Personal website of

Jon Robson

(jdlrobson)

I'm a Welsh/English/European open source web developer and writer living in San Francisco.
I work for the Wikimedia Foundation.
I built the mobile Wikipedia experience.

I like to build things that remove barriers for non-technical people to empower them to fulfil their dreams.
I am curious about anything that helps us retain and celebrate the beauty of different cultures.
I contribute to the web in the hope that I will leave it a better place for the children I'll never have.
I write to share ideas.

Technical writing

Why all developers should do their chores How technical debt can become a shared responsibility, January 2019
Why does Wikipedia in 2018 have a mobile site and a desktop site? On why Wikipedia has a mobile site, November 2018
Why it took a long time to build that tiny link preview on Wikipedia #1 article on Hacker News, 20th April 2018
The neglected and meandering history of printing websites On window.print, November 2018
How Wikimedia helped mobile web readers save on data Wikimedia blog, Sept 2016 reddit
The Wikipedia editors behind the curtain Wikimedia blog, May 2014
Go on a Wikipedia scavenger hunt with Wikipedia Nearby Wikimedia blog, May 2013
Wikipedia Mobile gets a face lift Wikimedia blog, March 2012

fiction / non-fiction

Tinderella Mash stories competition shortlist, 12th October 2016
Why I Didn't Change my Relationship Status to Married. elephant JOURNAL, March 2016.
The Temple Burning Man, September 2013.
The Man Burning Man, September 2013.
The Letter ‘E’ Burning Man, September 2013.

Websites I have worked on

A little daily dose website [2018] upcoming
Open library [2018] contributing to Open Library to make it mobile friendly
qieqie [2018] flashcard game for learning Chinese characters.
someday [2017] pan offline travel guide allowing you to edit open knowledge from the comfort of your offline phone.
weekipedia [2016] an offline ready React.js progressive web app clone of the Wikipedia mobile site.
Also allows you to subscribe to all sorts of push notifications driven by Wikipedia.
The Wikipedia mobile site [2012-present] You know Wikipedia, right? I made the mobile version.
Tunbridge Wells Winter Shelter [2011] Built for 2011-12 winter season.
International Gay Lesbian association [2010] (Has since been rebuilt).

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