Blog:Innovations for Qualitipedia

This is a 'dumb list' of ideas I had for the network. I don't expect a lot of traffic for this blog, as evidenced by the replies focusing on the political note near exclusively. Any proposal for the items on this list should be proofread by multiple users before being presented, or the chances of success will sharply drop. Advanced permissions are not needed to plan and execute these, but they do require someone willing and interested to realize them. This was me, until this latest edit.

Stage 1

 * Network staff proposal: Clean up and formalize the way network staff are recognized on Qualitipedia, as well as define their role and have an election system (6 month terms). Also allow for a split between 'main wikis' (current list) and 'partner wikis' so more can be associated with QP and benefit from this, but aren't forced to follow how QP does things.
 * Policy cleanup: Finish current requests for comment (not necessarily ^), documentation for the technical stuff we do, piece things together with a policy guide. Not mandatory reading so much as reference, especially when a dispute comes up with something. Current best practices would be cleaned and documented.
 * Visual cleanup: A distinct theme for this wiki, a logo scheme to use across QP (and for this wiki), and ideally a new front page system for Qualitipedia to use as I find the current one to be inescapably flawed even disregarding the fact they're not well updated.
 * Category cleanup: Per my work in progress.
 * Merged wikis idea: A trial run via the literature or reception wikis to see if this is a technically sustainable idea, and to plan if this is practical for the larger wikis. The trial runs must be completed and clearly successful for it to be tried on larger wikis.
 * Consistent policies: In addition to above we need clear definitions for things. How we handle sources, article quality, what review scores are accepted and need to be used to determine where a page goes. We must have a clear idea how to handle article placement, and currently that's still not properly set up.
 * De-politicize the wikis: Partisanship is not helpful in my mind, despite the historic precedence of these wikis being 'pro gamergate' and particularly obsessed with the subject of SJWs and related politics. The better we detach from this, the more likely we can leave certain kinds of drama behind and these wikis can serve a practical purpose.
 * Interwiki links: For transclusions, templates and easier linking.
 * Template rework: Using consistent, QP branded templates across all the wikis. Not wikipedia half-imports, not 2-5 versions of the 'candidate for deletion' template. Set up so it's clear to anyone looking in and so that any admin, especially network staff know how it works.

The ideal timeline would be to complete this stage by the end of this year, but it is not a hard plan; earlier would be excellent, later can be expected given this leaves all of an odd two months to do things and activity will probably drop with the holidays in the second month.

Stage 2

 * Qualitipedia domain: A true network with its own name and links. This requires at minimum a higher level of technical trust and competence than we currently have, as QP would need money, experience and a trusted arbiter to actually make this happen.

This could be started early to mid next year and ideally completed by 2023. But it is long term ambition that is subject to change, and can only happen if the community really wants it. Per the introduction, the above is subject to people's willingness to organize and realize the pieces, which I believe can only be done collaboratively and if multiple users truly step up as leaders, not just following along or agreeing without putting in.