Talk:Main Page/Archive4

Featured article
We have had the same thing there for like 50 years
 * Not really. Jhiaxus was only made a Featured Article on March 2, 2008.--RosicrucianTalk 06:05, 7 April 2008 (UTC)
 * With 6k articles, maybe we could switch the featured article every month?Spriteless 05:45, 9 April 2008 (UTC)
 * We try to when we can, but usually that involves a big push to improve the given article to featured article standards.--RosicrucianTalk 06:30, 9 April 2008 (UTC)
 * If someone was just going through the Wikia wikis they might assume that this wiki is a bit quiet. What about just chosing some of the bigger articles every now and again?  The larger ones tend to the most highly polished, researched and moderated articles. Drmick 19:20, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Some of the big articles need work because alot of the stuff in them was written in 2006 before we established standards. For instance, G1 Ratchet's article was featured last year I believe, but it was really unevenly written in terms of quality. I mean, for some reason half of the article eschewed storylinks in favour of references. --FFN 20:26, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
 * We probably should set up some ground rules on what makes a featured article. Right now, it's pretty much what ever Walky wants. -- SFH 20:34, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

Thunderwing, Nice. --Human in disguise

Out of curiosity, how often does it change, or is it just on a whim? Jeep! 14:30, 31 May 2008 (UTC)

front tf page
i hate april fool pranks on my fave tf front page -dr
 * What? —Interrobang 23:11, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

Funny

 * Moved to Transformers Wiki talk:Community Portal/The Funny

Search
So, uh, what happened to the ability to type something into the text box, click "search," and not have it take me directly to a page, but give me a list of pages the term appears in instead? There is no search button on the front page! --ItsWalky 11:37, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * For as long as I've used the wiki, the Search function has only done that for me if what I've typed didn't match the title of any article exactly. As for the front page, I still see the Search box.  I don't know if it makes a difference, but I'm using the Monaco skin.--Apcog 14:12, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * That doesn't match my experiences. I could type in "Megatron," click Search, and then it'd give me a list of pages that mention "Megatron" in the body of the text.  It was very useful.  --ItsWalky 14:54, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * On the topic of the Monaco skin, can we get some admin feedback on the Monaco skin discussion, please? --FFN 14:32, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * To be sure, yes, that would be useful. As it is, now you'd have to type something like "Megatron's" or "Megatron" and another word to get similar results.  And yeah, I've seen notices for the admins from Toughpigs asking for feedback and wondered when that was going to be resolved.--Apcog 15:13, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Regarding the search box - typing something into the box and hitting "enter," or clicking "go," is the option that takes you directly to the page with the title you've typed. Typing something into the box and actually clicking the button marked "search" is the option that brings up a list of stuff containing the term, and that's the button we appear to have lost here (although on my screen at least, it's coming and going intermittently, but that's probably a browser cache thing). I've not got the Monaco skin on, but regarding that, I rather like it, and I'd like to see it implimented. There's something very "bare bones" about our set up here, and of course, I know that we kinda have that as a show of "not taking everything too seriously," but I'd personally like to see the Monaco skin in use. - Chris McFeely 15:30, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * The same function is in the "Advanced Search" link. Am I the only one who sees it or something? —Interrobang 18:17, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Cripes, I can't insert a comment before three more jump in before me. No, there's definitely no Search button visible in the Monaco skin as I'm using it, just an arrow with a magnifying glass icon in it (the equivalent of the "Go" button, obviously).  I see the "Advanced search" link too, but it doesn't offer quite the same function, in that it doesn't default to the "all text occurrences" option.  Rather, you have to choose settings to get that.  Not a terrible extra step, but still...--Apcog 18:32, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I see the advanced search link. I also REALLY LIKE the new 'random page image link' above the search box. Who do I have to thank for that? --FFN 18:28, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I put it in, but it was Siph's idea. Breaking the "Search" button under non-Monaco themes was also my doing, I'm afraid; I was a little zealous with putting in a more useful search and it didn't quite work. It should be back in a day or two. I somehow totally missed any discussion on Monaco coming up; I'll get to commenting on that. --Suki Brits 19:50, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Primarily Wookieepedia for the idea, Blitz for the implementation, and I suppose me for harraunging her about it. --M Sipher 19:48, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
 * A random page on search function is really a good idea because that would make us know about more characters. By the way, I think there still need a normal search button in the original place . :D --TX55 01:37, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Then I thank you guys for it. IF we switch to Monaco, is there any way to do a similar function with that skin? I think the function is very helpful for newcomers to the wiki (and Transformers in general) for they don't have to look through lists of names or randomly search for things. --FFN 05:17, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I don't think it'd be too hard. If we do switch to Monaco, there'd need to be some changes done to the search box anyway, since under that, there's no "search" button. --Suki Brits 05:56, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Is there a way to make the search image load earlier? Right now it's the very last thing to load; even the flash ads come up earlier. --FortMax 02:24, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
 * The short answer is no, unfortunately. --Suki Brits 05:56, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Why does the bar show pictures of random characters, but when you go to their pages they have no visual representation? 90.198.228.42 20:28, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Because... I don't know really. I don't know why the powers-at-be chose to create these little search pictures for characters that have no pictures. One would think if they had a reasonably sized image to create the search button picture, they could have uploaded the full size image for the page itself. And/or create searchbox pic-links for characters that DO have decent visual representation AND largely completed articles. --FFN 22:39, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

