WYSIWYG editor for pollwiki

[Michael Allan]

Thomas and Alex,

ThomasvonderElbe at gmx.de wrote:
> @ 1): In order to enjoy the luxury of the thing, I would rather
> "force" everyone to use it, than not use it at all. Also, in this
> editor you can still write the old wiki-syntax and it gets
> translated.

Some people use their favourite text editors to edit wikitext.  They
might not want to change.  (I use Emacs.  I practically *live* in
Emacs.)

> I hope, we can use it.

I can test it in a week or two.  If all goes well, you could use it by
early next month.  Let me know if you need it sooner.  (Sorry to have
made a fuss over it.)

Alex Rollin wrote:
> The editor as I have used it is amazing.  Mike, have you tried it out?

I tried it briefly.  It does look pretty solid.

> I am tempted to design a "Dream" position crafting environment.
> What would that look like, diff'ing while writing?  Seeing the
> forest while writing? ...

I'm not sure, but the center of gravity seems to be in the discussion
media.  I feel the voting and drafting tools will have to be carried
deeper into that environment.  The difference bridge is a rough first
stab in that direction.

The design of cross-forum theatre is also being pulled in that
direction.  (Here's an image that Thomas and I briefly discussed
today.)  The theatre reveals a landscape that is cold and unwelcoming,
except at those points where ongoing discussion adds warmth and light.
Those points are attractive to us.  (Conversely, we are less attracted
to branches/trees in which the conversation has died out.  We know
we'll find nothing there, but lifeless votes and texts.)

We floated the idea in the past of linking from the various portions
of a position draft (sections, paragraphs) into the discussion threads
where those portions are being discussed.  In addition (new idea) we
might automatically mark up the portions of text according to the
intensity of discussion focused on each.  Or in reverse: select a
portion of text and the forest is decorated to show where it is being
discussed.  (Unsure how feasible these are.)

> ... Sending notes implicitly by accepting position text, whole or in
> part, from fellows?

We did consider that patching from a co-voter is an expression of
approval, and a vote in favour of the candidate doing the same.  The
more co-voters who patch the "same difference", the more likely the
candidate will want to follow suit:
http://u.zelea.com/w/User:Mike-ZeleaCom/G/p/de#Same_difference

-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 647-436-4521
http://zelea.com/