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== General questions == |
== General questions == |
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'''How can I get Discussions for my community?''' |
'''How can I get Discussions for my community?''' |
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| + | :All new communities have Discussions by default. If your old community does not have Discussions, send a request via the [[Special:Contact|contact form]]! Alternatively, if your community has a [[:w:Community Central:Wiki Representatives|wiki representative]] assigned, you may ask them to enable discussions for you. |
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| − | Send in a request via [[Special:Contact]]! |
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| − | '''Does my community have to be part of |
+ | '''Does my community have to be part of the [[Help:Fandom app|Fandom app]] to use Discussions?''' |
| − | No, any community can use Discussions |
+ | :No, any community can use Discussions since it also works on desktop and [[Help:Mobile web|mobile web]]. |
| + | == Forum questions == |
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| − | '''Will |
+ | '''Will Discussions replace wiki-style forums (typically found at Forum:Index)?''' |
| − | No. |
+ | :No. While we recommend Discussions for its mobile-friendly format, the [[Help:Wiki-style forums|wiki-style forums]] are not part of any migration or retirement plan. A community can have both Discussions and wiki-style forums enabled. |
| − | If |
+ | :If your community has wiki-style forums in an archived state and you would like to un-archive them, [[Special:Contact|contact Fandom staff]]. If your community does not have wiki-style forums and you would like to add them, see [[Help:Wiki-style forums/set up]]. |
| − | '''Why did Discussions replace Forum |
+ | '''Why did Discussions replace Special:Forum?''' |
| + | :Special:Forum (different from wiki-style forums, see above) was built with custom modifications to MediaWiki, the software which runs our wiki platform. These modifications made it extremely difficult for us to update MediaWiki software and take advantage of all the changes made to it by its developers, the Wikimedia Foundation. Important changes, like security updates, needed to be reverse engineered to apply to Fandom's heavily-customized installation. In essence, making Special:Forum work smoothly with MediaWiki was like forcing a square peg into a round hole. |
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| − | Discussions will be a standard feature on FANDOM communities, and Forum will be retired. New wikis are created with a feature set meant for long-term use. |
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| + | :In order to bring us up to date with the MediaWiki software, we elected to retire features such as Special:Forum that relied on such custom modifications and replace them with newer versions which can operate on the platform without interference in the future. For more information, see [[User blog:TimmyQuivy/On the Importance of Upgrading MediaWiki|this staff blog post on the importance of upgrading MediaWiki]]. |
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| − | '''Why does Forum have to be removed?''' |
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| + | '''What will happen to Special:Forum content?''' |
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| − | Forum was initially developed at a time when Wikia still built features exclusively on MediaWiki. So the Forum had to be built to work with that software, even though MediaWiki wasn't really meant to support a conversation feature of this kind. The developers did a good job -- many communities have since come to use and love Forums. However, making Forum work smoothly with MediaWiki was a lot like forcing a square peg into a round hole. |
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| + | :All Special:Forum content will be converted into Discussions, as such: |
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| − | As a result of this suboptimal MediaWiki integration, the Forum has many issues, some obvious, some only noticeable to the most diligent and tech-savvy admins. For example: those "@comment" URLs showing up in weird places and sometimes never leading anywhere, or content that never gets removed from maintenance lists even after the issue is resolved. Some of the more glaring issues include long load times on threads with many replies, or that the layout of an entire page can break when one user forgets to close a <nowiki><div></nowiki> tag in their post. Forum's basic MediaWiki-based architecture was ultimately not set up to accommodate big alterations in the future and stand the test of time. |
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| ⚫ | :*Forum boards become Discussions categories. On wikis with Discussions already enabled, this may result in duplicate categories. Administrators may want to merge and consolidate similar categories together. For example, a "General Discussion" category can be merged into the default "General" category. |
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| + | :*Forum threads and replies become Discussions posts and replies, and redirects are set up to ensure links to Forum content will point users to the same content on Discussions. The conversion process will also change any wikitext into HTML to ensure that the content appears in Discussions as it did on the Forum. However, migrated threads and replies cannot be edited without side effects (see below). |
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| + | :*Kudos become upvotes. |
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| + | :*Article topics become article tags. |
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| + | :*Users that were following Forum threads will retain their following status for the Discussions posts. |
