A new #Wikimedia project waiting to happen..

This October will see the beginning of the "Account Creation Improvement Project". I love the premise; "it is the first time we really get into contact with a person and we should do the best we can". In a presentation there is a comparison with the Facebook account creation. It is no surprise that ours is more wordy.

True to form, there are charts that provide some metrics. How many new users for five Wikipedias but as important how many end up editing.

Even at this stage of what looks like a brainstorming phase, there are interesting ideas. The one that is a double edged sword proposes to connect Wikipedia's account to Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites. When this means that the Wikimedia Foundation starts supporting OpenID and these social media sites accept our credentials as well, I could not be more happy.

It would allow websites that are part of the Wikimedia movement (think Wikia, translatewiki.net, Wikihow..) to be connected. I doubt that the commercial social media sites dare to lose control of "their" users and without it being a two way street the privacy issues become overwhelming.

Getting the mix right is important. One of the stronger motivations to contribute to Wikipedia is ideology. Without reciprocal arrangements it will fall foul of what many consider acceptable.
Thanks,
      GerardM