Familial relationships
Should we put something up, relating to the idea of siblings or suchUser:GWolfv2
 * See Relatives.--RosicrucianTalk 15:07, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Redesigning the front page
Now that the Monaco skin is the default, and Toughpigs is around to help us out, I suggest we figure out a way to redesign the front page so it isn't just a columns of text. Is there any reasonable way for us to have the franchises in the By Series (or anywhere else, really) represented by the franchise logos? The logos can be as recognisable as the names alone, and given we're getting more and more visitors every day, it would be helpful to make the place more visually pleasing and more user-friendly. --FFN 20:30, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I think that's still a bad idea. The logos were never designed to look good together, and some (like the 2007 movie) are anti-informative.  If you can present a design that somehow makes it work, please do.  But I don't see how the new skin changes the basic problems. - Jackpot 20:56, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I tend to think the Main Page and its columns of text are just fine as is. --KilMichaelMcC 21:04, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Also, wouldn't it perhaps be best to wait a few days for everyone to get home from BotCon before starting a discussion on more major changes like this? --KilMichaelMcC 21:08, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Didn't stop Toughpigs redesigning the whole Wiki... - SanityOrMadness 21:18, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Toughpigs has been touting the switch to Monaco for quite some time, and he only finally got the nod from an admin just before BotCon.--RosicrucianTalk 23:22, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

Just wanted to say I love the new look.

Ad bar issues with Monaco?
I don't know if it's just me, but trying to load the Wiki in Firefox results in it loading everything up to the adserver stuff, and then Firefox proceeds to hang the fuck up, completely use up all available memory, and force me to kill it through Task Manager. It's kind of a pain in the ass.(I'm using explorer right now) -hx 00:22, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I've had no troubles with Firefox 2, nor Firefox 3 beta 5.--RosicrucianTalk 00:37, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Improvement Drive
I have no idea how long the "Improvement Drive" column has been there, but it's a great idea, content-wise. However, IMO the links it contains should really be a permanent part of the Help/Start Here column. It's the kind of thing I was talking about a while ago. -- Repowers 22:56, 1 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Giving this a bump. Input, anyone?  Anyone?  If nobody protests, I'd like to merge the contents of the "Improvement drive" section with the "Start here" section.  Perhaps a blurb on a more specialized improvement drive -- say, our long-dormant BW improvement drive -- could take the place of the current one. -- Repowers 20:20, 15 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Giving this one last bump. If nobody objects, I'm making the changes. -- Repowers 00:37, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * One of the reasons the Improvement Drive was disbanded on Wookieepedia was because we instead formed projects such as "Tales of the Jedi project" "The New Essential Chronology project". This allowed us to focus on groups of articles which were in need of updating instead of simply one article. -- SFH 00:42, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I fully support a "Project" initiative. (Cough cough prose stories cough.) --M Sipher 01:07, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I can definitely live with that - it looks like one of the new users is actually working on RiD stuff, which is an area that I've felt could use more coverage - it's not my area of knowledge, tho. -hx 01:43, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Yeah. I know a lot about the fiction in GENERAL, but when it comes to what happened in what specific episodes and issues? Not so much. Toys are more my forte... --M Sipher 01:49, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * It doesn't help that most of us would need to import the DVDs to write about the fiction. I've been thinking of doing that, but I've already bought a couple of hundred dollars worth of TF DVDs I don't really need soley for writing and screen capping articles for the wiki, which upon reflection is a little insane. --FFN 05:03, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Please see User:Repowers/Sandbox for a test page. Feel free to tweak and/or comment. -- Repowers 04:52, 22 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I weaked the disclaimer, added a countdown to TF2 clock (the page de-caches a couple times a day, so it should remain accurate without having to re-edit, I did a sandbox text to verify) and I got rid of the clickable Animated logo, sicne that template still isn't working right and I haven't figured out how to make it work right.
 * Re:Improvement Drive... How about we have a 'goals' list for the month? Like, 20 or 30 articles we want to get up to snuff, chosen for balance.  A lot of piddling pages, a few episodes or comics no one's gonna get around to on their own, and one or two major character pages.  We can track 'em at the end of the month and see how successful we were. -Derik 20:47, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Giving this a bump.
 * About the list of "ways to help"... thing is, those up-front lists should be geared toward attracting new editors -- new editors who by definition aren't going to know all the million little persnickety formatting things you have to know to set up a new page. Stuff like "fill in a stub" or "add storylinks" is a lot less intimidating, and a lot easier to slide into, than "here, make this page from scratch."  I think an expanded list, akin to what's on my sample sandbox, should be near the top of the page, rather than a bunch of red links. -- Repowers 22:33, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

