On Mon, Apr 16, 2012 at 18:41, Jan Kučera <kozuc...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi there, > > how do we want to work on editor retention if we lack social features at > all??? > > These go in the right direction: > http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Proposal:Improving_our_platform > http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Social_features > > Is WMF going to act finally??? > > Kozuch Hello, I put together that second link during the strategy process. Others have since added to it but the page looks much the way I remember it from back then. It's really hard for me to recall quite what I was thinking. I did believe that some kind of social glue would make the site more "sticky" (as the geek parlance goes) but whether I still believe that would lead to a better encyclopedia... I guess I'm not so sure about that now. Probably I was more driven by a sense of loneliness and isolation I felt whilst I did my Wikipedia work. Thing is, I think there are already vibrant communities within Wikipedia and I'm sure there are bonds. Although, I confess, I'm guessing because I'm not involved with any of them. But I would assume that those that put together Signpost each week feel connected. Those in the Military History group I imagine work together. I think if one wants to join a group for social interaction there are plenty of possibilities open to one. So now, time having passed since I put together that page, I more feel that the type of stuff I do on Wikipedia doesn't really lend itself to bonding. I tend to read articles on myriad topics and follow where my curiosity takes me. Is there the possibility of an "Autodidact reader's group"? If so, what would they talk about? "I read *this* today!" "Cool! Today I read this *other* thing!" Is there much value in such exchanges? It seems to me that, no, there probably isn't. There is also the Copyeditors Group but my relationship to it is that there is plenty of info there for me to learn from but I don't feel qualified to add to it. But I do know where to go if I have a question, which is not to be sniffed at. So if I am left daunted I know where to find support. Good. What do I think about it all now... Personally, I think there is no good on-wiki way to address my feelings of loneliness as a volunteer but - guess what - that's fine! Because if I want to salve my solipsism then I am a member of plenty of other websites where I have friends to talk to. However, I imagine there are ways to improve things for the groups that already exist. I would suggest anyone wishing to pursue this interviews regular contributors to the larger Wikigroups such as MILHIST and the Signpost crew. What innovations can be made to MediaWiki to help them do what they're already doing more easily? Maybe liquid threads is enough? (I'm afraid I'm not a fan). Perhaps it would be better if the Signpost guys, for example, want to feel more bonded they simply exchange Twitter/Facebook details? Of course many people want their Wikipedia identity to be separate from their identity elsewhere and so would not wish to share such details. Is there a solution to that? Dunno. To finish: your post as quoted at top states there are ZERO social features. People can quite readily share text and images; there's a talk page on EVERY page we have. I'm not sure what else you expect a computer to do short of adding Skype/Voicemail. en.wp.User:Bodnotbod _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l