Forum:Wiki news blog

Introductions
Hi, I'm Paweł from Wikia Gaming Team. I noticed that this wiki's news is added manually to the main page. Would anyone be opposed to me setting up a news blog, like at Red Dead Wiki, Fallout, Dragon Age, The Old Republic, Dead Rising, and others? This way, to add news, you'd simply need to create a blog page and add it to. Then it would automatically appear on the main page and news page, and could be easily commented on, etc.I think it's a good way of turning the blogs from just social tools to valuable contributions to the wiki's content. What do you think? If no one objects, I can easily set it up. Ausir(talk) 23:57, August 11, 2010 (UTC)

ausir i thank you for your efforts to improve wikis and gaming specifically. from my own exploits and wanderings and the links provided it looks to me like a blog ticker. this would clash here for the following reasons.
 * 1) any user, named or UC, should be able to edit our news. it can be hectic but its been that way since day one and i will stand by it.
 * 2) it would seem that users could spam out an update and then "scoop" the update themselves. it could be undone but i dont se how it is prevented.
 * 3) a static list of what has lead up to an item can shine light on its context.

this is only _my_ opinion and it will be voted on here. staff and admins are exempted of course.


 * Thanks for the reply. In case of blogs, any registered users will be able to post news. It's true that unregistered users no longer will be able to do so, but I think it will be a good incentive for them to register, and they could still be encourage to post news on the news page's talk page, to be posted as blogs by registered users. Also, the ability to comment on news makes it easier for wikis to function not only as databases, but also as news sites that people visit instead of traditional fansites, thus helping to maintain steady readership - it was one of the reasons for The Vault's good viewership stats between the release of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.
 * As for "scooping" updates, I'm not really sure if I understand you correctly, but at The Vault, if two or more people post blog posts about the same thing, we simply remove all but the first post from the news categories. And it doesn't really happen too often, and if it does, it's mostly just a honest mistake.
 * As for a static list, the list of items leading up to newer items will still be there, even if dynamic, not static. At The Vault, for example, we have news categories for each month that easily display the full news archive. Ausir(talk) 00:46, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

A news blog would be good, but i think it would be more logical to just post news on that game's wiki. Having a blog entirely composed of news would be hard work and would make it hectic for people to find news. I'd prefer just posting new news on that game's specified wiki. 00:38, August 12, 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm talking not about an external blog, but about a blog on the wiki itself, fully integrated with it, using the wiki's blog function. You can see it in action at e.g. The Vault (Fallout Wiki) - news page and main page with integrated news feed. Ausir(talk) 00:46, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

If your up for the work you can, but I dont see the point. The wiki's news function is already very well made in the way that it gives you a summary and then provides a link for more detail. All thats really left for you to do is to post whats on the external source directly to the wiki. 00:54, August 12, 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, it's pretty much the point - this way people will be able to read more details about the news item and to comment on it directly on the wiki. Especially the commenting part (without the need to register) is what many wiki users appreciate. Ausir(talk) 00:59, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

As i stated before, its not a bad idea. If you it would benefit the wiki, you can do it. People already make pages descussing the newsest news anyways,but the idea you are preposing would certainly make it organized. 01:08, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

from wiki central: Dr F i read about that guy wanting to change around this wiki, since i am not a registered user, will i not be able make comments or start a forum topic, say it isn't so, i really like this site and i cannot sign up for it, but i alway leave my sig so you guys know it's me. xbox GT SinsterNobody64.202.61.10 08:13, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

QUOTE:As for "scooping" updates, I'm not really sure if I understand you correctly, but at The Vault, if two or more people post blog posts about the same thing, we simply remove all but the first post from the news categories. And it doesn't really happen too often, and if it does, it's mostly just a honest mistake.
 * please elaborate on we. 13:29, August 13, 2010 (UTC) also please see your talk page


 * In the case of The Vault, we means The Vault admins. :) Ausir(talk) 14:24, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

