[Foundation-l] [Wikitech-l] Implementing the Babel extension

[Jesse Plamondon-Willard]

Brion Vibber <brion at wikimedia.org> wrote:
> That is of course ridiculous, only a couple of templates should be
> required for "box with a number in it".

On MetaWiki we implemented an overhauled user language template
system, which only uses one meta-template with subpage localizations
(see <http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template:User_language>). It
includes a well-defined set of levels (unlike the old babel system),
uses only one sorted category per language, and has various other
improvements made possible with ParserFunctions. The babel system was
phased out on MetaWiki long ago; see
<http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:User_language#Comparison_with_babel_templates>.

Unfortunately, the proposed extension simply copies over the old
en-Wikipedia babel system with its poorly defined levels, and includes
a vague fifth level which is sometimes used on en-Wikipedia but
virtually unused elsewhere<3>. If I recall correctly, GerardM or the
authors said they had no interest whatsoever in merging the systems
(like using the level explanations).

-- 
Yours cordially,
Jesse Plamondon-Willard (Pathoschild)