Forum:Custom skin

It would be cool if we had a unique look instead of looking just like Wikipedia with a brain in the top left corner. I would like this to be a community project instead of just "Nx breaking the wiki again", so anyone who wants to help out is welcome. -- Nx  / talk 07:16, 20 December 2010 (UTC)

Mockups
Please post your mockups here. See the source for a commented out example of how to add a mockup. -- Nx  / talk 07:16, 20 December 2010 (UTC)


 * Is how to do it. Diamond (talk) 05:36, 24 December 2010 (UTC)

This is going on my eventual todo list. 04:15, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

Discussion
Discuss mockups or ideas here. Please use lvl3 headings if appropriate. -- Nx  / talk 07:16, 20 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Generally I think we don't need to change the layout at all. Just alter the styling. 15:18, 20 December 2010 (UTC)
 * It sucks! Change it back! ... Oh, wait, I'll come back later. --I&#39;m bored (talk) 15:49, 20 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Get the "zero" edit button out of that silly "star" header for starts. Kill the color fade thing, that is so 2010.  Remove the "no new messages" thing from the top of screen links.  Change the basic color scheme. Diamond (talk) 05:39, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * The zero edit button was never under the "silly star header". It's not there any more (I can explain why I removed it, or we can just do this the old fashioned way), I suggest you enable the gadget "Add an [edit] link for the lead section of a page" (the 0 tab is still there on monobook). The star button is not silly. For newbies, "watch" doesn't mean anything, the star on the other hand is probably something they're familiar with, because most browsers use a star for bookmarking, and watching a page is similar to that (similar enough that they'll know roughly what the star does, once they click it, they'll get a message telling them what exactly it does). The "no new messages" link is not going anywhere. I don't use the watchlist, yet I'm not complaining that there's a "My watchlist" link up there. -- Nx  / talk 09:46, 24 December 2010 (UTC)

Do we have any actual graphic designers?
Graphic design is an underappreciated field. I have picked up enough design skills in the course of events in the past 25 years not to shoot my own foot off with something hideous, but I have some appreciation of what I don't know and when it's time to call in a beret-wearing latte-sipping surrender monkey and distract them from b3ta long enough to do it properly and with the application of years of experience. There's stuff you or your nephew really aren't likely to do well at.

I have some small trepidation at the idea of a custom skin at all, and that's because pretty much every site that rolls its own MediaWiki skin looks like ass. It seems to be an area where doing it yourself frequently results in utter dogshit.

I like the possibility of us having our own distinct skin, but it's so very easy to do something that is not an improvement on the default. Vector went through not merely pretty graphic design but actual substantial user interface testing, for example.

Do we have a RationalWikian with actual design experience, who has both the design chops and the knowledge of RW to successfully evade or ride through the obligatory HCMs? - David Gerard (talk) 13:58, 23 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Probably not. That's why I'd like to base it on Vector. -- Nx  / talk 15:43, 23 December 2010 (UTC)
 * The entire idea would be to keep it as Vector with a few visual tweaks. No more than a minor CSS hack, to be fair. I don't think anyone is of the mind to do any interface changes - especially considering the existing usability. The idea is to differentiate from the "default" setting which appears a little lazy. 22:15, 23 December 2010 (UTC)
 * I know my way around graphic design & c. But the reception I get when commenting on what programmers consider good graphic design made me leave this site, except for the occasional comment.  The programmers like to use their newest toys.  Toys can be ugly, or short-lived in terms of attractiveness.  Meh, I don't care, really, I've absorbed enough insults for a lifetime here, trying to keep the site attractive.  05:42, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * @Human - It seems I've been missing out. I need more insults.
 * @Nx & Armondikov - I'd just like to wish you two good luck, we're all counting on you. 05:53, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Yeah, left and came back with a thousand socks. And I've absorbed enough insults too, trying to make the site better. Mostly from you, Human. -- Nx  / talk 06:54, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Someone sounds paranoid. Is that why you bite noobs these days - you think they are all me?  Strange how that was your big complaint about me.  I mostly just lurk nowadays... it stopped being fun when there was a personal attack around every corner.   07:11, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Obvious socks are obvious. -- Nx  / talk 09:20, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, but you were making most of them - David Gerard (talk) 11:53, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Not me. -- Nx  / talk 11:56, 24 December 2010 (UTC)
 * I was answering Human, sorry - David Gerard (talk) 18:53, 28 December 2010 (UTC)
 * I think we can agree that this has gone, and is going, nowhere. There is both a lack of interest and too much conflict where people are interested. If anything is to change, it needs to be done Facebook style where it's just implemented and people complain and then get used to it. 02:01, 27 December 2010 (UTC)
 * I think for a real feedback cycle to start people really need to be able to see something first. I am not going to be able to come up with a good CSS protocol de novo but can offer thoughts suggestions on the direction people with better aesthetics than I would want to go. Tmtoulouse (talk) 17:21, 29 December 2010 (UTC)
 * OK, I'm no graphic designer but to my mind simplicity and a narrow complementary colour palette work best. However, in a normal wiki decisions like this would be imposed from the top like New Coke but our mob approach means that we all have our own equally valid ideas of taste and this has obviously created some tensions. I think most of us appreciate that both Nx and Human have the best of intentions for RW and have adopted a bold approach to editing. You both do great work but it would help if people don't take it too personally (or make it too personal) as it would be a shame to lose either of you. 11:12, 7 January 2011 (UTC)

masochists
isn't there a better way for you to get the punishment you think you deserve? leave the rest of us out of it. Occasionaluse (talk) 15:48, 23 December 2010 (UTC)