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| + | :*Deleted Forum threads and replies are also migrated to Discussions but retain their deleted state. |
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| − | Over the years, we’ve kept Forum working well -- more or less -- by continually patching the cracks in the dam. This works for a while and most users don’t even notice (which is the point of the patches, to keep things together). But eventually you have to accept the fact that the dam needs to be replaced. Now that FANDOM has [[w:c:community:User_blog:DaNASCAT/Introducing_Service-Oriented_Architecture,_A_New_Approach_to_Software_Development|new options available]] for developing parts of the site, it has become obvious that trying to enhance a conversation feature despite the inherent limitations is not the right path forward. By rebuilding the feature from scratch instead of patching it up further, we can eliminate a lot of the problems mentioned and make sure Discussions won't have the same constraints and can more easily be evolved over time. |
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| ⚫ | :Administrators and Discussions Moderators can edit migrated threads and replies in Discussions. However, this should only be done when absolutely necessary. Some migrated content may contain elements that cannot be processed by the current Discussions editor such as embedded links, images, text formatting, or other custom styling. When a post is edited and re-saved, these elements will be stripped out and only plain text will remain. |
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| − | '''Will the current Forum (found at Special:Forum) be replaced immediately, when Discussions is enabled on a community?''' |
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| − | Not necessarily. The two systems can continue to operate independently until FANDOM migrates the older [[Help:Forum|Forum]] posts into Discussions. Your community will receive notice when closer to that time. Additionally, be sure to watch the [[homepage:w:Blog:Wikia Staff Blog|Staff Blog]] and [[homepage:w:Blog:Wikia Technical Updates|Technical Update Blog]] for details! |
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| + | :Yes, but only by using the "Change Category" option in the menu located at the top-right of a post or by deleting the post's category and merging it into another category. Editing a post to change its category will result in its formatting being modified as described above. |
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| − | A community with both Forum and Discussions can request Forum migration when they are ready. An admin can request migration via [[Special:Contact]]. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | == Migration of Forum content == |
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| + | :When Forum posts turn into Discussions posts, a user's Discussions post count on their profile will go up accordingly. However, their edit count for the wiki will not go down, even if their edits in the Forum space are removed. |
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| − | '''What content will be migrated from Forum to Discussions, when it's time?''' |
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| − | We are able to migrate content (all posts, threads and boards) from the current Forum feature. Forum boards will become Discussion categories, and Kudos will become upvotes. Topics (the names of associated articles) will be retained but will not be visible at this time. Users who were watching a Forum thread will be following the Discussions post. |
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| − | |||
| − | When migration occurs, it’s the HTML from the Forum threads that gets reproduced in the Discussions posts. So the posts will look very similar to the original threads, visually. However, editing a migrated post may change it dramatically (see "Can migrated content be edited?" below). |
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| − | |||
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| − | |||
| − | Discussions posts and replies are counted separately, and have a separate total displayed on the user profile page. When Forum posts and replies are migrated to Discussions, those will be counted as Discussions posts and replies in that separate total. |
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| − | There will be no immediate change to the "wiki edit count" since the Forum content will still remain in the database after a migration happens (though it becomes inaccessible). |
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| − | |||
| − | '''Will the Forum URLs be redirected?''' |
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| − | |||
| − | Yes, after migration occurs, the thread URL (e.g. Thread:1234) will redirect to the post’s new Discussions URL. Board URLs become redirected to the specific URL for the new category. Special:Forum becomes redirected to Discussions. |
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| − | |||
| − | '''Are deleted posts migrated?''' |
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| − | |||
| − | Removed and deleted posts/replies are migrated and show in Discussions as deleted, which means they are only visible to moderators and admins. |
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| − | |||
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| − | |||
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| − | |||
| − | Yes, do this by first locking the post and then editing it. Only the category portion becomes editable in that scenario. |
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| − | |||
| − | '''If Discussions is already enabled on a community, do the Forum boards come over as additional categories?''' |
