Encyclopedia talk:Main Page

Greetings all! I think we need to make the Main page more immediately visually accessible - in other words, what Wikiversity is and what you can do there. I'm not such a whizz at Mediawiki design, so I'd appreciate any help in making a better page layout. I can then help with adding and creating links.. Cormaggio 12:30, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Other languages

The other languages link to de: links to de:Wikipedia. Is there a way to fix this? --Fang Aili 15:35, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

It's being worked on. It depends on Brion's schedule since this requires a direct change in the database. -- sebmol ^? 17:24, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Protection

Is it really necessary to protect the main page in its first few days of existence? --Fang Aili ^talk 17:20, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

I just undid it, but it should probably be redone tonight whenever the last admin goes to bed. Right now there are plenty around to take care of any vandalism that may happen. -- sebmol ^? 17:23, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good. --Fang Aili ^talk 17:24, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Main Page Design could be used for edits. This idea is discussed in Page organization subsection below. Doug 19:37, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Spaces

Should a "School of X" be in the Wikiversity namespace (e.g. Wikiversity:School of Engineering) or should it be called School of Engineering on its own? Or simply Engineering? --Fang Aili ^talk 17:26, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Good question. Can you come to the chat? We're all here talking if you want to join us. -- sebmol ^? 17:28, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Can't right now, sorry. --Fang Aili ^talk 17:34, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Page organization

I re-organized the layout of the main page. Done now.

To do (and "done" by various editors):

edit the browse box (indent text -- remove rule line?)
Done - changed "open-content" to "free-content". decide on whether to use "free-content" or "open-content" in several places on page
Done - revise the links section (into 2 columns?).
Done - "department" changed to "subject". while "department" is used on wikibooks in the same manner as on main page, is this the correct term? (department usually means something more specific like physics or anthropology) would "study areas" be better?

I'm offline for a few days starting tomorrow... Doug 18:52, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

PS. In the "Help develop Wikiversity!" box, an invitation could be made to edit the main page as in:

Help with Main Page Design

A "stable" version of this page could be uploaded regularly. Or, along lines (less ponderously so) of the en.Wikipedia main page revision this Spring, perhaps revisions could be consensed/voted on by admins and/or all users. Doug 19:36, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

What's the aim of Wikiversity?

I don't understand, what is the difference between Wikiversity and Wikibooks? Under meta:Wikiversity/Modified project proposal I learn, that it is about learning about a topic (Wikiversity) and reading about a topic (Wikibooks). But this "difference" seems a bit made-up to me. Wikibooks at the moment features the book wikibooks:Movie Making Manual. A how-to on movie making. What would be the difference to a course "film making" or "movie making" on Wikiversity? Okay, I see that a Wikiversity maybe would have a slightly other focus on some aspects, but is it useful to create two independant projects? I can't think, that this was not a topic already before, so please point me to the discussion (but if it is a typical endless wiki discussion, I would be happy if you could give an outline of the main arguments, that were crucial to the decide). --84.143.6.71 19:55, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Just take some time here and relax for a moment. Yes, this was a major criticism to the proposal, although if you look at b:Wikibooks:Votes for deletion/Wikiversity you will see at least some of the justifications to delete Wikiversity in the first place, and also see some replies and rebuttals at meta:Wikiversity/Vote/en. This is certainly an issue that has been rehashed multiple times and deserves FAQ level answers. --Robert Horning 23:34, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Compare What is Wikibooks to Wikiversity project proposal. The content of Wikibooks is textbooks. The content of Wikiversity does not include textbooks. --JWSchmidt 03:11, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

Main page mission statement

Create and host open-content, multimedia learning materials and resources, for all age groups in all languages

Isn't this the mission statement for Wikibooks? Is there a link to the resolution from the board? - Amgine 22:11, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes, here: Wikimedia Foundation approval of the project

The statement you quote reflects part of the mission of Wikiversity. Another major part of the mission is to create learning communities. As I understand it, Wikiversity projects can be partly based on Wikibooks in the same way that Wikibooks are sometimes partly based on Wikipedia articles. However, Wikiversity can be much more than a collection of curricula; it can be a network of learning communities, a creative university/multiversity without walls. --Doug 00:01, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

New banner graphic

There are 4 white guys (yes?) in the banner at the top of the main page: [1]. That won't do. Please fix. --Doug 03:52, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

Yes. And one of them is holding a big stick and pointing his finger :-) Thanks for raising this, Doug. Cormaggio 10:35, 16 August 2006 (UTC)