Main "Transformers Animated" image
It really ought to be clickable. Unfortunately, Template:Click currently doesn't actually let you center an image-- it probably needs to be rewritten at some point. Unless someone else volunteers, this is mostly just a reminder to myself. --Suki Brits 18:53, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Someone just did that and now the link messes up the main page by covering the links to "Comics", "Generation 1", "(toyline/cartoon/comic)", "Generation 2", and "Help contents". Ugh, it was better off the way it was before. Besides, there was a link to the Animated franchise below the giant logo. --Sabrblade 23:27, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * What poor excuse for a browser are you using? The TFA logo is above all that stuff. --FortMax 23:35, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * The image is, but the link is stretching down over the ones below it. --Sabrblade 23:59, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm using Firefox, and the link ends WAY before that. I have no troubles whatsoever. - Semysane 00:20, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Sabrblade, to repeat- "What browser are you using?" -75.168.112.43 01:35, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Internet Explorer 7 is my browser on this particular computer (I use at least three different ones). --Sabrblade 20:31, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Well there's your problem. IE doesn't follow correct HTML protocol, and each version has a different way of not following it. --FortMax 21:19, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Just realized I'm having the same problem, using Firefox. The link to Transformers Animated (franchise) from the image is like, bleeding down or something, covering up some of the links below it. --KilMichaelMcC 18:43, 11 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, is there any other browser besides Internet Explorer and Firefox that doesn't have the problem? --Sabrblade 01:31, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I just went and had a look at Template:Click and tried a few things, but it's beyond me. Can we not just do it in html? It would be a hell of a lot simpler...Emvee 12:51, 19 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Well, with the "no TF:A Dubai spoilers" text written by Chris McFeely, the image no longer covers the G1 and G2 links. It still bleeds down, but only over the link-free text. So until that text gets erased, the image bleeding isn't much of a problem (but it will be again once that text is gone).Sabrblade 01:02, 20 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Still covers them for me, and I'm using the latest Firefox. I'm going to edit this until someone can come up with a better solution - removing the Dubai text will just make it bleed lower down the page, surely... Emvee 16:37, 20 May 2008 (UTC)
 * If any one isn't getting the problem here is what it looks like to me. It's the blue highlighted box. Here is what it looks like in Internet Explorer. Screen resolution is 1280x1024. (Undecided) 22:15, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I replaced it with an imagemap so it links directly to Transformers Animated (franchise). Given that the same image is at the top of that page, I don't think we need the main page to link to the Image page if the only way of doing so messes up the rest of the page. --FortMax 21:50, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Imagemap is working on wikia now? Yay!  IIRC it wasn't 18 months ago when you originally took a stab at  -Derik 22:10, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Just to check, can imagemap be set to pave part of the image link to the Image page, or is Click the only thing that can do that. (You'd think a template specificly created for use on the Wikia wiki wouldn't have these issues) --FortMax 22:14, 30 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia has a template like this that puts a little blue 'i' in the corner of an image- you click on that to get info about it. In this case it's moot-- a single click takes you to the TFA page that lets you access the image info. -Derik 22:18, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

