10 replies to this topic

[drtrmiller]

I've started discussions with Drew for a closer integration of byFormica and Formiculture.

• Integration success: My iframe integration of Formiculture has resulted in a relatively browser-compatible version of Formiculture on the byFormica site, with little usability difference versus the native site.  The integration page has only one scrollbar, and a static byFormica left navigation panel (see below)

• Every article page on byFormica.com has a corresponding "Discussion" page (highlighted in yellow, below).  MediaWiki (the software used for byFormica) has no suitable discussion mechanism, however.  That is where Formiculture comes in.

• Cross site traffic: I'd like these discussion pages to land on a Formiculture thread of the same article name (for example, "Discussion: Fluon"), where users with a Formiculture account may discuss the byFormica article or topic of the same name, in a standard, threaded discussion
   
• Keep visitors on the origin site: Navigating to the discussion page on byFormica.com would keep visitors on byFormica.com, with the Formiculture discussion in an iframe, identical to what I showed you, above.  
  
  Similarly, visitors browsing the discussion pages on Formiculture would be able to view, edit, and interact with the article content, embedded in an iframe on Formiculture within the original discussion thread post.
  
   
   
• Keep clutter to a minimum: Due to the categorical diversity of articles, ranging from "Rubber bumper" to "Lasius neoniger," it would be senseless to try to organize these discussion pages within Formiculture so they would be browsable as standard topics.  
  
  I recommend creating a hidden subforum, where most byFormica article discussion topics may live uncategorized.  
  
  These article discussion topics may be searchable within Formiculture, but they do not necessarily need to be searchable.
  
  The topics themselves would not be hidden, only the category, so they would not be browsable.
   
• Value added content: When I find time to write a good template for ant care sheets, it may be beneficial to place the relevant discussion pages in the existing care sheet subforum on Formiculture.  Users could edit the byFormica article, and/or discuss the article in question, within either Formiculture or byFormica (again, iframes).

Let me know your thoughts!

Edited by drtrmiller, May 9 2015 - 5:11 PM.

[BugFinder]

Seems to me like a great idea!  I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out.

[drtrmiller]

I'm conducting the integration right now.  Some things will be public before the code is finished, and so they won't look very nice, or will not work properly.

 

Hang tight.

[dspdrew]

Since I had some people ask me about this, and at the time I wasn't even sure what Terry wanted to do exactly, this is basically a technical/design integration on byFormica.com, making use of an option available to any vendors who wish to use it. Since this also involves a few other changes, you can get the full explanation here (http://www.formicult...place-subforum/).

[Crystals]

This resembles the "Translate webpage" option that Google has when browsing sites in other languages, if I am understanding it correctly.

 

Terry, what specifically is wrong with the care template we already have posted?  I know we threw it together on the fly and it can be improved, but exactly in what areas?

[drtrmiller]

This resembles the "Translate webpage" option that Google has when browsing sites in other languages, if I am understanding it correctly.

 

Terry, what specifically is wrong with the care template we already have posted?  I know we threw it together on the fly and it can be improved, but exactly in what areas?

 

I was intending to create care sheets (still haven't coded the template yet), for byFormica, so that it would be a single static page that anyone could edit, add to, take away from, etc.  On Formiculture, editing the static info on the first post is limited to a single author/owner, or moderators.

 

When I get the template designed, I think you'll see how it will be very flexible and well presented.

[BugFinder]

Do you think it's a good idea to allow anyone to edit the care sheets?  What if someone takes out good information, or contributes poor or wrong information?  It's one thing when you're dealing with matters of opinion, but when you're dealing with matters of fact, is that a good idea?

[drtrmiller]

Do you think it's a good idea to allow anyone to edit the care sheets?  What if someone takes out good information, or contributes poor or wrong information?  It's one thing when you're dealing with matters of opinion, but when you're dealing with matters of fact, is that a good idea?

 

When someone makes a change on a MediaWiki powered site such as byFormica.com, the change is recorded, and can be easily rolled back to a previous version by any other member with the click of a button.  If there's vandalism or another reason to lock the page, editing can be restricted to registered users, mods, etc., and the protection can expire on a set date.

 

Making it so anyone can edit, is inviting collaboration on that which should be the final page.  The discussion page on Formiculture, which every byFormica article will eventually have, will be where users can discuss the factual accuracy and other details related to the article, in addition to asking questions.

[dspdrew]

Yeah, we set up the care sheets the way they are on purpose. We don't want just anybody editing them. There is a group here for people who we feel should be able to edit them, and they have the ability to do so. With all of the products you are working on, why are you worried about care sheets? I think what we have here will suffice.

[drtrmiller]

Yeah, we set up the care sheets the way they are on purpose. We don't want just anybody editing them. There is a group here for people who we feel should be able to edit them, and they have the ability to do so. With all of the products you are working on, why are you worried about care sheets? I think what we have here will suffice.

 

I'm not working on it right now.  Probably won't take but a few hours to knock out, but you're right—I have other things I am working on right now, so care sheets are a lower priority.

 

However, isn't it a bit premature to dismiss an idea, sight unseen, especially when you consider how few species are represented by the ones on Formiculture?  The care sheet pages, as a category, make up a huge number of page visits on byFormica.com, and there's currently no content on any of them.

 

It will be a welcome enhancement to both byFormica and Formiculture to have community care sheets on byFormica, with matching Formiculture discussion threads.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 14 2015 - 8:53 PM.

[drtrmiller]

The integration is coming along nicely.  Users may now start to see byFormica articles with corresponding discussions on Formiculture.

 

If anyone with web design experience has any bug fixes or proposed usability/integration enhancements, I'd gladly pay for the help.