On Mon, Jul 22, 2013 at 9:35 PM, James Forrester jforrester@wikimedia.orgwrote:
It would imply that this is a preference​ that Wikimedia thinks is appropriate. This would be a lie. For a similar example, see the removal of the "disable JavaScript" option from Firefox 23.
You still haven't explained why this preference is inappropriate.
It would imply that Wikimedia thinks preference bloat is an appropriate way forward for users. This would be a lie. Each added preference adds to the complexity of our interface, increasing even further the choice paralysis and laughable usability of our existing preference system.
Like others have said, this is not a choice between having a user preference or not having it. It's a choice between having a consistently functional user preference or pseudo-maintained gadgets doing the same functionality. That adds even more bloat than another checkbox in the Editing section (which, by the way, was just reorganized anyway).
It would imply that Wikimedia thinks preference bloat is an appropriate way forward for expenditure of donor funds. This would be a lie. Each added preference adds to the complexity of our software - so increasing the cost and slowness of development and testing, and the difficulty of user support.
Stop being so dramatic. This is clearly false.
It would imply that Wikimedia can get rid of under-used preferences. This would be a lie. We do not have a successful track record of getting rid of preferences, even when used by a handful of our users, even when set away from default mostly by inactive accounts; accepting this form of product debt now on the spurious claim that we'll pay it off later is untrue.
This doesn't have anything to do with this discussion. It's already been expressed that this will not be an under-used preference, and that numerous members of the community want this feature.
​Creating such a preference is a lie, and a lie I cannot endorse.
In conclusion, if you really think lying to the community is so bad, then I recommend the VE team stop doing so as well as stop shoving this propaganda down the community's throat as if VE is the second coming.
*-- * *Tyler Romeo* Stevens Institute of Technology, Class of 2016 Major in Computer Science www.whizkidztech.com | tylerromeo@gmail.com