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Restored links to internal discussion pages due to WP:IAR. I cite that old apple of discord, IAR, with the appropriate trepidation. But I do cite it. It's in Wikipedia's best interest to get eyeballs on a change to the viewing experience of hundreds of millions of readers, just as it's in Wikipedia's best interest to stick to good practices such as avoiding inappropriate self-reference. Comparing the two, I favor the one about getting eyeballs. This is strictly temporary, of course. Tags: Undo Reverted |
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Revision as of 12:22, 23 January 2023
Vector 2022 is a skin created for the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. It is an update to the previous skin, Vector 2010.
Description
Vector 2022, an update to Wikipedia's previous skin Vector 2010, features a revised user interface which makes numerous changes to the arrangement of the interface elements. Among them, the language selection menu, previously located to the left of the screen, now is found in the top right corner of the display of the article being currently read. Additionally, the sidebar is collapsible behind a hamburger button. Vector 2022 additionally increases the margins of the article display, which has the effect of limiting the width of the article;[1] a toggle exists which can decrease the margins and expand the line width of the article to fill the screen.[2][3] The default size of the text has not been increased, although the Wikimedia Foundation told Engadget that they hope to make this an option in future.[4] The search function was also updated in Vector 2022, as the suggested results in response to user queries now include images and short descriptions from the pages in question.[1][5]
Following the mass rollout of Vector 2022, it is still possible to read Wikipedia using the previous skin. However, to do so requires readers to register for a Wikipedia account, and then set their preferences to display Vector 2010 instead.[1] No changes were made to existing Wikipedia skins such as Monobook and Timeless, which also remain available to use.[3][6]
Development
Vector 2022 was initially announced in September 2020 and slated for debut in 2021.[7] The Wikimedia Foundation said that the change was motivated by a desire to modernize the site and improve the navigation and editing experience for readers inexperienced with the internet, as the previous skin was deemed "clunky and overwhelming."[7][4][2] Tests conducted by the Foundation reportedly yielded results of a thirty percent increase in user searches, and a fifteen percent decrease in scrolling.[4][2]
Early versions of Vector 2022 first went live in 2020 on the French, Hebrew, and Portuguese language Wikipedia sites,[7] as the skin's new features were rolled out to users for testing gradually before its full release.[8] The skin was ultimately delayed and eventually went live as the default skin for readers of Wikimedia sites in 300 (out of 318) languages on January 18, 2023.[4][3][1]
Response
Wikipedia users were divided on the changes. A request for comment on the English Wikipedia asking the community whether or not Vector 2022 should be deployed as the default skin accumulated over 90,000 words in responses. Critics of the redesign objected most prominently to the white space left empty in the new skin, while other users criticized said critics as being blindly reticent to changes.[3] The discussion ultimately resulted in 165 editors voting against the new skin, while 153 were in favor. Users on the Swahili Wikipedia unanimously voted against the enactment of the new skin.[3]
Journalists responding to Vector 2022's rollout considered the update and the new features introduced as useful additions, but generally characterized the skin as a minor update that did not fundamentally change their reading experience on Wikipedia.[5][3][2] Annie Rauwerda, creator of the Depths of Wikipedia social media accounts, wrote in Slate that Vector 2022 was not "dramatically different" from the previous skin. Rauwerda additionally noted the similarly between the Wikipedia community backlash against the design and previous resistances to similar visual changes on popular sites such as Reddit.[3] Rauwerda, and Mike Pearl of Mashable, commented that users displeased with the change could weigh in on a discussion about the skin, or use the site's built in customization features to alter their reading experience.[9][3]
References
- ^ a b c d "Wikipedia Desktop Site Gets New Look, Its First in Over 10 Years". PCMAG. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b c d Perez, Sarah (2023-01-18). "Wikipedia gets its first makeover in over a decade... and it's fairly subtle". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rauwerda, Annie (2023-01-18). "Wikipedia's Redesign Is Barely Noticeable. That's the Point". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b c d "Wikipedia's first desktop design update in a decade doesn't rock the boat (updated)". Engadget. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b Nguyen, Britney. "It's not just you — Wikipedia looks different". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Try and Spot the Differences in Wikipedia's First New Look in 11 Years". Gizmodo. 2023-01-18. Archived from the original on 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b c Kurtz, Jason (2020-09-24). "Wikipedia due to get its first substantial website redesign in a decade | CNN Business". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ Lyles, Taylor (2020-09-24). "Wikipedia is getting its first desktop redesign in 10 years". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ Pearl, Mike (2023-01-18). "Yes, Wikipedia looks weird. Don't freak out". Mashable. Archived from the original on 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