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| ⚫ | :The answer can vary depending on the situation. If Discussions is causing problems or not meeting your community's needs or expectations, we want to hear more. Development of Discussions is ongoing and we may have an update already on the way that will address the concerns. Please note that Discussions is a standard feature on Fandom, and any community that has the current Forum feature will eventually have Discussions since the content will be migrated over. |
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== Features and functionality == |
== Features and functionality == |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | :No. Simple formatting options such as '''bold''', ''italics'', <code>preformatted text</code>, numbered and bulleted lists, and links are available, but they do not use wikitext. Discussions is intentionally built separately from MediaWiki, which means some conventions and processes will have to be updated. |
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| − | '''Is wikitext supported?''' |
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| + | :If you must have wikitext for a conversation—perhaps because it centers around editing specific templates or specific plans for formatting articles—we recommend using [[Help:Wiki-style forums|wiki-style forums]] or [[Help:Talk pages|talk pages]] instead. |
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| − | Currently there is no markup/code or rich text formatting of any kind, and there will be further development in that area. Many of the specifics are still to be determined, and it’s helpful to know about the most common uses of wikitext and templates (beyond basic text formatting). Discussions is intentionally built separately from MediaWiki, which means some conventions and processes will have to be updated. We would like to know more about how you use wiki markup, templates, etc. in forums now to help us understand what needs those are meeting. Give us details and examples! |
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| − | ''' |
+ | '''Are templates supported, i.e. for voting?''' |
| + | :Since Discussions doesn't support wikitext, templates don't work. However, Discussions has a poll feature that allows community votes, and clicking on poll options will show which users voted for that option. |
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| − | Voting/polls is one area where we’ll be doing specific development for Discussions. The ways that communities use voting templates in these situations are well-documented, and are informing how these important community-building tools are built. It’s unlikely that use of wikitext templates will be possible in Discussions. |
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| − | As of May 2018, [[Help:Polls in Discussions|Polls in Discussions]] have been made available for communities that are not part of [[Help:Mobile|FANDOM's mobile apps]]. |
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| + | :No, but the [[Help:Announcements|Announcements]] feature allows admins and moderators to get the word out about important news. Discussions posts can be linked from an Announcement, but Announcements are not limited to just Discussions posts. |
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| − | We have no immediate plans to add a "sticky" function. We'll be examining the types of content that admins post and want to "sticky" in Discussions, so please send us examples of such posts. It’s important to acknowledge that on traditional forums, many readers will skip over sticky threads. Posts are often stickied at the top and rarely unstickied, resulting in a large stack of posts to scroll through before you even see newer content. |
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| + | :Yes. You can [[Help:Discussions#.40-Mentions|@-mention]] specific users in your Discussions posts and replies, which will send them a [[Help:Notifications|notification]] about your mention. |
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| − | For now, please note that the Guidelines function exists to make users aware of the rules, and is prominently linked for all users who post or reply for the first time. Admins and moderators can link to guidelines at any time in posts/replies and on their web and app profile pages. Admins can also make a Discussions category for News/Announcements (or similar). |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | :The [[Help:Background|background color and image]] and wiki wordmark are connected to the wiki's [[Help:Theme Designer|Theme Designer]]. The top [[Help:Navigation|navigation]] on desktop is the same as on the wiki. |
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| − | We’re working on a replacement for the Forum 'highlight' function, which will have similar functionality that should be even more versatile than what we currently offer. These notifications will be delivered by the newer notifications system. |
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| − | |||
| − | One notification type we plan to add is user mentions. While the conversation inside of Discussions will be fully public, this will facilitate notifying specific users about a conversation they might be interested in. |
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| − | |||
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| − | |||
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'''Why is there so much unused space in the web version?''' |
'''Why is there so much unused space in the web version?''' |
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| − | Discussions was developed to be |
+ | :Discussions was developed to be optimized for mobile users, so we started there in terms of design. It's easier to start small and then make it bigger, rather than start big and then be forced to take things away. You can switch to a condensed layout from the View dropdown menu to see more posts on screen at once. The web layout will continue to evolve. |
'''Will Discussions be searchable?''' |
'''Will Discussions be searchable?''' |
