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Vector 2022: Make unlimited width the default on enwiki
Open, Stalled, Needs TriagePublic

Description

Per the RFC about the rollout :

On the English Wikipedia,
for both logged-out and logged-in users,
make unlimited content width the default setting for Vector 2022.

Revisit in 6 months, after further survey and usability data are available.

Event Timeline

Summarizing some concerns raised, and responses to them in the discussion:

  • We should minimize surprise: one way to do this would be to keep the current width setting for anyone who has used the width toggle.
  • We should minimize variance across wikis: there's already variance across language editions, thanks to local editorial control and stylistic norms. Local styles and templates (T121470) are among the reasons limited width causes more layout problems on some wikis.
  • Few people have opted out: Few readers change defaults, or notice a width toggle. This change will provide clarity about what past data means.
  • Data suggests limited width helps readers: Data shared so far has been mixed, and presented in sometimes contradictory ways. The breadth of pushback from readers and editors alike suggests better data is needed.
  • RFCs are not an effective way to make config decisions: A widely agreed point. Revisiting this setting in 6 months could be a test case for better feedback workflows.

Taking a few months with the new skin and the old width settings will help gather better data, fix known issues, and separate the most-controversial aspect of the skin change from the question of its rollout. T332505 will simplify updating the default.

Xaosflux renamed this task from Vector 2022: Make unlimited width the default on en:wp to Vector 2022: Make unlimited width the default on enwiki.Sun, Mar 19, 2:09 PM

As the underlying task (T332505) to make this even be a configurable option has been declined, this is unable to be configured.