous paradigm shift.
You cant make an omelet...
Wikilovin be greetin you, -S-
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