::wikiveg:: an animal free wiki

The skin and wiki-politics

So it seems that all of a sudden the new skin is working roughly properly in Internet Explorer. Minor fixes should still be done, but I think we’re mostly OK now.

I’ve gotten both good and bad feedback on it. One wikivegan thinks it looks too unlike a normal wiki (a majority of wikis use the standard Monobook skin, or similarly business-like skins if they’re using a different engine).

I admit it was ‘unwiki’ to just change it as I did, without getting feedback from the users. My reasons were that I really thought the old skin was bad, and that a majority of future users would prefer the new skin to the old one. And I’ve gotten rather more good feedback than bad already, wich confirms this. 

So, although it’s ‘unwiki’, I’m going to leave the current skin on, as my last act as Benevolent Dictator. In a minute though I’m going to start the page [[wikiveg constitution]] which will outline what I (and other sysops) can and can’t do, and from then on will stick to that.  

SHAC roundup

As you may know, the SHAC 7 were convicted on all counts back on March 2nd. The sentencing will happen in June, and meanwhile the defendants are out on house arrest. (Four were released fairly quickly; Kevin was released early this week; Josh was to be released today.) I haven’t been talking about it because of widespread sentiment in the activist community that publicly discussing the case, or engaging in anti-HLS activity, could perhaps hurt their chances of not getting a heavy sentence. The Toronto Star (via Hounded, Cowed, & Badgered) has a good article about it though if you want to read more.

As I think I said, I’m ambivalent about many SHAC tactics but I still think this wasn’t a just outcome. Hopefully though it will be won on appeal. I heard someone say that first amendment cases are often lost on trial but won on appeal.

That means though that they need more support to hire a decent first amendment attorney. Donations can be received on the website, or by sending a check (payable to NJARA) to SHAC 7, c/o NJARA, PO Box 174, Englishtown, NJ 07726.