Topic on Forum:Wiki Updates

We now have the Widgets extension for embedding audio and video.

See this page for how to embed Youtube videos.

Additional Widgets for other services may be requested in our Tech Wishlist forum.

I take it a straight audio player is still in the queue? Regardless, this is very cool.

At present time, a completely in wiki media playing option is off the table for now due to server resource limits, but will be reconsidered when that is no longer a concern.

Some stuff have low obvious usefulness, while having obvious misuses. Such as pointlessly enthusiastic sticking it everywhere just because it's available (which is what Questionable Sanity seems to be doing now, but it's a fairly common problem).

(answered to wrong thread the first time - my bad)
> I agree Youtube embeds should not completely replace all illustrations, but if it does a better job of illustrating a trope, I don't see the issue.

It cannot do a better - or even equal - job of illustrating a page. Because an embedded video must have either:

1. Irrelevant or badly visible preview picture (which is worse than a relevant static pic).
2. Preview picture which on its own would be good as a static pic. Since it also got overlay with controls glued on top and borders around, it's not as good nor as compact as a static pic with link (the user have to click on either) would be.
3. Autostart (gah!).

In addition, it may be of the wrong size either for page layout or for playing, which aren't always the same - and when not, it's a no-win Morton's Fork. Not necessarily, but since YouTube provides different resolutions, this pitfall will be open more often than not.

Also, even the preview pic is visible at all only if the user loads YouTube automatically without question. Which practically means: "turn Google tracking on, or don't have illustrations on this wiki". Is this the desirable result?

Hmm, excellent points. If the trope in question could illustrated just as well with an animated gif (preferably below 512KB in size) or a static image, that is preferred. As a compromise, all videos that are not entirely unsuitable and are still relevant can be moved to the Image Links page. However, if the linked video is agreed by consensus to illustrate the page the best, it stays.

If need be, discuss these items on the discussion pages or page image forum if you feel they need replaced, and I'll be happy to review the arguments of all sides in the event of a dispute, and a decision will be made on consensus of all parties involved.