[WikiEN-l] Suggestion on how referencing system could be improved

[phoebe ayers]

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 12:15 PM, Gregory Maxwell <gmaxwell at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 8:46 PM, Thomas Larsen <larsen.thomas.h at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> The current <ref>...</ref>...<references/> system produces nice
>> references, but it is flawed--all the text contained in a given
>> reference appears in the text that the reference is linked from. For
>> example:
> [snip]
>> Once way I could conceive of correcting the problem is to have a
>> reference tag that provides only a _link_ to the note via a label and
>> another type of reference tag that actually _defines_ and _displays_
>> the note. For example:
> [snip]
>
> Thats a lot like what we used to do, the problem is that references
> were *constantly* orphaned, scrambled, etc.  The references were often
> nonsense.
>
> My view is that the current behavior is bad mostly because it makes it
> very hard to read the text in edit, you get this wall of meaningless
> markup.
>
> Instead I propose: Have javascript mediate the edit box so that inline
> references are converted to little red [R] text,  moving your cursor
> into the [R] area by clicking or arrowkeying causes it to expand to
> display the full reference.  You can add references by simply typing
> them like normal and then they'll collapse when you navigate away, or
> you can press some "insert reference" button that pops up a dialog
> that asks for the relevant information which then types the completed
> reference for you.
>
> This type of hiding could also be applied to other common inline
> markup and dramatically improve usability.
>
> This type of edit box mediation has been done by other edit-helper
> userscripts, so it's certainly possible.
>
> Thoughts?

Though it would be nice to also be able to see the whole raw wikitext
if one wanted to, I like this idea a lot. I've had a great deal of
trouble teaching people how to insert references in Wikipedia, but
many internet users are perfectly familiar with the kinds of "click
here to upload photos/insert text" boxes that are now becoming
ubiquitous. If it was really a "put in your information and the
reference is formatted for you" box, that would help both with
ensuring that references are more complete and formatted correctly,
and that fewer mistakes were made with syntax (the closing / is what
always gets me). I'd say such a box should include two options: enter
the information for formatting, or use a simple box to accept wikitext
(for out of the ordinary or preformatted citations).

I'd put in a vote for applying the same thing to infoboxes, too! And
then maybe an option for experienced users: turn off javascript and
see the whole <s>mess as it is now</s> wikitext.

-- phoebe