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| − | Yes, we are working on integrating Discussions |
+ | :Yes, we are working on integrating Discussions into the main [[Help:Searching|search]] results page. |
'''Can anonymous users post or upvote in Discussions?''' |
'''Can anonymous users post or upvote in Discussions?''' |
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| − | No, only logged-in users can participate in Discussions, but they are readable |
+ | :No, only logged-in users can participate in Discussions, but they are readable by everyone. Discussions is intended to be a community-building tool, and we have seen many thousands of new accounts created for the purpose of using Discussions. The "require all contributors to log in" setting in [[Help:Wiki Features]] has no effect on Discussions. |
'''Can we use spam and abuse filters in Discussions?''' |
'''Can we use spam and abuse filters in Discussions?''' |
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| − | The AbuseFilter extension is deeply bound to |
+ | :The AbuseFilter [[Help:Extensions|extension]] is deeply bound to MediaWiki, so it won't be adapted to work with Discussions. However, we are currently exploring multiple options for spam/content filtering on Discussions and look forward to sharing more about this in the future. In the meantime, please report persistent spam problems to the [[Help:SpamTaskForce|Spam Obliteration and Prevention]] team. |
| − | '''What makes a post show up on "Trending"?''' |
+ | '''What makes a post show up on "Trending" or as a "Hot" post?''' |
| − | Trending posts are |
+ | :Trending/hot posts are the posts that most recently received upvotes and/or replies. |
| − | '''Can I put a post in multiple categories? Can I create subcategories |
+ | '''Can I put a post in multiple categories? Can I create subcategories?''' |
| + | :No, a post can only be in one category at a time. Subcategories are not possible. |
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| − | We plan to add functionality that will work much like the Topics option in the Forum today, using wiki article names. This will build specific connections between posts and wiki articles. Categories will continue to be the top level of organization, with only one category per post. |
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| − | ''' |
+ | '''Can I associate a post with a wiki article like Topics on Special:Forum?''' |
| + | :Yes, by using [[Help:Discussions#Article tags|article tags]] when creating or editing a Discussions post. Up to 10 article tags can be added to a Discussions post. |
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| − | Simply [[Help:Links#Linking_to_an_external_page|use the full URL]] for the post, when setting the link. |
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| + | '''How do you link to an individual Discussions post or reply?''' |
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| − | Example of the full URL for a post: http://adventuretime.wikia.com/d/p/2979100091102528606 |
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| + | :Discussions posts have a share icon in the bottom-right corner of the post, which has the option of copying the direct link to the post. To grab the link to a Discussions reply, right click or tap and hold the timestamp of the reply and copy the link from the context menu. This method also works for Discussions posts (in the condensed view, use the title instead of the timestamp). |
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| − | Example of the full URL for a specific reply: http://adventuretime.wikia.com/d/p/2979276986242828033/r/2979292139071997476 |
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| − | '''Can I |
+ | '''Can I edit the user bio that appears in the Fandom app?''' |
| + | :Yes, but note that your bio is a global attribute like your avatar. To edit the bio, access your profile in the Fandom app or your user page on any Fandom wiki. |
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| − | This content appears on top portion of wiki [[Help:Profile|profile]] pages as the "Bio". At this time, the Bio text is only editable via Community Apps. Note that this content is not specific to a community or app, it is a global user attribute, like the avatar. |
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| − | == Connections to the wiki |
+ | == Connections to the wiki == |
'''Can I embed a Discussions feed on a wiki page?''' |
'''Can I embed a Discussions feed on a wiki page?''' |
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| − | Yes |
+ | :Yes, by using the [[Help:Discussions activity feed|Discussions activity feed]]. |
'''Will this be used to replace Article/Blog comments or Message Walls?''' |
'''Will this be used to replace Article/Blog comments or Message Walls?''' |
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| + | :Wikis on the [[Help:Unified Community Platform|Unified Community Platform]] have Discussions-based [[Help:Comments|comments]] and [[Help:Message Wall|Message Walls]]. All comments and Message Walls from legacy wikis will be migrated to the Discussions-based system when the wiki migrates to UCP. This migration process works similarly to the Special:Forum migration process described above. |
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| − | Eventually, we expect to retire all of the current "thread" features in favor of this newer Discussions platform. The current focus is on the "forum" and "community conversation" uses, and we don't have specific details or timelines for [[Help:Comments|Comments]] or [[Help:Message Wall|Message Wall]]. |
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| − | '''How |
+ | '''How can Discussions activity be moderated?''' |
| + | :All users can report a Discussions post or reply for Administrators or Discussions Moderators to review. [[Help:Admin and Moderator Tools in Discussions#Handling reported content|Click here for more information on handling reports in Discussions.]] |
