Meta:Babel/Archives/2019-10

Please do not post any new comments on this page. This is a discussion archive first created in October 2019, although the comments contained were likely posted before and after this date. See current discussion or the archives index.

Global IP block exemption pages

Global IP block exemption is currently redirected to Global blocks#Exemptions but we have a Global IP block exemptions page as well. So is there anything to do with that redirect? --WhitePhosphorus (talk) 02:04, 6 October 2019 (UTC)

I've boldly retargeted the redirect to Global IP block exemptions. May as well make it redirect to the page that has a nearly identical name. Anyone can revert me if they want. TonyBallioni (talk) 02:44, 6 October 2019 (UTC)

Feedback wanted on Desktop Improvements project

Please help translate to your language

Hello. The Readers Web team at the WMF will work on some improvements to the desktop interface over the next couple of years. The goal is to increase usability without removing any functionality. We have been inspired by changes made by volunteers, but that currently only exist as local gadgets and user scripts, prototypes, and volunteer-led skins. We would like to begin the process of bringing some of these changes into the default experience on all Wikimedia projects.

We are currently in the research stage of this project and are looking for ideas for improvements, as well as feedback on our current ideas and mockups. So far, we have performed interviews with community members at Wikimania. We have gathered lists of previous volunteer and WMF work in this area. We are examining possible technical approaches for such changes.

We would like individual feedback on the following:

Identifying focus areas for the project we have not yet discovered
Expanding the list of existing gadgets and user scripts that are related to providing a better desktop experience. If you can think of some of these from your wiki, please let us know
Feedback on the ideas and mockups we have collected so far

We would also like to gather a list of wikis that would be interested in being test wikis for this project - these wikis would be the first to receive the updates once we’re ready to start building.

When giving feedback, please consider the following goals of the project:

Make it easier for readers to focus on the content
Provide easier access to everyday actions (e.g. search, language switching, editing)
Put things in logical and useful places
Increase consistency in the interface with other platforms - mobile web and the apps
Eliminate clutter
Plan for future growth

As well as the following constraints:

Not touching the content - no work will be done in terms of styling templates or to the structure of page contents themselves
Not removing any functionality - things might move around, but all navigational items and other functionality currently available by default will remain
No drastic changes to the layout - we're taking an evolutionary approach to the changes and want the site to continue feeling familiar to readers and editors

Please give all feedback (in any language) at mw:Talk:Reading/Web/Desktop Improvements

After this round of feedback, we plan on building a prototype of suggested changes based on the feedback we receive. You’ll hear from us again asking for feedback on this prototype.

Thank you! Quiddity (WMF) (talk)

06:53, 16 October 2019 (UTC)

Community desysop policy

It seems we do not have a community desysop policy. Should we have one? The last desysop discussion happened in 2013.--GZWDer (talk) 15:10, 19 October 2019 (UTC)

Do we need one? As the past two cases show, desysop discussions by the community are already permitted. I don't think we need a policy and formal bureaucratic structure for something that has been used twice in nearly two decades. – Ajraddatz (talk) 15:36, 19 October 2019 (UTC)

I concur with Ajraddatz. Do we have a problem that has to be fixed? Policies should be created on as needed basis, when common sense and existing procedures either lack or would obviously benefit from formalisation.--Base (talk) 01:31, 23 October 2019 (UTC)

Comment We do have Meta:Administrators#Policy_for_de-adminship. If you think that we need more, then the best I would comment is that admins can be removed on the consensus of the community, though that is the default practice for actions on this community. So if we have anything, I would expect that we would document that community consensus is the decision-making process undertaken and followed by administrators and bureaucrats, unless documented otherwise. @GZWDer: What do you think is missing that is not catering for our needs? — billinghurst sDrewth 01:42, 23 October 2019 (UTC)

Can you point to an example where this would have been helpful in the last 3 years? Pretty sure one doesn't exist, but am willing to be corrected. TonyBallioni (talk) 01:41, 28 October 2019 (UTC)

Editing News #2 – Mobile editing and talk pages

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Inside this newsletter, the Editing team talks about their work on the mobile visual editor, on the new talk pages project, and at Wikimania 2019.

Help

What talk page interactions do you remember? Is it a story about how someone helped you to learn something new? Is it a story about how someone helped you get involved in a group? Something else? Whatever your story is, we want to hear it!

Please tell us a story about how you used a talk page. Please share a link to a memorable discussion, or describe it on the talk page for this project. The team wants your examples. These examples will help everyone develop a shared understanding of what this project should support and encourage.

Talk pages project

The Talk Pages Consultation was a global consultation to define better tools for wiki communication. From February through June 2019, more than 500 volunteers on 20 wikis, across 15 languages and multiple projects, came together with members of the Foundation to create a product direction for a set of discussion tools. The Phase 2 Report of the Talk Page Consultation was published in August. It summarizes the product direction the team has started to work on, which you can read more about here: Talk Page Project project page.

The team needs and wants your help at this early stage. They are starting to develop the first idea. Please add your name to the "Getting involved" section of the project page, if you would like to hear about opportunities to participate.

Mobile visual editor

The Editing team is trying to make it simpler to edit on mobile devices. The team is changing the visual editor on mobile. If you have something to say about editing on a mobile device, please leave a message at Talk:VisualEditor on mobile.

Edit Cards

What happens when you click on a link. The new Edit Card is bigger and has more options for editing links.

On 3 September, the Editing team released version 3 of Edit Cards. Anyone could use the new version in the mobile visual editor.
There is an updated design on the Edit Card for adding and modifying links. There is also a new, combined workflow for editing a link's display text and target.
Feedback: You can try the new Edit Cards by opening the mobile visual editor on a smartphone. Please post your feedback on the Edit cards talk page.

Toolbar

The editing toolbar is changing in the mobile visual editor. The old system had two different toolbars. Now, all the buttons are together. Tell the team what you think about the new toolbar.

In September, the Editing team updated the mobile visual editor's editing toolbar. Anyone could see these changes in the mobile visual editor.
- One toolbar: All of the editing tools are located in one toolbar. Previously, the toolbar changed when you clicked on different things.
- New navigation: The buttons for moving forward and backward in the edit flow have changed.
- Seamless switching: an improved workflow for switching between the visual and wikitext modes.
Feedback: You can try the refreshed toolbar by opening the mobile VisualEditor on a smartphone. Please post your feedback on the Toolbar feedback talk page.

Wikimania

The Editing Team attended Wikimania 2019 in Sweden. They led a session on the mobile visual editor and a session on the new talk pages project. They tested two new features in the mobile visual editor with contributors. You can read more about what the team did and learned in the team's report on Wikimania 2019.

Looking ahead

Talk Pages Project: The team is thinking about the first set of proposed changes. The team will be working with a few communities to pilot those changes. The best way to stay informed is by adding your username to the list on the project page: Getting involved.
Testing the mobile visual editor as the default: The Editing team plans to post results before the end of the calendar year. The best way to stay informed is by adding the project page to your watchlist: VisualEditor as mobile default project page.
Measuring the impact of Edit Cards: This study asks whether the project helped editors add links and citations. The Editing team hopes to share results in November. The best way to stay informed is by adding the project page to your watchlist: Edit Cards project page.

– PPelberg (WMF) (talk) & Whatamidoing (WMF) (talk)

11:12, 29 October 2019 (UTC)

Promotion vs documentation

There's a dispute over the permissibility of promotional language on the documentation page for the WMF-run "Space" platform. See Talk:Wikimedia Space#Promotional language. I'd appreciate it if we could get a few more voices there. Thanks. --Yair rand (talk) 10:21, 31 October 2019 (UTC)