Forum:Oasis feedback

Give your feedback and constructive criticism here! (Note: This is not sponsored by Wikia Staff in any way.) -- .. Jeff  (Talk!)   (Contribs!)   (Email!)   (Blog!) .. 02:18, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

What skin is your favorite?
Monaco, Monobook, or Oasis

Monaco - It's awesome. -- .. Jeff  (Talk!)   (Contribs!)   (Email!)   (Blog!) .. 03:31, November 17, 2010 (UTC) Monaco. Period. I think everyone hates Oasis due to the bugs and Facebook design. Yeah way to throw out all your originality Wikia. >:( White Star Line 03:58, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Monobook is my traditional favorite, but its been somewhat broken on Wikia for years. Monaco would be an acceptable alternative if the issues surrounding Monobook cannot be resolved. Inclusivedisjunction 06:55, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Monobook Ollie Martin  14:54, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Do you think Wikia should install Vector?
Yes, Neutral, or No

Yes -- .. Jeff  (Talk!)   (Contribs!)   (Email!)   (Blog!) .. 03:31, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Yes, as long as wikis can select it as their default skin. I prefer Monobook over Vector on Wikipedia, but compared to Oasis, Vector is a dream. Allowing wikis to use Vector would benefit both the readers (due to its use on the ubiquitous Wikipedia) and experienced editors (due to the more sensible location of the tools). Inclusivedisjunction 06:52, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Yes People are familiar with Wikipedia's skin. Why make them learn a totally new layout, format and set of rules. If the transition for new users of Wikia is made easier, they are more likely to stay and edit. Ollie Martin  14:54, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

Yes. It has nested, sidebar navigation. Wikis should be allowed to use it as the default skin for their wikis. Some wikis want to look like Wikipedia. It is familiar to them. It can be greatly customized too. See: wowpedia.org --Timeshifter 13:24, November 18, 2010 (UTC)

Glows
Tell us what you like about the Wikia skin.

To be honest, I do somewhat like the idea of a fixed toolbar as you scroll down the screen, but the movement isn't always smooth, and similar behavior was available for Monobook. The Theme Designer is a nice feature as well, though I don't see why it couldn't have been implemented with Monaco or Monobook. Inclusivedisjunction 07:02, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

I honestly feel the overall look is crisper. But this is far outweighed by the appauling forced appearance of articles, lack of usability and alienation of new editors. Ollie Martin  14:54, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

I like the added social networking, but it shouldn't be on the fixed toolbar as you scroll down the screen. That toolbar blocks search results when using one's browser to look for words on a page. My Tools is good, but it also shouldn't be on the fixed toolbar as you scroll down the screen. My Tools is for individual users. It is not an adequate substitute, though, for sidebar navigation with tools and navigation for everybody, especially new users and readers.

The top bar of site navigation is good, but it is not enough. Sidebar navigation and tools is needed also. It can be much more detailed. The nested mouseover navigation before was fantastic. There was room for more than one or two words per line at the top level. --Timeshifter 13:18, November 18, 2010 (UTC)

Grows
Tell us what you want improved on the Wikia skin.

Operating on the assumption that Oasis will continue to be the forced default skin and no drastic changes will be made to its overall layout, the only conservative recommendation I can make is to allow some better choices with the Theme Designer. The "color gradient" bars and buttons don't look all that good; solid colors and/or other patterns should be made available. Inclusivedisjunction 07:12, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

I'll keep it simple. Make articles full width. Even if the right and left margins are left, just please get rid of the ridiculous "Articles on this Wiki" etc boxes. Ollie <font style="font-family: Haettenschweiler; color: #620101;">Martin  14:54, November 17, 2010 (UTC)


 * 1) Return sidebar navigation. See: Forum:Can sidebar site navigation be returned in a show/hide box?.
 * 2) Allow each wiki to customize its width settings. Fluid, flexible, fixed, combinations, and all variations. --Timeshifter 13:10, November 18, 2010 (UTC)

The Pages on this Wiki, Recent Wiki Activity, and Photos on this Wiki boxes in the right hand column wind up as noise instead of signal. If Wikia wants to keep them there, they should at least be collapsed by default so that if you want to see any of these things you can expand the box and see it otherwise you don't see it. This would also help with the More from Wikia box. If Wikia wants people to explore the other Wikis that they host, it seems like people would be more encouraged to do so if the links appeared nearer the top of the page. I know I'm probably not saying too much that I radically new; just adding my two cents worth. Mrjoeterrace 00:29, November 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * That is correct. The selling point of my wiki should be the content of the page the reader's looking at. -- ◄mendel► 15:27, November 20, 2010 (UTC)

General Criticism
I don't get it. Monaco was doing great! -- <font color="white" size="4">.. <span style="color:blue; border-bottom:1px dotted; font-family:Malgun Gothic; cursor:help;" title="Hello!! I was probably helping at the forums, or I was just translating st00f!">Jeff  (Talk!)   (Contribs!)   (Email!)   (Blog!) <font color="white" size="3">.. 02:18, November 17, 2010 (UTC)

I thought this was beta tested. What happened? Did wikia just wait until the criticism had stopped and then said, "That's great, we don't care, you don't have a choice. Enjoy" and then unplugged the special:contact inbox?!? <font style="font-family: Haettenschweiler; color: #076B3A;">Ollie <font style="font-family: Haettenschweiler; color: #620101;">Martin  14:54, November 17, 2010 (UTC)


 * They can't have waited until the criticism stopped, because it never did. -- Fandyllic  (talk &middot; contr) 10:21 AM PST 17 Nov 2010


 * Well, this is where I take my business elsewhere. The new layout is obnoxious in both theory and practice.  Intentionally downgrading the experience of higher-than-1024px users to "protect" the less-than-20% of the userbase that does use 1024px (when there was nothing graphically wrong with it before -- what happened to "Ain't broke, don't fix it"?) is quite frankly asinine.  Alienating 80% of your users is bad enough (have you seen what these wikis look like with infoboxes?  Let me tell you, it's pretty gross.), but pandering to the vast minority in a way where it still looks obtrusive and ugly on a 1024px monitor is unacceptable.  I'm jumping ship to Wikispaces, this is hideous.  --Witoki 01:53, November 18, 2010 (UTC)

Who is in charge at the top? Beta testing was a joke. I get the impression that no one is in charge. --Timeshifter 13:26, November 18, 2010 (UTC)


 * I got the impression Jimbo quit. -- <font color="white" size="4">.. <span style="color:blue; border-bottom:1px dotted; font-family:Malgun Gothic; cursor:help;" title="Hello!! I was probably helping at the forums, or I was just translating st00f!">Jeff   (Talk!)   (Contribs!)   (Email!)   (Blog!) <font color="white" size="3">..  20:30, November 19, 2010 (UTC)