User blog:Anomalous13/Bloons Wiki's future

As you may know (which no one is responding to) Wikia is having a new skin. Wikia introduced a new skin simply called Wikia, with Oasis being its nickname. As of a few days ago the option to choose the new skin has been implemented. In less than a month (11-3-10 precisely) the skin will be permanent across all wikis.

If you have been reading the Wiki Staff's blog you will obviously see that "people oppose the new skin" (this is stated very softly). If you haven't seen the new look there is a list below showcasing some of the features that everyone complains about.

The following information was borrowed from the Dragon Ball Wiki with permission.


 * Article width is fixed to just 660 pixels. (In other words, the article can only be 660 pixels wide.) This leaves most of the screen unusable for actual article content on any modern computer monitor, and causes crowding in many articles.


 * The sidebar is now almost 50% wider, causing it to use up almost ⅓ of the already reduced screen area. The sidebar has also been moved to the right side of the page.


 * Because the sidebar and the content area are centered together on the page, the article content is actually off-center. This causes infoboxes and other floating elements that should be aligned along the right side of the page to be displayed in the middle of the page.


 * A Wikia banner has been placed on the very top of the page, drawing attention away from the wiki's own branding.


 * The amount of space dedicated to ads has been increased.


 * Relatively little customization of the new skin is possible, and even less is permitted.


 * Wiki administrators are no longer allowed to place site notices (or anything else) along the top of the wiki's pages.


 * Wiki administrators are no longer allowed to remove 'core features' for all users by using custom CSS or JavaScript.


 * Image attribution is enabled for all wikis. This means that every image displays the name of the user who uploaded it right in the article. Because of the above rule, this behavior cannot be disabled for the wiki globally.


 * The logo area has been resized.


 * The new skin will remove widgets and their functionality. (A big one people are disappointed about losing is Shoutbox.)


 * The links for moving articles, viewing page history and viewing links to a page are only accessible in drop-down menus.


 * All wikis are being forced to transition to the new look except...


 * ...one wiki, and one wiki only, Uncyclopedia, which has been exempted from the switch.


 * The staff is unreceptive to repeated pleas from editors not to make this skin mandatory.

Recent Update
As of October 20, all users will see the new look on every wiki. Until Monaco is removed, registered users have the option to view and edits in the Monaco skin. This can be done by going to your preferences page. Or clicking here. Another important thing is the sidebar and Wikia Spotlight are now gone, allowing more content space but harder navigation.

For unregistered users and any registered user using the new look, the wiki's appearance has been customized for fitting purposes. However I will still be using Monaco for now.

Bloons Wiki Moving
I have considered moving the Bloons Wiki to a ShoutWiki. I personally do not like the new skin and I am currently working on moving the wiki. For those wanting to stay I've customized the wiki's appearance akin to the Monaco skin. You can stay, but users might move to the new wiki, and as such this wiki will not be as active as it normally is anymore.

-- Mojo22106 09:08, October 21, 2010 (UTC)

Postulation
For people who do or don't like the new skin please sign on this page.

Link: Oasis Postulation