New Skin

Mediawiki websites, like this one, have several built-in "skins" to choose from. Most wiki's use the same one Wikipedia uses called the "Vector" skin.(but users can choose from 4 or 5 others via their preferences link)

A skin, in wiki terminology, is the same idea as "templates" in Wordpress sites and it is the overall design and layout of the elements on pages.

There are a number of problems with the current default Vector skin we use:

1. boring
2. functional but 'old-fashioned'.- not a modern look
3. not "responsive" i.e. doesn't display well on mobile devices and phones.

I've been planning to change the skin we use at Scientolipedia when/if I could acquire the skills to do so or recruit someone to do it for us. No one has come forward to do it for us so I installed a new skin on the site and am in the process of learning how to layout the Home page.

You can see this new skin over at http://freeheber.com where it's installed and running. (needs some tweaks and modifications but you can at least see how the navigation is moved to the very top of the page and various other differences.

You can also see how this site will look with this new skin by going to your 'preferences' (top of any page), select 'appearance' then select the "foreground" skin and save that (temporarily) as your default skin. Note the home page will have the layout messed up in this new skin (until the changes are made permanent) but you can go to any other page on the site to get an idea how much nicer the foreground skin is. (after you're done looking around go back to 'preferences' and revert to the 'Vector' skin so the site returns to the look you are used to.

I'm working on a new layout for the Home page and once that is done will change the site to have everyone using the Foreground skin. (there won't be any other options at that point)

The new skin will make visiting scientolipedia.org a better experience for everyone - especially those arriving via tablet or phone device (about 30% of site visitors currently - and expected to grow)

Your feedback is welcome!

Dave

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Dl88008 (talk)‎20:55, March 1, 2015

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Well Done - it has come through. Reminds of the days of my middle age, when now and again, newspapers changed their format involving much and some times heated discussion on whether it was a good idea or not. Of course it needs tweeking a bit. I like that dreary menu being replaced with neat items at the top. Need a bit more space around pictures. And particularly (though probably not part of the skin) Bevan Preece interview does not appear in one browser on my android tablet, and on the other something is there which flashed up "not supported" when you dare approach it. Probably not part of the skin, but the audios, especially the two hour Bevan Preece interview, need to show how many minutes you have got into it. I'd call the "skin-fit" a very well done.

Return to Thread:Help:Site Development/New Skin/reply.

Thanks for letting me know about the MP3 player not working. I added it to the to the list of repairs needed. (site could use a correction list)

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Dl88008 (talk)‎20:47, March 11, 2015

 

We've reverted to the "Vector"(original) skin until some bugs in the "Foreground" skin can be worked out.

The display of pages and some features were not working in the new skin.

You can still use the Foreground skin by selecting in your preferences. (top of any page)

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Dl88008 (talk)‎22:04, April 1, 2015