The purpose of this task is to:
- Identify instances when the New Discussion Tool automatically signing topics created with it could be disruptive and
- Determine an approach for how this disruption can be lessened or ideally, avoided.
More context can be found in the"Background" section below.
Background
Situation
- All "New section" / "Add topic" links direct people to a new section form that lives at a URL that contains a section=new parameter.
- On some pages, editors have customized these new section forms. Where "customize" could mean they:
- 1. Use preloads [i], to pre-populate the new topic's "body" field with a template for others to fill in. [ii]
- 2. Use edit notices [iii] to provide people with instructions for the kinds of conversations that ought to be started on a particular page. [iv]
- A. In some cases, these instructions ask people NOT to add their signature to the conversation they are starting.
Complications
Because the Reply Tool will, by default, automatically append the author's signature to all new topics posted with it AND because the instructions mentioned in scenario 2A exist as unstructured plaintext, it's difficult for the New Discussion Tool to know when it should and should not automatically sign the topics posted with it.
Open questions
It's with the "Situation" and "Complications" above in mind that we arrive at the following resulting questions:
- In what cases would it be disruptive for new talk page sections to be signed? What disruption would occur?
- We are seeking input on the above here: Topic:Vu677lvei5djiprb
- How might the New Discussion Tool be adapted to avoid this disruption?
- How might editors adapt discussion pages to avoid the disruption that results from new talk page sections being signed?
Approach
Done
- All "Open questions" are answered
- An "Approach" is decided upon
i. https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Creating_pages_with_preloaded_text
ii. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Teahouse&action=edit&preload=Wikipedia%3ATeahouse%2FPreload§ion=new
iii. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Editnotice and T269033: Add edit notice element to New Discussion Tool
iv. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia_talk:Articles_for_deletion&action=edit§ion=new