# Wikipedia's Mobile version **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 18, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509 "2021-06-18T02:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/1 "2021-06-18T02:04:33Z")
Fuck you, Mobile version of Wikipedia! Rot in hell! I am absolutely sick of Wikipedia having an entire separate URL for their mobile versions. It seems as though people on mobile devices are automatically redirected there, but people that go to mobile versions on a real computer are not automatically redirected to the normal version of the page and must suffer with a dumbed-down version of the page that doesn’t even have a link to the normal version of the page. I don’t blame the people who post the links; I more blame Wikipedia for a situation that I’m not aware of any other website having. I’ve never seen anyone else have a different URL for the mobile version of the page, not that I would know, but I’ve never seen links to mobile versions of anything other than Wikipedia. Maybe this is too mild an annoyance for the Pit, but it’s really gotten to the breaking point for me. I’m as mad as hell, and I’m going to take it just as I’ve always taken it, grumbling and muttering, but now complaining in the Pit too. Maybe I can pledge to give them money conditional on them getting rid of the different URLs. Any chance that would do anything? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/2 "2021-06-18T02:08:47Z")
Yes, it would be nice if it was automatic, but if you’re on desktop just remove the “m.” from the beginning of the url and you’re back in desktop-land. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/3 "2021-06-18T03:27:24Z")
This is why I’m careful to always remove the m. when I post a link from Wikipedia from my phone. It’s not just Wikipedia. YouTube does the same thing. I have to remove the m. from it as well. Lots of web sites do that. EDIT: Here is a link from YouTube: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rwfgjaT7uU0/maxresdefault.jpg "COMMUNITY The Movie (2021) | Trailer Concept") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwfgjaT7uU0) ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/4 "2021-06-18T05:20:20Z")
It appears that there are [Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/redirector/pajiegeliagebegjdhebejdlknciafen) and [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/skip-mobile-wikipedia) extensions to automatically redirect from the mobile version of Wikipedia. I haven’t used them before, nor do I want to test them out just for the purpose of this thread, so I can’t vouch for their effectiveness or what risks they might present to your computer. If you do decide to try them out, I suggest proceeding with caution. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/5 "2021-06-18T17:30:04Z")
Wait, _what?_ Six seasons _and a movie!?_ ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/6 "2021-06-18T23:01:29Z")
Netflix has the original 5 seasons that were on NBC before they canceled the show, plus the 6th season filmed for Yahoo Screen in 2014-2015. (Yahoo Screen shut down in 2016.) The movie is not real, the trailer was a fan project someone put together. Not that a movie won’t happen, and there has been buzz about the possibility for years, but nothing has been announced. The only reason I linked to that video was because when I went to the mobile version of YouTube on my phone, it was literally the first video that was suggested to me. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/7 "2021-06-20T20:00:44Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > It seems as though people on mobile devices are automatically redirected there, but people that go to mobile versions on a real computer are not automatically redirected to the normal version of the page and must suffer with a dumbed-down version of the page that doesn’t even have a link to the normal version of the page. There is actually a link from the mobile version to the desktop version. If you scroll _all_ the way down to the bottom of [this article (a mobile version)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Straight_Dope) then literally at the very bottom of the page, you have three hyperlinks: to the Wikipedia “Terms of Use”, the Wikipedia “Privacy Policy”, and a link that says “Desktop” and links to [this page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Straight_Dope) (the regular version of that same article). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/8 "2021-06-20T21:20:27Z")
If anyone cares, I wrote a userscript long ago to fix this. All it does is automatically remove the .m as quickly as it can. I hadn’t originally even published it, as it’s pretty simple, but I guess others might find it useful: > [About | Wikimedia Wikis - desktop versions | Userscripts | OpenUserJS](https://openuserjs.org/scripts/BigTSDMB/Wikimedia_Wikis_-_desktop_versions) > > **Summary:** Redirect to the desktop versions of Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wiktionary To install it, you’ll need to install Tampermonkey if you don’t already have a UserScript extension. (The title says “for Chrome” but you can choose a different browser.) > **[Home | Tampermonkey](https://www.tampermonkey.net/)** > > Home ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/9 "2021-06-23T17:21:53Z")
This video loads as it should for me in Firefox. The URL is [youtube.com](http://youtube.com) not youtu.be as well. I manually remove as well. I installed the Firefox addon, we will see. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/10 "2021-10-19T19:07:33Z")