Is this about our new logo? Because quite frankly, it sucks. The "Animated" logo, with a "Transformers Wiki" thing on it, has been superimposed over the old image. It looks ugly. &quot;MovieMan&quot; 20:32, 21 June 2008 (UTC)

"TF dates"?
Something else Wookiepedia does on its frontpage we... might want to look at stealing... Putting up a "__/__/__: _____ was released" history box. I dunno. It would only be for like comic books, DVDs, TV episodes, street-release-date toys, etc. Though I dunno if TF really has enough... stuff to do that with. I dunno. Idle thought. --M Sipher 01:47, 9 May 2008 (UTC)
 * On paper, that's a cool idea. In execution, yeah, I don't think there's quite enough stuff to do it with.  We know original episode air dates, and roughly know the street dates of the various comic issues, but we generally have no idea when various and sundry toys hit shelves before, what, '94?  If we had enough stuff that there was something to put up at least twice a week (as a "This Week in TF History" thing) I'd say go for it.  I guess we could stretch it and add birth dates of TF professionals and that sort of thing, but even then, we're a little sparse, I'd imagine.  -hx 10:42, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Front page weirdness
When clicking on the link for the Generation 1 (comic) or Generation 2 (comic) on the front page, I get taken to Animated (franchise)...but looking at the code the links appear to be correct, else I'd edit them. I've tried refreshing several times but the link is still wrong...anyone else seeing this? Emvee 12:11, 19 May 2008 (UTC) [edit] aha, just seen the discussion above about the link "bleeding down"...that would explain it Emvee 12:15, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Search
The current search bar only has a "Go" button,we can't look for articles by using keywords now. How are we supposed to look for things we don't know the name of now?86.87.28.191 20:54, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Isn't there a "Search" button right next to the "Go" button? -- SFH 20:57, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I don't think there is a search button on the new skin but if you log in and set the wiki back to monobook in your preferences then you'll have a search button Donut 21:02, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Are we talking Monaco skin, the one with the little arrow with the magnifying glass in it at the very top-left? Or the Monobook skin? I just put "thunder" in the former, clicked the arrow, and boom (ha ha), search results. --M Sipher 21:23, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * But "Thunder" isn't the name of an article. If it were, it would just give you the article without any other search results, even if you clicked on the magnifying-glass arrow.  I can't tell if that's what the anthropomorphic IP address above was asking, but I do know I dislike the reduced functionality of Monaco's search box.  As far as I can tell, typing a word and hitting Enter is the same as clicking the arrow.  You CAN still search for all occurrences of a word by going to the "Search" link underneath the sidebar.  But that's annoying for the need to go to a whole 'nother page. - Jackpot 04:46, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Nevermind,i figured it out now. Just type "Search:" and then the keywoard before pressing enter. for example,to search for Optimus Prime without annoyingly being redirected,type Search:Optimus Prime .86.87.28.191 18:33, 22 May 2008 (UTC)

Disambig pages
I've seen three formats. The general, more common one like the Screamer one, the Prime style one and the BB one. Shouldn't we just stick with the one?User:GWolfv2 21.34 May 23rd
 * The Prime page has to be like it is because there are so many things with "Prime" in their name that they need to be split. And why would we have a disambuig page for BB? If you're talking about Bumblebee, I don't think that page should be like that. Pictures do not help when the differences between one character's different bodies is about the same as the difference between his body and one belonging to another guy with the same name. --FortMax 22:00, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

Prime Image
Should an image Animated Prime be added to the front page? maybe replace Movie Prime in the picture if it needs to be a particular size? i think it should be updated to reflect the most modern incarnation of the character 78.32.44.57 16:34, 27 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Problem is, the front page's image is all from Takara's World Of Transformers page. We tried to add AniPrime in there but he didn't fit one bit, so until something better comes along, I do believe this image is going to stay as is. --Detour 16:47, 27 May 2008 (UTC)