Custom Wiki Design Project
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[edit] Overview
The current look and feel of our STC wiki was never meant to be permanent, it is simply the default MediaWiki skin called "monobook." There are many thousands (or more) of MediaWiki installations online all using the same monobook skin. We don't want to fall in with the lemmings, so this project is about creating a custom skin for the STC wiki.
[edit] Certainties at this point
- The new skin (we'll call it "StcSkin") will be the only supported skin, by necessity. Thus, once in place you will not have skin options to choose from anymore.
- The skin will be designed to support any modern browser that understands web standards, and we'll throw in IE6.
- The redesign will aim to be very simple and clean, with emphasis on utility and a slant towards stylish. I've scoured the web for other custom MediaWiki jobs for insight, and I've not seen a whole lot better than what the guys at Mozilla have done with the Mozilla Wiki, so that's the baseline.
- The design will make use of a flexible width design that does not span the entire width of the screen. (User-friendly line lengths will be the new norm.)
[edit] Targeted Milestones
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Do a backup of database.
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Update wiki installation with latest stable release.
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Create the custom skin clone of monobook and set that as default (only option)..
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Design new skin.
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Present mockups of custom design.
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Deal with the repercussions of the feeback period. (Make sensible edits.)
- Integrate new design.
- Demonstrate custom content elements (lists, tables, flags, etc.).
[edit] Long-term Musing
- Basic print styles will be improved (#8 above), but future activities will involve doing some cool things with printing, like PDF-quality type stuff from multiple pages.
