Having invented Wikipedia:Probation, let me say that yes it is ugly,
the alternative was often banning. Probation will amount to banning
sooner or later if they keep up whatever they were doing. However,
successful change, with help from whoever is willing to offer it is
also contemplated.
Fred
On Nov 14, 2005, at 3:17 PM, Ryan Delaney wrote:
Probation, then, serves as a blanket license to treat
transgressions
more harshly because of past history. It doesn't mean that the
probationed editor is being granted a mentor to "teach" them the ways
of the Wiki. It means "shape up or ship out" -- and as ugly as it is,
there are some people who have to be dealt with this way, or we will
never get anything done.