User blog comment:Rupert Giles/Prototype for a new article layout/@comment-769857-20141215165418

I work on a very width-restricted wiki (I refuse to call it a wikia) and I do welcome the idea of the wider page, but not when implemented like this. We very often have to condense our tables and infoboxes are typically half the available width of the article.

Firstly, the wiki activity box doesn't place itself well – I'd rather it would go under an infoboxes rather than above. The first thing people read in an article is the infobox, and placing it down the page decreases usability.

As for the mid-article ads, I know and understand Wikia's plan to put as many ads on pages as possible while redirecting users away from smaller wikis to the bigger wikis where the ad revenue is from. This, however, is not the best way to do it. On my wiki, for example, we have to use the "clear" template when the intro is shorter than the infobox, so any ads under the end of the lead may make readers think that the article is at and end; and the must watch videos option will confuse them into thinking those videos are related. Square ads on the side are not a good idea either; as this will misalign any full-width tables. We even articles that basically comprise of a single table, and this'll be messed up.

The left-side tools are awkward, and please leave the edit whole article button assessable with a single click.

Also, the font does not need to be made any bigger.

Finally, please do not mess with the in-wiki navigation bar layout, it would still work with the new design.