Talk: Community Portal/Oasis Archive

Discussion

Please use this section to discuss the Oasis skin and the move away from Wikia

This was a discussion I had with Angela Beesley (Wikia Founder) in 2007 before Grand Theft Wiki moved to Wikia:

• ME: As for Wikia adverts, I understand that this is central to your business and so I wouldn't prevent that. As on WoWWiki, the advertisements aren't brazenly plastered around every pixel of space. Although I never run adverts on my own sites (something about ethics...), so long as they don't detract from the experience of using the Wiki, then I have no qualms with their use.
• ANGELA: Hopefully you won't find them obtrusive. The new skins were designed to keep the ads away from the content, especially for logged in users where there is just one small ad in the top corner.

This is just another proof of the breach of trust we have seen from Wikia. They are not keeping the ads away from the content at all, and they are very obtrusive - especially on the new thinner layout. Logged in users see more than one advert, and it does detract significantly from the experience of using the wiki. Gboyers ^talk 22:29, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

Community Answers

Please place your answers below, in a similar format to this first post.

1. What do you think of the Oasis skin? - I think the skin is okay, but it does NOT suit a wiki, especially GTW. It will also cause a lot of problems, and ruin our identity.
2. Do you think GTW should leave Wikia? - Yes, but only if the community are with us. Splitting the community in two, or only taking away the staff, would be disastrous for both forks.
3. If we moved, would you move with us, rather than staying on gta.wikia.com? Yes - it is absolutely imperative that we all move together.

Gboyers ^talk 22:15, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

1: It's meh, not really my thing. I could see how it would work for other wikis, though.

2: I'm actually 50-50 split on this. There are some good reasons to go, but also some good reasons to stay. If I had to choose, I'd say leave Wikia.

3: I would move with you, wholeheartedly.

MAINEiac4434 22:44, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

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1. I think that the skin looks horrible, worse than the current Wikia preferred option (which I also do not use). The skin will take away the identity of GTW and create a layout that could be any other wiki.
2. Yes and I suggested the possibility when they introduced the now outgoing skin a while back.
3. Yes.

A-Dust 23:06, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

I didn't like some of the things i read about the new changes. When these changes take place i will be leaving. I will follow GTW if it moves and i hope that it does. Jaceysdad 23:20, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

1. Horrible

2. Some good reasons to stay, but maybe it's time for independence

3. Yes.

Kanzler31 23:32, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

Make your own domain grandtheftwiki.com like you said. I'd definitely move with you guys. Kyleneu 04:29, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

1. Terrible, put's advertising first and contend/creative design last.

2. I support the move. But I still think we should fight to keep the skin off us.

3. Definetly Chimpso (Talk) 04:37, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

I have been going around many Wikia wikis leaving my input on a move:

1. I hate the new Wikia skin (it is no longer called Oasis, just Wikia, oh, how imaginative!) It is hard to use, slow to load and fixed width is just evil!
2. There are many good wiki farms. I plan to move Wikisimpsons to ShoutWiki and an old Wikia helper, Jack Phoenix, is a staff member there. Moving will be for the best.
3. I am not a major contributor here. Made one or two edits. If you move to ShoutWiki, I will use that one over this one though.

I have got a list of positives and negatives about ShoutWiki here. Please read that as it may help make a decision. ☆The Solar Dragon☆ 06:25, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Gta4bigfan

1. What do you think of the Oasis skin? I hate it.
2. Do you think GTW should leave Wikia? Grand Theft Wiki would not be here without Wikia, but it is okay. (really nice to have an independent website)
3. If we moved, would you move with us, rather than staying on gta.wikia.com? Of course, on the new site!-Gta4bigfan 08:08, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Just a note that GTW was hosted independently before moving to Wikia, so it would exist without WIkia. Biggest GTA Fan Ever^Talk 08:14, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Leaving

because, do not leave this site at wikia.

So, this place will be completely dead?

Am I understanding this correctly? This place will beasically become a tomb with no updates due to this new skin?

Okay, that's fair enough and I will not begrudge you the right to such a course of action. Especially if the monkeys on this site, in their ivory towers, insist of forcing a new skin upon us.

But please clarify something, if we abandon this place. Will there be another GTA database we can all contribute to? With all the articles we've made here?

I simply cannot stomach the idea of leaving this place and yet having nowhere else to go. A lot of people have put in a lot of effort here. It would be a massive shame to just give up. So, any clarification will be much appreciated and hopefully sweeten the bitter pill.

Thanks!

IdesofMarch 13:16, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

The idea is that we would move to a new site, taking a copy of all content with us. However, some people might stay here and continue to run this copy. This is why we want to make sure everyone comes over to the new site, rather than trying to run two wikis in competition with each other. Gboyers ^talk 13:33, October 4, 2010 (UTC)