MoinMoin: FeatureRequests/BetterEditConflictResolution

We need better, more intelligent conflict resolution

The current conflict is rather primitive and may be too complicated for simple users. -- ThiloPfennig 2006-09-04 16:12:34

What is the problem you are trying to solve?

• The user should know what his or her choices are and should be akle to act accordingly
• If people don't understand the problem the pages can be difficult to read
• the current solution is not really good for multi-language environment

Is this features useful to most users or just to specific users?

• Especially for simple users

suggestions

Please elaborate on these "options". MoinMoin already does 1 and 2.

• I have not seen 2 only 1! so this is no choice, presenting: "EDIT CONFLICT" is no solution. And btw. How are people supposed to look at a diff when they are in an editor. Ok, we both know tabbed browsing but most will loose their edits if the klick on the diff, because they also will not go back to previous page but rather look what they should do next. But thats another "bug". -- ThiloPfennig 2006-09-05 01:02:14

  • MoinMoin uses diff3-like merging of all 3 versions, this "synthesis" is then displayed to the user on a conflict. Please describe the problem that you have with this view.

    • You do not see any diff but only a completed text (if you are lucky). With long pages it absolutely impossible to see what "the other guy changed".

    • still ugly "<-- EDIT CONFLICT" messages get inserted sometimes.

    • This should rather be one possibility as just one default. I sometimes rather like to dump my version if it was not so important (typo) because it is quicker. I can get to back to edit any time.
      • provide the user with a multiple choice:
        1. edit the conflicting parts himself.
        2. try to make a synthesis of two versions and show it to the user. this might be very easy if the users edit two totally different parts, so that no real conflict is there
        3. dump his edits
        4. dump the edits of somebody else

        5. maybe present the user both version in a split window and a meld like diff (see ScreenShot)

        6. if people save pages without resolving, give those pages a flag that they need rework
        7. create an NEW page and save this as kind of an "alternate version". Maybe this could make things complicated and maybe this solution could be started if we have a different kind of version management that allows "forks" of pages (maybe different groups cpould see different versions of a page....)

    I think the diff3 is a nice option but is only helpful without further assistants if this is a really small page. Users only know where they made their own contributions. And from the UI perspective I consider it a bad solution to lead them to another diff page where the either would have to use a new tab or go back with the back button. -- ThiloPfennig 2006-09-07 19:14:29

CategoryFeatureRequest