[Wikipedia-l] A vision for wiki syntax, documented

Thu May 15 18:51:07 UTC 2003

> > So if the table at http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium cannot be
> > replicated pretty much as-is in wikicode then I for will have a fit (I'm
> > sure many others will join me).

Just joining

>
> Yeah, that nested table is a nuisance. I'll have to think about that.

Its not a nuisance, it's an advanced feature of HTML

>
> > An alternative solution is to only allow HTML syntax to be rendered if it
> > is in a table:namespace page.
>
> As I said before, I want to eliminate the complexity, not just move it
> around. I want newbies to have some chance of being to edit the table as
> well as the prose around it.

A Table - and especially a table with complex structure, nesting etc - *IS* a 
complex thing. You will not be able to eliminate that complexity. As soon as 
you are trying to do it, you will greatly reduce the flexibility. As soon as 
you add that flexibility again, you add the complexity again. So why 
re-invent the wheel by having (in the end) the same problems in just another 
markup language?

I strongly support the table:namespace concept: It offers all the the HTML 
flexibility you need, and you keep the article source clean of the table 
code.

If we can have the table syntax proposed additionally, thats just fine: A 
newbie will start with a simple table, as soon as it gets more complex, an 
experienced user can move it into a full-fetaured html-table in the new 
namespace and link it from the article.

Uli