OpenGeofiction
I would like to propose adopting a new “main page” for the wiki. I have created a proof-of-concept here.
http://opengeofiction.net/wiki/index.php/User:Luciano/Sandbox/NewMainPageTest
The main challenge will be that to keep it “interesting” there will have to be people willing to do the editorial work of making new “featured maps” and new “featured articles.” Currently, I am not very busy and don’t mind doing this. However, over the long term we would need other people to do this too.
I have posted this note at the wiki talk page too.
Discussion
Comment from tom_m7 on 11 February 2015 at 03:10
I like the idea and the design a lot, but I’m not sure if we’ll be able to keep adding a new Featured Article and/or Featured Map every day/week/month. I’m sure a lot of OGF’s userbase is busy with life outside of OGF (I have a lot of homework from school every day and I’m not able to map and contribute to the wiki as much as I want to, for example).
Comment from Luciano on 11 February 2015 at 03:24
@tom_m7 - I agree with your point completely, but I also think that even if the Main Page sits “stagnant” for a while because people are busy, the Main Page should be partly about how OGF looks to new visitors… and for those people, they won’t know the content is “stale”. We can deliberately leave the time period vague - notice I didn’t say “Featured Article of the Day” or “Featured Article of the Week” - I just said “Featured Article”. If it sits for a while, I think it’s OK.
Also, I already maintain a blog “IRL”, and it has been updated daily for 7 years now. I think I could incorporate updating the featured pages to my daily and weekly routine - the only missing piece would be that OGF users have to keep creating new, interesting content to feature! But just using what has already been created, I think we have enough for 50 features, at least… and if we update once a week, that’s a year.
Comment from BMSOUZA on 11 February 2015 at 06:02
I think this new idea is very good, and, showing to new visitors a interesting page even if the feature page/map is the same for one week or two. About creating feature page/map, I think it is the wish of everyone here in OGF. Of course, the oldest users has more interesting maps, and even the newest users can create a good article to figure in Main Page. In resume, I say OK to this proposal!
Comment from isleño on 11 February 2015 at 08:49
Congrats Luciano, this looks superb. These gaps are a little odd, but overall I think it looks great, and thanks for featuring Khaiwoon!
My only major suggestion would be to add another panel for “Featured Image” which would make the page more visual, and also highlight another side of OGF talent. There are some great images in the wiki that can shine on their own, outside of an article. Maybe this panel could go below the Featured Article?
As for how often to change things, I think our target audience should definitely be new visitors. Sure, us regulars would be more entertained by regularly changing features, but I think that first-time visitors will be more impressed if the main page is consistently showing off the most outstanding content.
I’d change it once a month, max, and give people ample warning before they get featured so they can make sure everything is super awesome before they hit the front page.
Anyway, fantastic job. This is really great work.
Comment from histor on 11 February 2015 at 09:23
Looks good. Very fine work. For me this can be the new main page.
As isleño wrote = under the article then a picture and both columnes are equal long.
The featured article, map and picture can change every week or every two weeks or may be every month, if there is nothing really excellent new (not every day as in real wiki). That can be handled flexible.
Comment from thilo on 11 February 2015 at 19:34
Great work! I’d really like to see it ported to the actual main page rather sooner than later. The featured map can probably change more often than the featured article. The one thing that I would change is to remove the “Recent Wiki edits” from the main page. They are prominently linked in the navigation bar, so they are easy enough to find (an additional link could be added to the “Useful links” box).
Comment from isleño on 11 February 2015 at 22:42
If we need something to go in place of the “Recent Wiki edits” box, maybe there could be a “Did you know?” box for interesting factoids, like on Wikipedia. If the box displayed 5 factoids and was changed monthly, then 60 factoids would last a year. Can 10 people come up with 6 interesting factoids each? In Wikipedia, each of the factoids links to a wiki article (in bold) but the articles don’t necessarily need to meet the “featured” standard.
Comment from histor on 11 February 2015 at 23:32
to isleño from 22:42 = why not? So the one or other can lead the focuds to things, who are not choosen for the featured items - but what are things, he (or she) means, that is of certain interesse for other mapper.
If we take Lucianos new main page, then it is necessary to install a gremium, who choose the featured things. I think, that must be there 5 persons (odd number). 7 is too much and 3 too few. Who is in that gremium, can change partly (every month 2 of the 5 are changing?)
Comment from Luciano on 12 February 2015 at 00:48
Following Thilo’s recommendation, I have created a “2nd draft”… same location.
I am willing to be a “Did you know” administrator for now. “Once-a-month” isn’t a very big challange, especially if other people are already writing the snippets in the nomination page.
If I get too busy or can’t do it, later, we can find a new person to do it.
I like histor’s idea of a committee (gremium) but it might be unnecessarily complicated, as long as we have mutual trust and respect I think each “sub part” of the main page can have a current designated administrator, and those positions can be passed around as people have time or resources or ability.
Comment from histor on 12 February 2015 at 02:14
O. k - must not be a commitee. Was only, that not only one must do the work. We can handle it flexible. If there are vandales (what I not hope), we can do something against.