Problem: Sometimes we're going to write a story, and I really want one, and I type in the original local currency, and like other financial sites, they can actually convert that local currency for me, in real time, into my local currency, and present it in parentheses.
Proposed solution: I type in the original local currency, and just like any other financial news site, it converts that local currency into my local currency in real time, and the exchange rate automatically converts the national currency template, which is presented in brackets.
Who would benefit: Wikinews, All Wikimedia projects and readers.
More comments: Currency templates are especially useful for wikinews in all languages. Because actually for Chinese Wikinews, especially we cover various countries, including Taiwan dollar, Chinese yuan, Hong Kong dollar, patacas, Japanese yen, Korean won, Thai dollar, Singapore dollar, Malaysian RMbil US dollar, British pound, euro, rubles and some African currencies.
Thank you for suggesting this! I think this would be a fantastic idea (and it gives me another idea: to create one that says "$20 USD in 1920 is worth $__ today"). However, is there a trusted and open database we can connect to for international money conversions? I assume this database would need to update in realtime, as conversation rates may change day by day. Evedawn99 (talk) 15:04, 1 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
As encyclopedias, do we really need the currency conversion of historical numbers in real-time? The fluctuations may end up resulting in differences in the presentation of the information, and introduce more distrust in the content by readers when they compare their versions as viewed at different times. It seems that :en:Template:FXConvert has been imported into zhwiki, with some templates in en:Category:Currency conversion templates as well. These show historical inflation rates, and are up to date to the previous year, if the inflation/exchange rates are updated accordingly. Maybe this can be a starting point to work on universal template/module with the data residing in wikidata. Robertsky (talk) 19:25, 10 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Currency conversion rates are highly complex due to buy/sell differences, purchasing power differences, official fixed rates which do not correspond to black market rates, hyperinflation and revaluation. And rates now fluctuate on a second-by-second basis. And don't get me started about crypto-currencies. Given such variability then quoting a calculated exchange rate would effectively be original research. We should stick to the facts. Andrew D. (talk) 22:25, 10 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose. The French Wikivoyage already does this (see voy:fr:Modèle:Prix), and this wouldn't require the WMF's resources to do. The wikis that would need such a template can always import the template from fr.voy (or another wiki that uses the template). --SHB2000 (talk | contribs)22:54, 10 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Support I see the value of having real time conversion for non-encyclopedic projects. The wikivoyage fr setup is a good start, however, we may need additional work if we want additional stuff like allowing users to select their preferred currency. Robertsky (talk) 17:12, 11 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Support Reference data such as day per day exchange rates should by available. Marc Mongenet (talk) 20:17, 10 February 2023 (UTC)
Oppose. The French Wikivoyage already does this (see voy:fr:Modèle:Prix), and this wouldn't require the WMF's resources to do. The wikis that would need such a template can always import the template from fr.voy (or another wiki that uses the template). --SHB2000 (talk | contribs) 22:54, 10 February 2023 (UTC)
23:05, 11 February 2023 (UTC)
