Steve Bennett wrote: > Here's another: when someone searches for an article (let's say "norwegian > antarctic expedition") that doesn't exist, let's encourage them to add it - > we have successfully located someone interested in a topic that we don't > have an article about. This is a good start. > > The use case would go: > 1) User searches, no match found > 2) Wikipedia warmly encourages user to make the article, guiding them > through the steps > 3) Wikipedians nurture the newbie, remaining in contact with them as they > make their inevitable fumbling mistakes > 4) Newbie sticks around and makes other articles > > What actually happens > 1) User searches, no match found > 2) Wikipedia yells: > "Before creating an article, please read Wikipedia:Your first article." > "To experiment, please use the sandbox. To use a wizard to create an > article, see the Article wizard." > "When creating an article, provide references to reliable published sources. > An article without references may quickly be deleted." > "You can also start your new article at Special:MyPage/Norwegian Antarctic > Expedition. There, you can develop the article with less risk of deletion; > ask other editors to help work on it; and move it into "article space" when > it is ready." > "If you wish to ask an informational question, please visit one of our help > desks." > > translation: > - Don't create an article (without reading piles of tedious documentation > first) > - Don't create an article (because we know you just want to muck around) > - Don't create an article (without applying a higher standard of referencing > than we do) > - Don't create an article (because we will delete it mercilessly. write a > draft and beg for approval first) > - Don't create an article (because you don't actually know anything) > Yes, but ...
Those prompts are not actually so useless. Perhaps the presentation could be improved. Given the huge preponderance of readers over editors, the last point really should be first (visit help desks). Then I would go to drafting: "If you are able to draft an article on this topic, you can start it at Special:MyPage/Norwegian Antarctic". And make sure that the Special page has a clear way of templating the page so that it goes into a "help requested" category, and generates a human welcome. Then give the three options (read "Your first article", Sandbox, Article wizard) as exactly that: "If you'd like to ...". Basically that message seems to have the order stood on its head. Something that could be addressed easily, though. Charles _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
