----- Original Message -----
From: "Amgine" amgine@wikimedians.ca
Oliver Keyes: I do not believe anyone is disputing your general arguments, above.
The concern I see being expressed, fundamentally, is "I have developed skills, practices, and efficiencies with current Wiki syntax. Is your new parser going to destroy my investments in learning? am I going to have to start over with this new system?"
Correct, and it isn't merely investments in learning; there are likely investments in wrap-around-the-outside coding which assume access to markup as well. Not All Mediawikiae Are Wikipedia.
Our point, as I share Oliver's concerns, which I think you rephrase well, is that raw markup access is just as important -- if not moreso -- to a subset of users of Mediawiki which is likely smaller than the Wikipedia editor base, but still significant. (How significant, I don't have numbers for, and I'm not sure such numbers can actually be generated...)
Cheers, -- jra