Subject: Agreed
Author:
Posted on: 2010-03-05 01:14:00 UTC
I haven't got the technical expertise to make it happen, but I certainly agree that this is a good idea.
(And yes, I know, I haven't been around much - computer hell. Sorry, guys. I managed to find an internet cafe today, but no promises about tomorrow.)
Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I'm getting more and more concerned that just anybody can walk up to our Wiki and do (almost) anything to it, especially since it seems to be one of the first things newcomers find these days. Is there some way to set it up so that mods/admins/whatever can vet new accounts before they can make edits? I'd be willing to do it; we don't usually get so many people signing up at once that it would be a bother.
This would also necessitate setting it up so that people have to log in to make edits, but I think everyone should do that anyway. {= p
I don't want to scare anyone off; quite the opposite: I want them to find their way here and become part of the community more easily, as opposed to wandering around the Wiki in confusion until one of us spots them and points them in the right direction. Especially if they're keen to get involved.
So... July? Other people who understand the more complex Wiki stuff? People with opinions on the matter?
~Neshomeh
Some of the stuff that's been popping up the last few days has made me make the O_o face.
I'm afraid I don't know much about how to make the Wiki a bit more under our control but it might be an idea to put a BIG FONT 'Newbies go [link to the board] HERE FIRST' kind of thing on the front page? Or is that a bit unsubtle?
I have a horrible sneaking suspicion that there isn't a way to make the wiki editable by only vetted accounts unless we manually lock every page and then give every account some level of mod access or something.
But if there is a way we should totally look into it.
Wikia policy is to avoid locking most pages at all, so the interface is relatively limited -- someone with Administrator/Bureaucrat access has to attack the Special:UserRights page, if I recall MediaWiki right, which doesn't seem too fun. On the other hand, a number of wiki edits from even established PPCers aren't always logged in, either for security or simplicity issues, and that may be frustrating when it's a rapidly-changing character page.
At the very least, putting relatively finalized stuff (the The Boards page, the FAQs, that sorta stuff) as SemiProtected should be relatively simple and prevent the sort of mangling the FAQ pages have gotten recently, and that's both easier and less intrusive than large-scale group changes. Perhaps the Sunflower Official greeting could also be made much more obnoxious? It's very well-written right now, but the important stuff isn't as quick to grab the eye as it could be.
I've meant to mention the SO's greeting, too. It would be nice if the really important links were spelled out instead of just saying "here," and words like "important," "must," and "expected" wouldn't go amiss, either. A direct link to the Board should also be there. This IS the SO, after all. Officiously ordering people here and there is what he does. {= )
I don't see how NOT signing in is a security thing, though. It certainly isn't secure for the Wiki. As for simplicity, it's not that hard to log in. If you're using your own computer, you can just STAY logged in--no fuss, no bother. If not, then you just hit "logout" when you're done and close the browser window. Many public computers are set up to clear the cache/browser history automatically every time this happens, and if it isn't then you can do it yourself. If you're that worried about your data, you should do that anyway.
But really, when it comes to established PPCers, it's more about accountability. If you're doing something, and you don't want anyone to know you're doing it, chances are you SHOULDN'T be doing it. On the other hand, if you're doing a lot of good stuff, it's nice to know who's doing it so we can appreciate the effort properly. Logging in also enables dialogue--it's really awkward and possibly pointless to try talking to an IP address, which may or may not be used again, and if people are logging in regularly there's a better chance of being able to get their attention if you want them specifically.
... What I REALLY don't get is how new people miss the PPC Intro Pages, which, if they looked at them, would solve a lot of problems. But that's a whole other kettle of fish.
~Neshomeh
I haven't got the technical expertise to make it happen, but I certainly agree that this is a good idea.
(And yes, I know, I haven't been around much - computer hell. Sorry, guys. I managed to find an internet cafe today, but no promises about tomorrow.)