Topic on User talk:Quiddity (WMF)

47.222.203.135 (talkcontribs)

I was going to reply to your comment at the hovercard-talkpage, but the discussion is locked against anons.   ("Reason:  excessive everything")

Here is the talkage, section is "Similar browser extensions or add-ons to be inspired by"

First, a complaint slash anti-comment:  

  • "...To show how popular the idea was (proving we ought to implement something)..."

Please don't think like that.  en:WP:NOTFACEBOOK is important.  Just because something is popular on other websites built with other purposes and priorities in mind, does NOT prove that the wmf ought to waste time implementing 'it' (whatever feature 'it' happens to be) for use on wikipedia.  There is such a thing as a misfeature.  For instance, I'm sure you could do some research, and learn that most major websites have banner-adverts.  That is a very popular thing.  But just because it is popular, very much does not mean, that wikipedia also should be doing it.  See the parable of your friends, and jumping off the bridge.

 

Second, my question slash fear is, I notice that #1) the explanation of the hovercards feature is silent on whether it will popup a hovercard for enWiki links only, or whether it will also popup a hovercard for ELs.  I further notice that #2) there are plans to make hovercard 2.0 or whatever, eventually support interwiki-popups.  Are there plans to make hovercards for ELs?  Because with the exception of interwiki links (frWiki and wiktionary and such), that is probably a en:WP:BADIDEA thanks to unintended consequences.  The main reason that other websites implement hovercards, is related to banner-advert revenues.  Why wait for the reader to actively CLICK on linkspam, when you can forcibly shove the advertising into their faces merely when they move their mouse around?  In terms of enWiki and other wikipedia projects, implementing hovercards for footnotes is extremely useful, and implementing hovercards for wikilinks and interwikilinks will also be SOMEWHAT useful. 

But don't make the mistake of assuming that, hey we need hovercards for ELs just like we have them for interwiki-links.  That would incentivize increasing refspam, inline-EL-linkspam, and other kinds of undesired edits.  I understand that technologically implementing interwiki-hovercards is not much different than implementing EL-hovercards, but don't treat them as the same sociologically, they will have very different impacts.  And just because other websites do it, should not be treated as 'proof' wikipedia websites ought to follow along.  Best, ~~~~

Quiddity (WMF) (talkcontribs)

Hi. 1) Yup, I agree that common sense is required! (and also not always very common/widespread, despite the name! [the term always makes me think of Calvin...])

2) Yikes, no! I've never even seen that suggested before, and completely agree it would be a terrible idea. I would add detail to that, and explicitly say that it should not even consider interwiki links to non-Wikimedia-wikis (i.e. most of the items in the top-half of Special:Interwiki) but I'll emphasize nobody has ever suggested it should. Definitely 100% not.

Thanks for elaborating on your concerns though!

Reply to "future of hovercards"