Demonstration
How about I set up a news blog first, without changing the main page news system for now, for people to see it in practice, and then you'll make a decision to either have it replace the current main page news system or not? Ausir(talk) 01:14, August 12, 2010 (UTC)


 * That would be nice. 01:15, August 12, 2010 (UTC)
 * It looks pretty nice.We will just have to wait to find what everyone else thinks i guess. 03:03, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

I just set up the news blog on a trial basis at News. I think it will help the community make the decision on whether to switch to blogs or keep the current news system. Ausir(talk) 02:19, August 12, 2010 (UTC)

Opinions

 * dont worry about the tallies. an admin or a power user will update them semi-hourly or so. - The Evil Dr. F

I have had to spend half an hour reverting a vandal's stains from various pages including the news, and making it a function of the blogs would render normal users incapable of reverting spammage with Cat:News. Also, links cannot be appended on another user's blogpost, but can be used to supplement existing news entries as text. Besides, if it ain't broken.... 13:26, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

I personally like having the news on the main page like it is now. It's nice to open up the wiki page and Bam... news. I went to the fallout wiki news and I didn't like how I had to go into the menu to find it. It's nice just having the news there, in your face when I enter the BL Wiki. Plus chances are, if there is something interesting, there is a link right there that will go into more detail, and I'm in agreement with Nagy - "If it ain't broken..."

I say keep as is. Borderlands isn't exactly a crowd-following game, anyway :) 81.153.197.12 16:03, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

I think that we should keep it as it is; on main page, easy to access, easy to read, easy to modify; simplicity is a key to success! ;) 16:18, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

the guy seems to have good intentions but lets just leave it be. They call me Hellz Lips 16:49, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

^^What everyone else said. Is this where you vote? Auric Polaris 17:31, August 13, 2010 (UTC) I say leave it alone too. it works well the way it is.Veggienater 20:08, August 13, 2010 (UTC)
 * it is. that was a nay i believe? correct me if i am wrong. - Chemicalweapon.png The Evil Dr. F
 * Nope you were right, it was a nay. But also a polite nay. Auric Polaris 17:38, August 13, 2010 (UTC)
 * I like the way it currently is. Nay Laserblasto 17:42, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

don't mind us. we (myself and my fellow bl gamers) aren't too set in our ways. we've just had bad experiences with people trying to change things in the wiki. in this case, however, i'm sure we all appreciate your asking before doing and doing so with apparent good intentions. that said, my vote has to be a "thumbs-down." as some have stated above, i like that the news feed is easy to view, edit, and revert. thanks, though. 20:22, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

I also vote no. It has nothing to do with being resistant to change, I just like the way the news is now. GT: ConceitedJarrad XBOX360 20:42, August 13, 2010 (UTC)

I'll say No. I like it better as it is currently -- M1xGrand p.s. How do i put my name in blue at the end????

I say yes,it is nice to be able to use the blogs response capabilities to share views about the news, the main page lacks that feature. - RASICTalk 02:44, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * Also I hate having to use the links to go to different sites about the news, a blog means you can add some quotes from the site instead of just giving hyperlinks. - RASICTalk 02:46, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * I say no, b/c simplicity is key, and the way it works now enables easy acces for anyone to change it, which is part of what a wikia is. -Lordoflseepy
 * The voting on this is going to have to close eventually.GT: ConceitedJarrad XBOX360 05:53, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * I found the news thingy hard to edit cuz you have to use code, which I suck at. Hence, I haven't lol. I vote blog. WhackyGordon 07:42, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * The voting on this is going to have to close eventually.GT: ConceitedJarrad XBOX360 05:53, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * I found the news thingy hard to edit cuz you have to use code, which I suck at. Hence, I haven't lol. I vote blog. WhackyGordon 07:42, August 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * I found the news thingy hard to edit cuz you have to use code, which I suck at. Hence, I haven't lol. I vote blog. WhackyGordon 07:42, August 14, 2010 (UTC)