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| − | Regular users have the ability to "report" problematic content (spam, vandalism, violations of community guidelines) to moderators and admins, so we encourage you to think about whether there is a need for moderators and admins to review ''every single post and reply''. While this is important for fact-based articles, it may not be necessary for discussion threads. |
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| − | It's possible to see a full chronological list of an individual user's Discussions posts and replies. |
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| + | '''Is there a way to monitor or track Discussions activity similar to, or using, Special:RecentChanges?''' |
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| − | With that said, we know there is interest in a complete chronological activity feed and welcome your continued feedback as the structure of Discussions evolves. A user-created script called [[w:c:dev:DiscussionsFeed|Discussions Feed]] is available to use, and we would like to hear about how that works for communities. |
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| + | :[[Help:Recent changes|Special:RecentChanges]] is a MediaWiki tool, so we have no plans to integrate Discussions activity into RecentChanges. We are currently exploring a solution to surface Discussions activity for wikis on the [[Help:Unified Community Platform|Unified Community Platform]]. |
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| − | '''Will Discussion activity appear in Wiki Activity or Recent Changes?''' |
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| + | :Wiki admins can make use of two user-created scripts, [[w:c:dev:DiscussionsFeed|DiscussionsFeed]] or [[w:c:dev:DiscussionsRC|DiscussionsRC]], to monitor incoming Discussions posts and replies in a Recent Changes-style feed. For more information on including scripts on a wiki, see [[Help:Including additional CSS and JS]]. |
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| − | There are no plans to integrate Discussions into those features. |
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'''How can users navigate between the wiki and Discussions?''' |
'''How can users navigate between the wiki and Discussions?''' |
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| − | Discussions is linked on the local navigation menu which remains visible on all wiki pages and Discussions pages. Modules that link to recent or trending Discussions posts may also appear in the footer at the bottom of wiki pages. A user's post count is displayed on their profile page and is linked to their list of posts and replies. In the web view of Discussions, a user's name and avatar are linked to their profile page. The [[Help: |
+ | :Discussions is linked on the local [[Help:Navigation|navigation]] menu, which remains visible on all wiki pages and Discussions pages. Modules that link to recent or trending Discussions posts may also appear in the footer at the bottom of wiki pages. A user's post count is displayed on their profile page and is linked to their list of posts and replies. In the web view of Discussions, a user's name and avatar are linked to their profile page. The [[Help:Discussions activity feed|Discussions activity feed]] can be embedded on main pages and on any other wiki page. |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | The answer can vary depending on the situation. If Discussions is causing problems or not meeting your community's needs or expectations, we want to hear more. Development of Discussions is ongoing and we may have an update |
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== Community feedback == |
== Community feedback == |
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| − | A huge part of how this feature will develop is hearing what communities want from it. While it may not be possible to fulfill every specific request, the themes and trends of feedback |
+ | A huge part of how this feature will develop is hearing what communities want from it. While it may not be possible to fulfill every specific request, the themes and trends of feedback have already helped to guide the direction of Discussions and will continue to do so. It's equally important to realize that there can be multiple ways to meet needs and address problems. Please use [[Special:Contact|our contact form]] to send in ideas and report problems. |
| + | ==Further help and feedback== |
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| − | [[de:Hilfe:Diskussionen FAQ]] |
+ | {{Help and feedback section}}[[de:Hilfe:Diskussionen FAQ]] |
[[es:Ayuda:Preguntas frecuentes sobre Discusiones]] |
[[es:Ayuda:Preguntas frecuentes sobre Discusiones]] |
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[[fi:Ohje:Usein kysytyt kysymykset keskustelupalstasta]] |
[[fi:Ohje:Usein kysytyt kysymykset keskustelupalstasta]] |
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[[pt:Ajuda:Perguntas frequentes sobre Discussões]] |
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[[ru:Справка:Обсуждения/FAQ]] |
[[ru:Справка:Обсуждения/FAQ]] |
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| + | [[tr:Yardım:Tartışmalar SSS]] |
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[[uk:Довідка:Обговорення/FAQ]] |
[[uk:Довідка:Обговорення/FAQ]] |
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[[vi:Trợ giúp:Thảo luận/Câu hỏi thường gặp]] |
[[vi:Trợ giúp:Thảo luận/Câu hỏi thường gặp]] |
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Revision as of 11:32, 23 February 2021
Below are frequently asked questions and answers about the Discussions feature.
General questions
How can I get Discussions for my community?
- All new communities have Discussions by default. If your old community does not have Discussions, send a request via the contact form! Alternatively, if your community has a wiki representative assigned, you may ask them to enable discussions for you.
