Last modified: 2006-11-27 12:33:27 UTC
There are a few configuration changes requested at MediaWiki.org that require a developer's input. Please see http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Project:Current_issues#Decided_Issues for full details. The changes are as follows: 1) We need a new namespace called 'Extension' 2) The 'Project' namespace should be renamed to 'Site' 3) The namespaces searched by default should be: Main, Help, Manual, Extension. 4) Special:Import needs to be enabled so that we can move (transwiki?) content from meta. Currently, visiting that page gives the message "No transwiki import sources have been defined and direct history uploads are disabled." Also, I don't know if it is possible/desirable to modify the 'namespaces searched by default' option for existing users, but if so that seems like a sensible idea (or at least for users who have not made their own customisations...)
(In reply to comment #0) > Also, I don't know if it is possible/desirable to modify the 'namespaces > searched by default' option for existing users, but if so that seems like a > sensible idea (or at least for users who have not made their own customisations...) It's impossible (well, unless you manually hack the DB...).
1) Could do. 2) Disagree, will not do. 3) Could do. 4) Could do; anywhere other than meta?
There are good reasons for renaming project to site. This issue was raised two and half months ago and after some discussion was announced to the wiki on the 14th October, with two weeks where any further discussion could be held and objections raised. Can you please let me know what your objections are, and why you didn't raise them on-wiki during this time? Re: 4 - as far as I know there is nowhere else we need to transwiki from at the moment. The main reason for the transwiki is to transfer MediaWiki related information (including page histories, etc.) from meta. I'm assuming that if we need to add further transwiki sources in the future it won't be a problem.
Oh - another thing. If we are transwikying, do we need a special transwiki namespace?
(In reply to comment #2) > 2) Disagree, will not do. I assume the problem with "Project" is that people will be inclined to put all their projects there. That's what it says, after all, and there are no shortage MediaWiki-related projects, although those would sometimes also qualify as extensions. Presumably the Project namespace there is supposed to be used for talking about MediaWiki.org-specific issues only, not stuff related to MediaWiki. That's what the main namespace is for, I assume. So maybe "MediaWiki.org:" would be a good name, if . is allowed in namespace names.
The main problem is that 'Project' is ambiguous. For people working on developing the site Project="MediaWiki.org", however for most visitors to the site, Project="MediaWiki software", or possibly "Wikimedia Foundation". As you say, it may also be regarded as a namespace to deal with whatever projects are currently on-going (whether related to site management or not). 'Site' was the best suggestion on the wiki, but I am open to alternatives, providing they remove the ambiguity. MediaWiki.org is clearer, but perhaps is confusing given that there is also a MediaWiki namespace (and as you say, the dot may cause problems).
Project is the canonical name of the namespace; would be silly to give it a *third* name! I don't know where "on wiki" you mean; you should of course be aware that mediawiki.org is a documentation site, not really a place of discussion.
I know Project is the canonical name, on MediaWiki.org it is the only name (so I don't know what you mean by a *third* name). We are requesting an alternative name to be used instead of project, and are aware that Project: will still be usable as an alternative. On wiki (in this case) means Project:Current_issues (as mentioned in my original description), although announcements were made elsewhere on the site as well. I am of course _very_ aware that MediaWiki.org is a documentation site (I believe, though I may be wrong, that I have made more edits on that site than anyone else...) however discussion _about_ the wiki itself is carried out on-wiki as it should be. The two main places being Project:Forum (for day to day stuff) and Project:Current_issues (for larger long-term issues).
Any news on this?
Thanks for enabling the transwiki from meta. Any news on the other 3 issues? If point 2 is something that you think needs further discussion would it be possible for 1 and 3 to be fixed in the interim?
Thanks Tim for fixing points 1 and 3. I am concerned that this bug has been closed without a resolution to issue 2. Some response to the above comments would be appreciated.
Discussion on changing something like the meta namespace ought to take place further on the site itself; as we've done some of that, and it's been rejected, it could be that * more discussion is needed * it's not going to happen and there's a good reason to veto it
OK - I'm happy to conduct more discussion on the wiki if that is required. However if this is not going to happen even if there is a consensus that it should, then I would like to know that now (plus reasons), rather than in a months time after agreement has been reached. Can someone confirm that this change (whether to 'site' or a better equivalent) would be allowed if it was shown that the community is behind it?
