Admin Forum:Showcase Wiki to complement the Dev Wiki?

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How about a new wiki that showcases all the UI enhancements of the dev wiki?

What prompts me to ask this is that I just added a little module to the dev wiki myself and instead of simply showing people what the module does, I had to describe it instead. I "solved" that problem by adding a link to my main wiki that uses the module, but that's hardly ideal.

Ideal would be a sandbox wiki that features one UI demo per page in a safe environment where no actual content of any other wiki is in danger. As a bonus that wiki could also feature lots of code for users to copypaste and use as a starting point for their own experiments.

I'm willing to go this alone and simply create an InfoWidgets wiki for my own module, but I wondered if others who develop UI gadgets might be interested in joining.

So what do you coders out there think about this idea?

Pecoes 03:00, February 19, 2012 (UTC)
 * The problem is that most of the stuff on dev wiki is a tou violation if done site wide. Even on wikis with no content, its not allowed to violate the tou even in good faith.--


 * Seriously? Doesn't Wikia staff take the occasional look at the stuff at dev? -- Pecoes 03:02, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * Yes, the stuff on dev wiki is all very helpful and some of the code you can use sitewide. However, the terms of use are pretty clear on what you can and cannot due and one of those things is remove or modify a feature for all users. Anything that removes or modifies a feature is not allowed to be used sitewide.--


 * I see two points in the terms of use that apply here:


 * Access or attempt to access any information on the Service through an interface other than the Service or otherwise approved by the Company;
 * Not intentionally block, remove, or otherwise obstruct the proper functioning and view of advertisements, and/or user interface and functionality by other users, including but not limited to changing or adding javascript or CSS changes to the Service that would prevent the proper display or function of advertisements and/or user interface and functionality.


 * That doesn't seem particularly harsh to me. In short: Use the web site and no alternative interface and don't damage the web site or block the ads. That seems to be it. -- Pecoes 03:21, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * I just looked over the UI enhancements and I really don't see anything that would violate the terms of use - if used properly. The latter is key of course. If people use these gadgets in silly ways, they may indeed violate the terms of use. But that risk exists with or without gadgets. People who edit their CSS and/or their JS will have to act like grown ups. You can do idiotic stuff without the gadgets and responsible stuff with the gadgets. Your choice. -- Pecoes


 * That particular clause in the ToU is broad enough to be open to interpretation by staff as they see fit. Essentially, any change that doesn't explicitly modify only the content area violates the ToU if used wiki-wide.


 * What exactly are you guys trying to tell me? That Wikia would shut down the showcase wiki and close my account? -- Pecoes 05:36, February 19, 2012 (UTC)

If you were to try and create such a wiki, Wikia would ask you to remove all ToU violating code. Should you not do so, they would close the wiki. In essence we are saying, you can't go through with this idea.--


 * Not all the code on dev.wikia is updated for each new Wikia feature either. Only the widely used ones are maintained... or ones made by people that import it from dev.wikia. There is no guarantee that the code there from some modules still work. Rappy 06:42, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * @Rappy: That - at least - would not be my problem. The makers of these gadgets would have to decide for themselves what to do. I would only offer the platform - not make their showcase.


 * @all: Would you suggest to contact the staff before I start that wiki and get their advice? Or did I just do that? -- Pecoes 07:37, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * You don't have to 'request' to start a wiki. The point here is, there's really not much use in doing so. Rappy 08:18, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * Well. Unexpected as your replies were - I'm going to interprete them as a "no" to my original question: Would you be interested in joining such a project? Apparently not. That question is settled then. Thanks for your time and your advice! -- Pecoes 13:54, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * Instead of making a new wiki to show what the codes on dev wiki do, why not simply upload some screenshots?


 * Speaking for my own Project: You can style it any which way you like, so there's not much a screenshot would tell you. It would be interesting to see it at work though. -- Pecoes 16:31, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * Also consider there could be codes that may conflict each other.


 * Maybe so, but that's irrelevant for demonstration purposes. Every gadget would have had a page to itself and that would have loaded that gadget's JS and CSS and nothing else. -- Pecoes 16:47, February 19, 2012 (UTC)

Why not request sysop on DEV wiki and do the same thing there? You are likely to get more traffic there than at a brand new wiki trying to showcase the same things. Rappy 21:53, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * I posted a request for my own JS and CSS hooks on Talk:Wikia Developers Wiki a few hours ago...


 * EDIT: I'd rather not request sysop on dev. That would mean assuming responsibility for a wiki I know faaar too little about.


 * Pecoes 22:09, February 19, 2012 (UTC)


 * That worked nicely. Here's the demo/documentation. -- Pecoes 17:56, February 20, 2012 (UTC)