[pmwiki-users] New WikiGroups on pmwiki.org [Was: Volunteering for a PITS issue]

Simon nzskiwi at gmail.com
Fri Oct 12 22:10:39 CDT 2012


On 12 October 2012 18:06, Petko Yotov <5ko at 5ko.fr> wrote:

> I have to agree with Hans, the current way works quite fine and there is
> not much that is broken and need fixing. Probably adding a *Skin suffux to
> the pages that don't have it will help with the perceived readability?
>
> Petko
>
>
> Hans Bracker writes:
>
>> > I'd like to have some arguments from the community why we should or
>> > shouldn't have a dedicated Skins/ group.
>>
>> Since the introduction of categories and links to listing by category
>> in the cookbook group menu I did not find a problem having skins in the
>> cookbook.
>>
>> For general browsing in general lists like RecentChanges it did help to
>> have skins identified in the page name by a 'Skin' suffix, like PmWikiSkin.
>>
>> Not all skin pages have that, unfortunately. A dedicated page group for
>> skin pages will eliminate that, obviously.
>>
>> But moving skin recipes into their own group will likely break a number
>> of links in external sites. I am using the Cookbook:.... alias on external
>> sites, so any links to skin pages will need to be modified. We probably
>> need a Skins:.... alias to create links to page sin the PmWiki.org Skins
>> group easily. That would require a change in the distributed system, and it
>> will not be backwards compatible. So broken external links won't be fixed
>> automatically, and not easily, unless a system update will prepare for that.
>>
>> Then there may be all kinds of internal links on Cookbook pages between
>> skin page and other recipe pages. Perhaps they can be modified
>> automatically, otherwise need manual page revisions.
>>
>> So the organisational work may be more than one thinks, especially
>> considering the impact on external sites. Is the benefit big enough to
>> warrant this? I doubt it, since categories seem already to offer the best
>> way to browse the cookbook.
>
>

I have to speak in strong support of a separate group for skins
I think that the community is asking for this, and more, is volunteering to
make it happen.

Having skins in a separate group would have several benefits
* it clearly identifies skins (look and feel) as separate from add ons
(functional extensions), thus emphasising to PmWiki potential users this
benefit
* it obviates the need to categorising, or naming conventions for skins
* the cookbook group is big enough without skins
I think the benefit is big enough to warrant this.

Even if there is a bit of manual work to fix links, etc, I'm happy enough
to contribute.
I appreciate that skins may at times enhance functionality, or vice versa.
But this isn't a good reason to to make this change,
indeed, perhaps it is better if skins do not
add functionality (thus functionality is available to a wider audience),
and functionality should not prescribe look and feel.

Finally, I think it is important that PmWiki (website and software) is seen
to be evolving, improving, and with an active community.

Simon
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