Last modified: 2014-11-17 10:35:18 UTC
Having read <https://bugzilla.wikimedia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=16268> and <https://bugzilla.wikimedia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11627>, this enhancement proposal is sufficiently different and is based on different discussion. There is a wide consensus of editors who would like to see syntax highlighting in the standard editing window turned on by default, particularly for references, for wiki markup. This consensus has been reached in two discussions on en.wiki, one at the Village Pump <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_%28proposals%29/Archive_92#Differentiating_reference_syntax_in_the_editing_window.> and one in a Request For Comments that was a part of Centralized Discussion for 30 days: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_comment/Syntax_differentiation_in_editing_window>. Given the course of the discussion, and the overwhelming support for this functionality, I decided to submit this proposal to bugzilla. Many participants in the above discussions expressed that adding a syntax highlighter would make editing a more accessible experience for newer users. In fact, direct feedback from new editors has suggested that this has been a problem (e.g. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:FeedbackDashboard/46104>). They are also unsatisfied with Previous proposals have stated that implementing this internally is not possible. However, this is incorrect; there are at least some examples of non-external editors that work or could work reasonably well: - jsfiddle: <http://jsfiddle.net/> (with implementation: <http://doc.jsfiddle.net/>) - AceWikiEditor: <http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hjelp:AceWikiEditor> - en.wikipedia user RememberTheDot's syntax highlighter: <http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Remember_the_dot/Syntax_highlighter> (which I use). The only thing I would have liked to see more of in the above discussions were persons who might be able to discuss a specific implementation. Some discussion of that is here: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_comment/Syntax_differentiation_in_editing_window#Implementation>. Such discussion would be helpful here, given the above information on how it may be viable to implement this internally.
Created attachment 11300 [details] Example of syntax highlighting using AceWikiEditor
Created attachment 11301 [details] Screenshot of AceWikiEditor as an example of syntax highlighting.
You know that the existing javascript solutions could be installed as default gadgets, right?
Right, but I figured in order to turn something on by default for all users, it would need to come here. Also, a specific implementation would need to be decided upon.
If there's consensus on a particular javascript implementation, and it's been thoroughly tested, then it can be done by a local administrator - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Gadget#Default_gadgets Suggest closing this bug since it doesn't require any developer intervention.
Won't get into core, since VisualEditor is where resources are dedicated in this area (unless a volunteer picks it up, which i doubt will happen). Default gadget seems like the simplest and most effective solution. And devs won't have to deal with all the people complaining which will inevitably follow if this is turned on by default.
Thanks. I didn't know this could be implemented by a local admin.