Does my community have to be part of the Fandom app to use Discussions?
- No, any community can use Discussions since it also works on desktop and mobile web.
Forum questions
Will Discussions replace wiki-style forums (typically found at Forum:Index)?
- No. While we recommend Discussions for its mobile-friendly format, the wiki-style forums are not part of any migration or retirement plan. A community can have both Discussions and wiki-style forums enabled.
- If your community has wiki-style forums in an archived state and you would like to un-archive them, contact Fandom staff. If your community does not have wiki-style forums and you would like to add them, see Help:Wiki-style forums/set up.
Why did Discussions replace Special:Forum?
- Special:Forum (different from wiki-style forums, see above) was built with custom modifications to MediaWiki, the software which runs our wiki platform. These modifications made it extremely difficult for us to update MediaWiki software and take advantage of all the changes made to it by its developers, the Wikimedia Foundation. Important changes, like security updates, needed to be reverse engineered to apply to Fandom's heavily-customized installation. In essence, making Special:Forum work smoothly with MediaWiki was like forcing a square peg into a round hole.
- In order to bring us up to date with the MediaWiki software, we elected to retire features such as Special:Forum that relied on such custom modifications and replace them with newer versions which can operate on the platform without interference in the future. For more information, see this staff blog post on the importance of upgrading MediaWiki.
What will happen to Special:Forum content?
- All Special:Forum content will be converted into Discussions, as such:
- Forum boards become Discussions categories. On wikis with Discussions already enabled, this may result in duplicate categories. Administrators may want to merge and consolidate similar categories together. For example, a "General Discussion" category can be merged into the default "General" category.
- Forum threads and replies become Discussions posts and replies, and redirects are set up to ensure links to Forum content will point users to the same content on Discussions. The conversion process will also change any wikitext into HTML to ensure that the content appears in Discussions as it did on the Forum. However, migrated threads and replies cannot be edited without side effects (see below).
- Kudos become upvotes.
- Article topics become article tags.
- Users that were following Forum threads will retain their following status for the Discussions posts.
- Deleted Forum threads and replies are also migrated to Discussions but retain their deleted state.
Can migrated content be edited?
- Administrators and Discussions Moderators can edit migrated threads and replies in Discussions. However, this should only be done when absolutely necessary. Some migrated content may contain elements that cannot be processed by the current Discussions editor such as embedded links, images, text formatting, or other custom styling. When a post is edited and re-saved, these elements will be stripped out and only plain text will remain.
Can a migrated post be re-categorized without affecting its content?
- Yes, but only by using the "Change Category" option in the menu located at the top-right of a post or by deleting the post's category and merging it into another category. Editing a post to change its category will result in its formatting being modified as described above.
When Forum content is migrated to Discussions, are edit counts affected?
- When Forum posts turn into Discussions posts, a user's Discussions post count on their profile will go up accordingly. However, their edit count for the wiki will not go down, even if their edits in the Forum space are removed.
Can my community ask to turn off Discussions if we try it and don't like it?
- The answer can vary depending on the situation. If Discussions is causing problems or not meeting your community's needs or expectations, we want to hear more. Development of Discussions is ongoing and we may have an update already on the way that will address the concerns. Please note that Discussions is a standard feature on Fandom, and any community that has the current Forum feature will eventually have Discussions since the content will be migrated over.
Features and functionality
Does Discussions support wikitext?
- No. Simple formatting options such as bold, italics,
preformatted text, numbered and bulleted lists, and links are available, but they do not use wikitext. Discussions is intentionally built separately from MediaWiki, which means some conventions and processes will have to be updated.
- If you must have wikitext for a conversation—perhaps because it centers around editing specific templates or specific plans for formatting articles—we recommend using wiki-style forums or talk pages instead.
Are templates supported, i.e. for voting?
- Since Discussions doesn't support wikitext, templates don't work. However, Discussions has a poll feature that allows community votes, and clicking on poll options will show which users voted for that option.
Is there a "sticky" or "pin" function to display posts at the top of a post list or category view?
- No, but the Announcements feature allows admins and moderators to get the word out about important news. Discussions posts can be linked from an Announcement, but Announcements are not limited to just Discussions posts.
Can we message individual users directly using Discussions?
- Yes. You can @-mention specific users in your Discussions posts and replies, which will send them a notification about your mention.
