[Wikimedia-l] Editor retention (was Re: "Big data" benefits and limitations (relevance: WMF editor engagement, fundraising, and HR practices))

[Fred Bauder]

It would probably be easier to code and use "Wikipedia the Game" which
had ingame commands such as view, edit, upload, discuss, search, etc
which called http pages on Wikipedia than to add game features to wiki
software. One could start with any mud coding with an appropriate
license.

Fred

>
> I've been playing on a MUD lately, http://www.alteraeon.com/ that has put
> considerable effort into getting new users started. MUDs, at least
> text-based ones, also suffer from failure to attract and engage new
> users.
>
> The first thing about a MUD that is simply not on a wiki is channels. On
> a MUD there will be a Newbie channel that experienced users monitor.
> Experienced users are expected to be helpful, offering encouragement and
> practical help to new users. A channel on a MUD is more or less an IRC
> channel incorporated into the software. It's real time. Another thing is
> that a user is logged on, and presumably engaged in the game. There is no
> need for that on a wiki. Anyway, a post on the newbie channel is seen by
> all others who are logged in and have activated that channel. This
> happens on a telnet terminal with a command line for input or a
> functional equivalent, called a client, a mud client. So something like
> an in-wiki IRC channel that new users would automatically be logged into
> along with experienced users might be helpful.
>
> The MUD I reference has both a MUD school where a presumably new user
> goes through the basic game moves and is instructed in them and, much
> more interesting and engaging, a complex Newbie zone where the new player
> faces an increasing complex series of challenges which successfully
> accomplish learning by doing. The coding on the particular MUD generously
> rewards every "right" move with "experience", "money", and other goodies.
> This is all very nanny and I doubt the average highly educated user who
> is a university professor or professional could accept being put to
> school in this manner in a compulsory way before being allowed to edit,
> but it could be available as an option. We could even have a "practice"
> wiki which was set up in this way as an option. Probably no one would use
> it though, I suppose, so whatever is done would probably have to be on
> the main site. It would be a sandbox, but a more active and monitored
> one, actually a set of practice articles in sandboxes.
>
> With respect to welcoming and assisting new users on the English
> Wikipedia where there is a bewildering volume of varied activity by new
> and experienced users it might be helpful if we had a recent changes
> options that showed only edit by new editors with less than say 100 edits
> that could be monitored. Newbie helpers could then welcome, comment,
> compliment, or otherwise assist the new user. Obviously access to such a
> recent changes option by those looking for trouble could also be used in
> ways that would discourage the new user. Perhaps access could be limited
> to only flagged newbie helpers.
>
> Fred Bauder
>
>
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