Battlestar Wiki:Think Tank

This page is one of Battlestar Wiki's many projects. This page serves to coordinate discussion on a particular aspect of this Wiki. The formal recommendations of a project may be treated as policies.

The Think Tank is a way to be bold and get other people to help in your quest to make bold actions on the wiki. The following are items that are considered major decisions which must go through the Think Tank vetting process prior to any implementation:

• New policy proposals.
• New projects.
• New templates.
• Extensive modifications to already existing policies.
• Anything considered major by administrator (and/or community) consensus.

Any of these must be proposed prior to implementation. This process ensures that the originator of the idea receives the proper feedback and that all ideas are properly fleshed out prior to any wiki-wide implementation. Basically, "let's make a plan before we hit the ground running".

Procedures

To propose a new idea, do the following:

1. Create a subpage by typing something similar to the following into the search box, then by pressing "Go".

Example: Battlestar Wiki:Think Tank/name of idea

2. Click "edit", type:

{{subst:thinktank}}

3. Save page, then re-edit. Fill out all applicable fields. 4. Once you're done, save the page and add the following to Current ideas:

{{/name of idea}}

Instructions

The input of all interested members of the community is needed for the Think Tank to operate properly. Any user may comment on proposed ideas on the discussion page of the proposal. (Comments should not be added to the actual proposal itself. Also, do note that changes to the proposal itself should be made when consensus on debated items is determined.)

Should a vote be necessary to determine consensus, all administrators are required to vote on the proposal, using {{oppose}}, {{support}} or {{neutral}}, with explainations on their vote.

For voting, a reasonable time frame must be put into place; the default deadline for voting on proposals should be seven days. When indicating a deadline, please include the date and time in UTC. Deadlines can be extended, but only if the necessity of such an action is determined by a majority.

Administrator instructions

To determine consensus at the end of voting, add up the total number of support votes and divide by the total number of votes. Should the number meet or exceed 80%, then the Think Tank proposal passes. Anything between 45-55% of support will be considered as not having achieved consensus. Proposals that have not achieved consensus are to be shelved for a period time until it can be brought back into the light.

Once done, the proposals are to be archived for future reference, and separated into three groups: Successful proposals, Unsuccessful proposals, and Proposals without consensus.

To archive a page, add one the following to the top of each page:

1. For successful proposals: {{ttp}}
2. For unsuccessful proposals: {{ttu}}
3. For proposals without consensus: {{ttnc}}

And to all proposals, add the following to the bottom: {{ttf}}

Ideas

This is where all the ideas are located and, when applicable, archived.

Current ideas

This is an archive successful proposal that was vetted through the Think Tank, a place where ideas of all kinds are proposed and worked upon by the community prior to implementation. Please do not modify this proposal.

This is the overview. Basically, a summary of what the idea is about. You can get into the details later on.

CSS Layout

Why?

The design has been done for a while. Not a lot of people commented it on BW:MAIN so I am moving it here. You would have to browse the few pages ont he Hanger Bay to get an idea of what certain elements would look like. Suggestions can be made on the "Colors" used and "style" used. There are limitations, but you have to remember that one thing changes, sometimes more than one things has to change to make sure it's all the same.

Images have been done by User:Mercifull.

The two examples are these:

• BSG Colors & BSG Style - http://www.battlestarwiki.org/hangarbay/index.php/Main_Page
• Wikipedia Colors & BSG Style - http://www.battlestarwiki.org/hangarbay/index.php?title=Main_Page&useskin=monobook

Speed tests are posted on BW:MAIN.

What would need to happen?

BW:CSS would be created first with "fake designs" for CSS reference. This page would look funny until the CSS was active, but then would look like what it's supposed to when it's created.

Since most of the templates and places are hard coded, the only bad thing is we could add the classes first to the pages with the hard coded values. Then when the CSS goes online in the background we can remove the hard coded values, but then again if you are not on the CSS of either of these, you will start to see some weird changes. It's kinda of a... once you start you gotta finish so nothing is really left out. There really isn't much to worry about expect int he form the main page and the custom made templates we made, which all have parent templates anyway. {{message box}} is inside {{project}} so the only change needed to be made is {{message box}} changes all the {{project}} tags automatically. In any case, there be some major editing for a few hours. Lot of tagging.

Questions

1. What is the benefit of this proposal to the wiki? Keeps the Wiki in a uniform so things look the same throughout all the same pages.
2. What is involved in implementing this idea? Joe has to upload the "files" to the server. Once activated the templates and any staic items need to be changed, but that won't be done until the BW:CSS page is created.
3. Who is going to do it? everyone uses CSS, but this is for mostly backend design.
4. Why should we do it at all? Because there is no standerization on the "use" of colors and having a "shortcut" for styling, keeps everything in-sync
5. How will we use the idea? There will be a BW:CSS page explaining the different CSS classes that can be used with examples.. This can be done even without having this "Style" being the default. All I need is for it to be installed so I can set my "style" to this and then after it's done.. it can be shared.
6. Should the proposal pass, when will work start on this idea? Right away...
7. Where will this idea be implemented? The Whole Wiki

See also

• The "Hangar Bay" for a preview...

The above is an archive of a proposal that was vetted through the Think Tank. Please do not modify or edit this archived proposal.

This is an archive successful proposal that was vetted through the Think Tank, a place where ideas of all kinds are proposed and worked upon by the community prior to implementation. Please do not modify this proposal.

Episode Standardization Project

This prososal reccomends the creation of a project that promotes the standardization of the format and content of episodes in the Re-imagined Series.

This would be an effort to organize an effort to apply the guidelines set forth in the standards and conventions to all of the RDM episode guides. In the course of organizing/developing this project, it may be beneficial to identify an article to serve as the model for all others. Once the archetype has been identified (and after any adjustments have been made to bring it "arhitypical" standards), it might also be used as a pattern to help refine or hone the S's and C's that will be applied to all the other episode guides.

Proposed scope of work: Category:Episode Guide (RDM)

Potential expansion (after all of above is done): Encompass all of Category:Episode Guide

1. What is the benefit of this proposal to the wiki? Consistent format of episodes and in the creation of future episode articles.
2. What is involved in implementing this idea? Select an existing article and format to desired form. "Act of Contrition" was mentioned in the Featured Article debate as a possibility by Steelviper. Bring the other episode articles up to this standard.
3. Who is going to do it? Battlestar Wiki editors.
4. Why should we do it at all? Besides consistent presentation of info, having a standard before the third season begins would be desirable.
5. Should the proposal pass, when will work start on this idea? Immediately.
6. Where will this idea be implemented? (e.g. Will it be on certain types of pages or the entire Wiki in general?) Episodes in the Re-imagined Series.

The above is an archive of a proposal that was vetted through the Think Tank. Please do not modify or edit this archived proposal.

Past ideas

Proposals without consensus

Note: These proposals are rendered inactive. It is recommended that they are to stay that way for a pre-determined period of time, until they can be revisited with refreshed minds.