Forum:How to make use of white space on USER talkpages.

On our wiki, in virtually all namespaces (e.g., main/article namespace, Project namespace, Template namespace, etc.), the Oasis skin uses the right side (i.e., sidebar, rail, skyscraper, whatever it’s called!) to present all sorts of “stuff”. But, in the User talk namespace, there’s really nothing on the right side except a lot of white space, and perhaps the rare Pages I’m following. Here’s my query: Is there some way to make the text on a user’s talkpage flow into that empty space, and, the odd time there’s a Pages I’m following box, wrap around it? It would make reading talkpage threads a heck of a lot easier. Thanks! — Spike Toronto  4:56AM EDT, June 15, 2011


 * There are many modules that use that space on user talkpages - Achievments, Followed Pages, Chat and (as much as we all hate it) Spotlights . It would be rather impractical to make text wrap around them.
 * EDIT: Oops, maybe not Spotlights.


 * Well, just to clarify, we don’t have Chat. Spotlights always seem to be at the bottom of the page when viewing user talkpages. We don’t have Achievements. But, I understand what you’re saying. — Spike Toronto  8:07AM EDT, June 15, 2011


 * This is something that's been attempted before, but discarded due to limitations in HTML and how wrapping and percentage widths are dealt with. It's also probably a ToU violation anyway.


 * Sorry to hear about the limitations. :( I do not, however, think that it would be a ToU violation since nothing would be prevented from displaying. That is, I am not proposing interfering with advertisements or spotlights. Thanks Monchoman45! — Spike Toronto  8:29AM EDT, June 15, 2011


 * The ToU is much broader than just protecting ads and spotlights. Any code that changes the "function" of the wiki is a ToU violation, especially for parts of the page that aren't in the content area.


 * I still don’t think it would apply in this instance. No functionality is being denied, reduced, or in any other way impacted. Unused whitespace is being freed up so that user talkpages can be read more easily, more naturally. Of course, this “debate” is moot since, as you say, it cannot be achieved. — Spike Toronto  8:45AM EDT, June 15, 2011


 * It is theoretically possible if you have a script account for a myriad of possible cases in which it won't look right; most notably it breaks all forumheader templates. Doing so, however, would have to determine the actual size of the rail, and from that determine where it has to interfere and how to do so in such a way that you can't tell the difference. A lot of width and height references and mathematical tweaking of the metrics of a bunch of elements all at the same time, in multiple browsers which deal with things only slightly differently from one another. Which is ignoring cases where elements have a chance of interfering with one another, and resolving nested elements in such a way that the script doesn't make a div in a table explode. As for the ToU, Wikia is very possessive of the rail - and, technically speaking, expanding the content width is against the ToU. That can be interpreted as the actual width of the page, or the width of the content itself. Either way, you're sure to have staff knocking on your door and asking what's up. It's an ideal solution to everyone's content width problem, but it's also a logistical nightmare.


 * Ah! The complexities! But, what rail?! There’s just blank space, no rail to interfere with. (See here for an example.) Thanks! — Spike Toronto  9:03AM EDT, June 15, 2011


 * There is, actually - it's just the search bar. Regardless of the fact that you can move that into  like it is on special pages, Wikia would probably dock you for consistency - because other wikis don't have it like that. Which gets into principle arguments about how much consistency is good and how much is worthless hassle.


 * Okay. I’m going to quit before my head explodes! Thanks Monchoman45 for your patience. — Spike Toronto  9:11AM EDT, June 15, 2011
 * Never read the forum,but check out my talk..I made use of the right rail in a different way:)
 * Never read the forum,but check out my talk..I made use of the right rail in a different way:)