The issue of unifying user names on a new phase, and
the problems of maintaining article histories, is
related, i think, to the notion i recently stated
about the need for cross-langa transfers of articles,
and a history related to these transfers. The idea of
making something built willy nilly jive with something
designed to the tits with structure seems -- as anyone
will admit -- far fetched. But structure is whats
required when integrating stuff -- and if structure is
the key, then its got to be made to fit the hole that
WP is in -- namely that of not living up to the
teenage imagination.
When looked at from a macro-pedia point of view --
boiling it all down and considering trends in WP's IA
-- the "next step" is looking like the long dreamt-of
WP XML schema - as the foundation for a highly
integrated, cross-langa manifestation of complex yet
sublime brilliance. Of course it wasnt built that
way... the much lauded simplicity-of-editing is the
prime factor in a Wiki. Though compared to what the WP
will someday be... the first Meatballish incarnation
was but a cheezy homepage. (I wasnt around then, but I
see other Meatballs around....)
The question then becomes, how might more advanced
technologies actually integrate with Willy Nilly in a
reasonable way to create the foundation for something
that has titties. If its just a question of porting
all of what exists to a new, unified Wikipedia system,
then there are bound to be a few conflicts. I'm *not
convinced that these anomalies exist in such a
quantity that they couldnt be dealt wih by hand, or
that these amount to anything thats worth discounting
a potentially advantageous paradigm shift.
You cant make an omelet...
Wikilovin be greetin you,
-S-
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com