Wikinews

User:Bawolff/userbox

< User:Bawolff

I'm using "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHAL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" as described in rfc:2119. when I say should or should not, I mean that it can be debated at the userbox creation page, and can be waived, but almost always shouldn't. I'm also using /* */ for comments

This is basicly Amgine's proposal but more of the rules are not set in stone so they can be debated at the creation page, and so everyone agrees (hopefully). I personally liked Amgine's, but others didn't so I thought I'd float this out and see how it does. Bawolff ☺☻ 23
15, 24 March 2006 (UTC)

Wikinews is a project to produce verifiable and current news articles which are both compelling and accurate, and for these news articles to become a permanent archive. As a means to that end it supports an online community of users who, in turn, are rquired to support the goals of Wikinews. (if there not then they're using us as a webhost which isn't allowed).

One element of the support for the community is the provision of two namespaces, User and User talk, for the use of community members. Users may manage their user page in any way they like so long as it is not offensive to other members of the community. This applies to userboxes on user pages as well.

On Wikinews userboxes also have additional limitations, which can be summarized as follows:

  • Userboxes must be a part of a whitelist
  • Userboxes should not be templates (both as in transcluded and in
  • template: namespace)
  • Userboxes should not use categories (but may use alternative category-like conventions)

What is a userbox

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A userbox is a box that goes on multiple userpages, and used communally. Usually it is in the form of a small floated box. Often they have graphics or a method of finding other users with that box, associated with it. This policy does not apply to things that look like userboxes, but are only on a single user's userpage, and have no means of finding other users with similiar boxes.

Userboxes must be part of a whitelist

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Userboxes fall into broad categories or classes. Some of these classes are clearly useful to the mission and goals of Wikinews, while others are clearly not. The community has the right to determine which classes of userboxes support the mission and goals of Wikinews, and which do not.

Classes accepted

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There is currently expressed support for userboxes which are a part of these classes:

  • Language
    Userboxes which describe the language skills of users who wish to make their language skills available for Wikinews. Note they must have an english description as otherwise they are not supportive of the english Wikinews project. They can also have a description in another language as well, as long as they have english too.
  • Location
    Userboxes which describe the location of users who wish to make their location known, so they may be contacted regarding local news opportunities or for input on local stories.

To propose additional userboxs (or clases of them) please start a discussion on the userbox creation request page. Users requesting a new userbox should have a draft version ready.

Lists of Userboxes

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Userboxes which have been prepared are required to be listed somewhere convenient so users interested in also using them can find them for easy substitution into their user page.

/* Perhaps on the creation page? */

Userboxes should be limited to user space

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Userboxes should be limited to the use of User and User talk namespaces. This means primarily that userboxes should not templates, and they shouldn't link to categories. This requirement is debatable on the creation page, however they should not make new userboxes in contempt of this rule.

Userboxes which aren't templates

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Almost any page can act like a template, and be included in another page. But better yet, almost any page can be copied into another page. Using {{subst:Namespace:Pagename}} the actual text of a page can be copied into a user's page wherever they would like it. Again this may be waived at the creation page, but it should not be.

Because any page can be used in this manner, there is no need to use the Template: namespace. Reserving the Template: namespace for Wikinews project use has a variety of benefits, but also it clearly separates the personal use of the User space from the Wikinews use of the rest of the site.

There are three benefits: on loading a page which is not cached there is less work for the server to do, Template: namespace is not confused with both user-space and article-space oriented templates, and user pages cannot be harmed by a template vandalism.

Userboxes have to be stored in one of the following places /* we'll decide which later */

Userboxes should not use categories

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The use of categories in userboxes has been a problem on other sites which have userboxes. In particular, userbox categories have been used to influence community polls, resulting in indecisive polls which are repudiated by at least one "side" - and therefore do not create consensus but conflict. In addition, the more categories we use, the less avalible (not that we're running out of words or anything). Even if we use subpages of category:user (Category:user/foo) Categories take much more server time to complete a request. (or so I've heard. acording to [this http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Commons%3AImages_on_normal_pages_or_categories%3AVote&diff=104320&oldid=104276] (fifth paragraph added. I don't think I'm taking that out of context, but someone who knows what he is talking about more then I do should check.) categories are 1000 times as hard to display as normal pages (if I read that right). (how hard are special:whatlinkshere?)

There are ways which do not use categories to indicate legitimate Wikinews relationships, using links to Wikinews: namespace pages or other pages and Special:Whatlinkshere. For userboxes these are the only method they should use. see also meta:Categories#Comparison_with_.22What_links_here.22 for intreasting things about using the what links here scheme. The hiaracle scheme of this looks promising too.

Policy violations

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There are a range of reasonable responses to violations of these policies, and no one response is appropriate at all times. The first response, however, should be to discuss the situation with the user in question, pointing to this policy. This does not apply to anything waived by the creation page.

  • Userboxes which are not part of a whitelist class
    These user boxes should be removed from Wikinews, or modified to be a part of a whitelisted class.
  • Template: namespace
    Userboxes which are a part of a whitelist class should not be deleted. They should instead be moved to the User: namespace, probably under the original creator's name. User pages which include the template should have it substituted.
  • Userboxes which are transcluded
    User pages which include a userbox, rather than substituting it, should have the userbox subst:.
  • Userboxes which use categories.
    Where there is a legitimate Wikinews use for the sorting, it should be modified to use a page linking scheme which finds related users via Special:Whatlinkshere.

This policy is retroactive

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/*not sure about this */

other previous attempts at user categorization shall not be affected by this policy. →(Category:User categories, Category:live in Europe, Category:Interest in Environment)
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