How can I change the look of Discussions?
- The background color and image and wiki wordmark are connected to the wiki's Theme Designer. The top navigation on desktop is the same as on the wiki.
- The design and layout of Discussions is still evolving. Feel free to let us know about what specific elements you would like to change!
Why is there so much unused space in the web version?
- Discussions was developed to be optimized for mobile users, so we started there in terms of design. It's easier to start small and then make it bigger, rather than start big and then be forced to take things away. You can switch to a condensed layout from the View dropdown menu to see more posts on screen at once. The web layout will continue to evolve.
Will Discussions be searchable?
- Yes, we are working on integrating Discussions into the main search results page.
Can anonymous users post or upvote in Discussions?
- No, only logged-in users can participate in Discussions, but they are readable by everyone. Discussions is intended to be a community-building tool, and we have seen many thousands of new accounts created for the purpose of using Discussions. The "require all contributors to log in" setting in Help:Wiki Features has no effect on Discussions.
Can we use spam and abuse filters in Discussions?
- The AbuseFilter extension is deeply bound to MediaWiki, so it won't be adapted to work with Discussions. However, we are currently exploring multiple options for spam/content filtering on Discussions and look forward to sharing more about this in the future. In the meantime, please report persistent spam problems to the Spam Obliteration and Prevention team.
What makes a post show up on "Trending" or as a "Hot" post?
- Trending/hot posts are the posts that most recently received upvotes and/or replies.
Can I put a post in multiple categories? Can I create subcategories?
- No, a post can only be in one category at a time. Subcategories are not possible.
Can I associate a post with a wiki article like Topics on Special:Forum?
- Yes, by using article tags when creating or editing a Discussions post. Up to 10 article tags can be added to a Discussions post.
How do you link to an individual Discussions post or reply?
- Discussions posts have a share icon in the bottom-right corner of the post, which has the option of copying the direct link to the post. To grab the link to a Discussions reply, right click or tap and hold the timestamp of the reply and copy the link from the context menu. This method also works for Discussions posts (in the condensed view, use the title instead of the timestamp).
Can I edit the user bio that appears in the Fandom app?
- Yes, but note that your bio is a global attribute like your avatar. To edit the bio, access your profile in the Fandom app or your user page on any Fandom wiki.
Connections to the wiki
Can I embed a Discussions feed on a wiki page?
- Yes, by using the Discussions activity feed.
Will this be used to replace Article/Blog comments or Message Walls?
- Wikis on the Unified Community Platform have Discussions-based comments and Message Walls. All comments and Message Walls from legacy wikis will be migrated to the Discussions-based system when the wiki migrates to UCP. This migration process works similarly to the Special:Forum migration process described above.
How can Discussions activity be moderated?
- All users can report a Discussions post or reply for Administrators or Discussions Moderators to review. Click here for more information on handling reports in Discussions.
Is there a way to monitor or track Discussions activity similar to, or using, Special:RecentChanges?
- Special:RecentChanges is a MediaWiki tool, so we have no plans to integrate Discussions activity into RecentChanges. We are currently exploring a solution to surface Discussions activity for wikis on the Unified Community Platform.
- Wiki admins can make use of two user-created scripts, DiscussionsFeed or DiscussionsRC, to monitor incoming Discussions posts and replies in a Recent Changes-style feed. For more information on including scripts on a wiki, see Help:Including additional CSS and JS.
How can users navigate between the wiki and Discussions?
- Discussions is linked on the local navigation menu, which remains visible on all wiki pages and Discussions pages. Modules that link to recent or trending Discussions posts may also appear in the footer at the bottom of wiki pages. A user's post count is displayed on their profile page and is linked to their list of posts and replies. In the web view of Discussions, a user's name and avatar are linked to their profile page. The Discussions activity feed can be embedded on main pages and on any other wiki page.
Community feedback
A huge part of how this feature will develop is hearing what communities want from it. While it may not be possible to fulfill every specific request, the themes and trends of feedback have already helped to guide the direction of Discussions and will continue to do so. It's equally important to realize that there can be multiple ways to meet needs and address problems. Please use our contact form to send in ideas and report problems.
Further help and feedback
- Browse and search other help pages at Help:Contents
- Check Fandom Community Central for sources of further help and support
- Check Contacting Fandom for how to report any errors or unclear steps in this article