Talk:Customization

Customization of user rights -- requiring registration, requiring a captcha on new-account creation, etc -- is a frequent request, and a common criterion for choosing among Wiki platforms. It should get its own line in the list of customization options; and there should be a Captcha page describing captcha and other verification options ( FancyCaptcha, ConfirmEdit, &c ) on this wiki. Sj 18:59, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

How to change the main logo
Change the logo

How to change links in the navigation tables?
I'm assuming one is able to change it somehow -- the mediawiki site itself currently adds a "development" section on the right hand side of the page. I also wish I could move/change or remove the tabs and links at the top -- perhaps moving all of those to boxes on the left. Perhaps that can only be changed in the skin? Jeff Carr 05:33, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

How to fetch data from table while creating new page
Hi,

Can someone tell me

How to fetch data from table while creating new page?

eg. I have Mysql table "test1" containing 2 columns EMPNO and EMPNAME I want to display in my page Can I do it? If so how can I do it?

Thanks and regards, AM

How can I add another logo to the bottom bar
There is the bar at the bottom of each page saying "This page has been accessed" and a logo of MW with the text Powered by Mediawiki. How can I add another image there with a link not to the image page but to a target website.

-- John Varghese --- answer: just edit the source code of your skin, for example "monobook.php" ... look for "powered by" and then replace the following part ... if you know how to write html-code

Customizations and the GPL
The README file for MediaWiki states that "Derivative works and later versions of the code must be free software licensed under the same terms. This includes 'extensions' that use MediaWiki functions or variables". Does the MediaWiki copyright holders intend this to apply to extensions that are used on a public MediaWiki server but are not publicly distributed or does it only apply to distributions of the code as part of a package?

Similarly, what are the rules concerning the creation and use of skins relative to the GPL? --66.50.164.154 03:43, 22 May 2006 (UTC)


 * My unofficial opinion (I am not a lawyer and am not affiliated with the Foundation, although technically they don't have any more right to decide this than anyone else does): any extension you create must be released under the GPL, whether or not you distribute it. (See 17 USC § 106(2).  An exception applies if the extension is required for compatibility of some kind: 17 USC § 117.)  However, if you don't distribute it, nobody will in practice be able to redistribute it under the terms of the GPL, and the GPL does not require you to give it to anyone upon request.  So if you GPL your modifications, nobody's going to be able to redistribute them unless they get ahold of them somehow.  (It's also worth noting that you must explicitly release any derivative of MediaWiki software under the GPL; otherwise, you're breaking the law by creating it.  Technically, if you don't release it explicitly, it's not under the GPL and anyone who used or redistributed it under the GPL would also be breaking the law, but that just leads to a situation where each of you can sue the other for exactly the same thing, which would be fairly pointless for everyone involved.) Again, keep in mind that I'm not a lawyer, but I don't believe templates are derivative works.  17 USC § 101:A “derivative work” is a work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted. A work consisting of editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications which, as a whole, represent an original work of authorship, is a “derivative work”. That seems to pretty clearly indicate that building something "around" an existing work doesn't constitute making a derivative.  Of course, modifications of the preexisting skins must still be GPLd, as above; only if you make them from scratch can you avoid the GPL. —Simetrical (talk • contribs) 20:48, 9 June 2006 (UTC)

Where does customization info belong?
There is a lot more information at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Layout_customization. Should it be on this wiki or meta? -- 220.253.106.23 13:25, 2 July 2006 (UTC)


 * There is a lot of information on meta that needs to be transferred here. Information that should be part of the PD help pages cannot be directly copied from meta due to its incompatible license, but new content is obviously fine.  Content that is not part of the PD manual may be added here or at meta, whichever seems most appropriate.  All content regarding the MediaWiki software that is added to meta will ultimately end up here, but there has not yet been a consensus about how this is to be achieved - the main point being that we want to transfer edit histories as well as the current version of the page.
 * I guess the short answer is, don't copy content from meta to here at this stage, but if you are adding new content then add it here. --HappyDog 23:16, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Please add link to Help:FAQ
There is lots of useful customization info on that page that should be linked from here. -- Barrylb 15:14, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Anyone? -- Barrylb 15:30, 12 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Done. --HappyDog 14:04, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

Page protection needed?
Is there any reason this page needs protection? -- Barrylb 15:49, 17 July 2006 (UTC)
 * According to the log, it was protected because it was attracting a lot of vandalism and spam postings. If you think the page needs substantial work then I'll unprotect it for you.  If it's just in relation to your point above then it is fixed. --HappyDog 14:04, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

change please
The link to MediaWiki look and feel points back to the FAQ, to which we already have a link, so could someone please remove the link. Thanks. -- Barrylb 14:02, 24 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Done. --HappyDog 14:45, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

COPYRIGHT/ATTRIBUTION/NONCOMMERCIAL/SHARE ALIKE Page Templates...
Noticed that you guys are using a new layout to start "color coding" pages according to their use... was wondering what ya'all did.

Extensions and patches are provided by the community.
Any chance of as well as listing the cetegories there is also a link to the actual page which lists 3rd party extensions? 139.149.1.195 16:27, 17 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Took me a little while to figure out what you were asking, but it's done :-) --HappyDog 00:47, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

Typo
" The FAQ contains a lot of useful customisation info. "

customisation should read customization


 * Only if you're an American... :) ...but you're right - we should be consiztent. Fixed. --HappyDog 00:12, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

Fix links
Some pages at meta are imported to here. Please change those links. Thanks, SPQRobin 00:14, 7 July 2007 (UTC)