Rumor: Wikipedia's Redesign? I Sure Hope Not!

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WikipediaA friend showed me this really weird look-in on Wikipedia -- could this be the new version of Wikipedia? It's certainly not listed on the "Skin" page inside of the user preferences but it is live. I sure hope it's not as it's pretty ugly (not that the current site isn't also ugly) and has lost all of the Wikipedia branding. Perhaps it's a lighter mobile version? This is all I have for now - will continue to investigate. If you have any information, please leave it in the comments.

FYI - this is a REAL screenshot - I made it myself inside of Wikipedia.

New Wikipedia?

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Submitted by sean percival on January 22, 2008 - 3:23pm.
Subject: nahhhhh

the next version will have wikia search box built in ;)

Submitted by Martin Erpicum on January 22, 2008 - 3:43pm.
Subject: Fake

That's definitively not possible. It's a fake.

Submitted by Mathias Schindler on January 23, 2008 - 4:14am.

Hi, anyone can access the skin via the "useskin" parameter in the url, such as index.php?title=Bangalore&useskin=modern.

There are several other skins there. It is not a skin that is going to be default for all users in the near future.

Mathias

Submitted by Aidan Henry on January 23, 2008 - 5:20am.
Subject: Oh no...

Armageddon must be near if Wikipedia is changing their design...

I always wondered who would change their design first though - Wikipedia or Craigslist? Both have been reluctant to redesign and incorporate a more modern look. Nonetheless, their "ugly designs" and simplicity seem to be key pieces to their successes.

Cheers,
Aidan
www.MappingTheWeb.com

Submitted by Nihiltres on January 23, 2008 - 10:15am.

Um, aside from that it's been pointed out that this is a valid skin on Wikipedia (which doesn't say much, there are plenty of skins to choose from), it's not as though it isn't relatively easy for someone to make their login look different with little effort. Wikipedia allows each registered user to write a page for themself that adds CSS code (and another for JavaScript) to each of their page views. With this power, it is easy for someone to create their own personal skin for Wikipedia. You can see some changes I've made, as an experienced Wikipedia editor, to my personal css page, even within the default "monobook" skin: [[User:Nihiltres/monobook.css]]. Just hearing that someone has found a skin doesn't say much when it's easy to customize one's view of the site. If you don't know how powerful CSS can be to change the appearance of a site, try checking out the CSS Zen Garden site sometime and scrolling through the skins for that page - the possibilities are endless.

Submitted by duran on January 23, 2008 - 3:29pm.

I went to this URL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page?useskin=modern

and there it is.

it looks like Confluence. which is their biggest competitor in the commercial/corporate space.

Submitted by Jonathan Field on January 23, 2008 - 3:51pm.
Subject: Ugly?

The current Wikipedia is ugly? I don't know which is more odd -- the idea that its clean simple presentation is actively "ugly", or that we're worried about the visual appearance of an encyclopedia at all.

Submitted by Anonymous on January 23, 2008 - 3:51pm.

wikipedia is going to get ripped a new one by google's knol

Submitted by Indrajit C on January 23, 2008 - 3:59pm.
Subject: Ugly?

If you think that the current version is ugly, and so is the new layout - why are you making a fuss about it?!

Submitted by ROSS on January 23, 2008 - 4:19pm.
Submitted by Taume on January 23, 2008 - 4:47pm.

No Web 2.0 no redesign. Probably next year.

Duran you are right, it is a skin.

Submitted by holli on January 23, 2008 - 4:52pm.

i certainly hope not
that is boring & ugly

Submitted by Jay on January 23, 2008 - 5:13pm.

This looks better than the current wikipedia design.. The current one seriously needs to be changed!

Submitted by Puzer on January 23, 2008 - 5:16pm.
Subject: Hey

Yeah. That is Totally unreasonable. Why in the Heck Would they decide that they would need a remodel of their site. The chances of this being real is slim to none. Where did your friend find this page?

Submitted by Anonymous on January 23, 2008 - 5:20pm.

he made the screenshot himself!

Submitted by Puzer on January 23, 2008 - 5:20pm.
Subject: Not Bad!

But then again, is Wiki doing a System Rewrite too, If so, then whats the point, and the rumor would be considered false. But that is NOT ugly. it looks really really good.

Submitted by James on January 23, 2008 - 6:10pm.

About time. It would be nice to change it up. The current design is blah. I wonder if they would offer this design upgrade to the open source media wiki project?

Submitted by Mike on January 23, 2008 - 6:26pm.

It is real... you can access the page by adding this to any Wikipedia URL:

?useskin=modern

I think that it's terrible, though - it looks like a MySpace page or a Facebook page now.

Submitted by Tom on January 23, 2008 - 6:34pm.
Subject: looks good

Well it looks better than this site and doesn't come with all the banners...

Submitted by CFA on January 23, 2008 - 8:14pm.
Subject: Similar

Looks similar to the reuters home page.

Submitted by saunde on January 23, 2008 - 8:32pm.

I don't believe.... it don't have wiki search in it..

Submitted by Anonymous on January 24, 2008 - 5:42am.

Looks like... Jira?

Submitted by Anonymous on January 24, 2008 - 2:56pm.
Subject: Redesign.

i agree. time for a redesign.

Submitted by Anonymous on January 24, 2008 - 4:47pm.

It looks like Facebook...

That's it, they're going to make a Facebook-App!

You have 1 invitation to do blablalbla...

Submitted by Anonymous on January 24, 2008 - 4:47pm.

It looks like Facebook...

That's it, they're going to make a Facebook-App!

You have 1 invitation to do blablalbla...



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