Monday, May 02, 2011

What is technically wrong with the #Wikia #WYSIWYG

The question was precise and, it was asked by Tim Starling.. Technically means that Tim is asking for bugs, performance issues things that are technical in nature.

Both the Wikia software and the Wikimedia Foundation software are open source and this allows for the use of the Wikia software by the Wikimedia Foundation.

Tim's question is timely as well as opportune: Brion is back and he is tasked with revamping the parser and implementing WYSIWYG for MediaWiki. It would be stupid to develop something new when there is already something that is already adequate.

There are important advantages:
  • the software is already in production at Wikia
  • the software is being localised at translatewiki.net
  • this is experience how WYSIWYG affects MediaWiki newbies and oldies alike
For those interested in some amusement, read the thread and see how ingrained the sense of superiority is by those who mastered wiki syntax. Getting rid of wiki syntax is a small price to pay when it opens up Wikipedia to smart people like my friend Jan Velterop.
Thanks,
       GerardM
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1 comment:

Jan Velterop said...

Small edits on existing articles I manage, but as for new articles or major, structural edits, I lack the time. And the inclination, frankly, as the instructions are quite daunting, and a disincentive for me to start a new article. I'm therefore very grateful for Gerard's help to convert an article written in Word into a Wikipedia article for me. But I doubt if everyone who could contribute knows some expert like Gerard.

6:20 pm

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