I don’t like the mobile website either, so I downloaded the app. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/11 "2023-01-11T08:22:57Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > I don’t blame the people who post the links I do. Sorry (not sorry) for the bump, but it’s happened in 3 different threads today so far, and I just know it’s going to be more before the day is through. I blame the posters. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/12 "2023-01-11T21:36:06Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Yes, it would be nice if it was automatic, but if you’re on desktop just remove the “m.” from the beginning of the url and you’re back in desktop-land. From my brief experimentation just now, it seems this only happens if whoever shared the link did so by using the mobile browser version of Wikipedia and just copied the URL from the URL window. The fact that the URL is copied exactly, including the “.m” seems perfectly reasonable to me. To avoid this happening, those sharing Wiki links from mobile devices should use the Wiki apps; if you do that and use the share tool to copy the link, then you get the desktop version, which works like any other link. If you’re on a desktop you’ll get the desktop version; and if you’re on a smartphone you’ll get the dumbed down mobile version, if it exists. I’m much more irritated by the fact that if I’m using a mobile browser and click on a Wikipedia link, it opens the dumbed down mobile version in another browser tab, instead of opening the content in the Wikipedia app, which I use multiple times every day. Facebook links behave similarly. I think this may be specific to Android, or the version that I’m on. There are settings which supposedly fix this problem, but they have never worked for me. And if it’s a Facebook link, I have to log in, because I almost never use their mobile browser version. Who remembers their Facebook password when they almost never have to use it? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/13 "2023-01-15T02:36:26Z")
What am I missing here? Six seasons and a movie _for what_? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/14 "2023-01-15T03:47:19Z")
_Community_ ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/15 "2023-01-15T03:55:10Z")
“Six seasons and a movie!” became a rallying cry among fans of the TV show “Community” whenever it looked like the series was about to get cancelled. We got six seasons of the TV show, and apparently someone made a fake trailer for “Community: The Movie”. (The phrase “Six seasons and a movie!” is from an early season episode when Abed becomes obsessed with the new NBC series “The Cape”. Jeff tells him that show will be cancelled before the first season is up. Abed runs out of the room saying “Six seasons and a movie!” In real life, “The Cape” _did_ get cancelled in its first season.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/16 "2023-01-15T07:28:29Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > We got six seasons of the TV show, and apparently someone made a fake trailer for “Community: The Movie”. But now the movie is really happening. > **[Joel McHale Reveals 'Community' Movie Will Begin Filming This Summer](https://collider.com/community-movie-filming-joel-mchale-comments/)** > > McHale is returning alongside Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/17 "2023-01-17T03:09:27Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > > [@squeegee](#): > > > > Yes, it would be nice if it was automatic, but if you’re on desktop just remove the “m.” from the beginning of the url and you’re back in desktop-land. > > To avoid this happening, those sharing Wiki links from mobile devices should use the Wiki apps; if you do that and use the share tool to copy the link, then you get the desktop version, which works like any other link. If you’re on a desktop you’ll get the desktop version; and if you’re on a smartphone you’ll get the dumbed down mobile version, if it exists. If I type “[wikipedia.com](http://wikipedia.com)” from a desk top or mobile browser in desktop mode, I get the normal version (& “wikipedia. **org** ” to boot!); however, if I type “[wikipedia.org](http://wikipedia.org)” from a mobile browser I get the m-dot (Ironman!) version. IOW, they know what version to return to you based upon what browser you’re using; there’s no reason they can’t apply that same logic to a link that you sent me. I try to remove the m. before sending a (usually YT link) but I am human & sometimes don’t. Sorry, but I don’t know why I otherwise need their app clogging up space on my phone & what you stated isn’t nearly a good enough reason. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/18 "2023-01-17T04:02:56Z")
You know, if some superhero themed messageboard person had volunteered to fix this 19 months ago when I wrote that comment, this would all be moot. 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/19 "2023-01-17T15:24:28Z")
Now you know why Ironman was escorted out months ago; that jerk couldn’t finish _anything_ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509/20 "2023-01-20T02:58:38Z")
Good news, everyone! Everybody that hated the mobile version can now rest easy, because Wikipedia changed the desktop version to look more like it, and also be worse in other ways. Now there’s no room to complain! > **[Yes, Wikipedia looks weird. Don’t freak out.](https://mashable.com/article/new-wikipedia-redesign)** > > A thing changed! Argh! Do you like whitespace? Web designers do. The new version has gobs of it. Do you like sites with so much contempt for their users that they override their width preference? The new version has that too! And everyone’s favorite, navigation bars that you can’t scroll past. Yay! BTW, you can actually go back to the old version. I did so immediately. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedias-mobile-version/944509.md?page=2)