[Wikipedia-l] Re: A portal page for www.wikipedia.org (was Re: Whywww.wikipedia.org => en.wikipedia.org ?)

[Jens Ropers]

Someone has now removed all the flags (without explanatory comment).
Anthere has left a message in talk, making the point that flags  
represent countries, not languages.
I've replied on talk  
(http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Www.wikipedia.org_portal#Flags):

Quite true, however for most (if not all) languages, there is a flag  
that is commonly understood to symbolize the language as well  
(depending on context). No other symbols exist that so clearly and  
graphically identify the respective languages. And I thing it having  
the instant visual indentification that you can get with images is  
worthwhile. That said, someone has removed the flags now (without  
explanatory comment) and I'm taking my time about reverting, because I  
believe community consensus will decide this one.

So what do people think? Is it just me to find the version with flags (  
http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php? 
title=Www.wikipedia.org_portal&oldid=88465 should give you a vague  
idea) more appealing?

-- ropers [[en:User:Ropers]]
     www.ropersonline.com

On 9 Jan 2005, at 04:14, Jens Ropers wrote:

> Ok lads (and lasses).
>
> I've now given the current portal page at http://www.wikipedia.org/ a  
> couple'a fancy clickable flags.
>
> I DO NOT mean to forestall any work Magnus might be doing (was not  
> really aware of that at the time I did the flag stuff as I found it  
> ''so'' interesting, I didn't even check my email. At any rate, it  
> seems that Magnus' work so far has been more of a technical nature --  
> maybe things can sort of be fused?
>
> I've explained what I've done on the talk page:
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk: 
> Www.wikipedia.org_portal#Redesign_with_flags
>
> (If there is another way than the fairly roundabout way I've chosen to  
> get these flags to be clickable links (w/o actual HTML access), then  
> please tell me.)
>
> I'm currently thinking about further improvements, e.g. giving the 10  
> 000 - 50 000 WPs 20x30 pixel inline image flags as well, but on the  
> other hand I'm a bit weary about putting any more work in considering  
> that an overhaul of the current (provisional?) portal page seems to be  
> on the horizon. (Markus? Any comment from you there?) I would hate to  
> do lots of stuff and see it all end up in the dustbin. But prolly this  
> depends on community consensus as well... Please discuss, I don't want  
> to be doing stuff that nobody wants. Are the flags a good idea? Are we  
> moving the right way, etc., etc.
>
> NB: Can some admin read that and delete some of the images as  
> mentioned there? Thanks.
>
> ((Again -- everybody: the Wikipedia home page can --currently, at  
> least-- be edited at:
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Www.wikipedia.org_portal
> Har har! It is such a TRIP to be editing Wikipedia's home page. I am a  
> SUCH power-hungry gobshite, I'll tell yer.))
>
> Thanks and regards,
>
> -- ropers [[en:User:Ropers]]
>     www.ropersonline.com
>
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