[WikiEN-l] Wikipedia broken

[Steve Block]

David Alexander Russell wrote:
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> Yes, but the problem is people who try to enforce these policies are
> referred to as 'wikilawyers' and 'process wonks' - see the recent
> (pre-CSD T1) userbox flamewar, where the people seeking to enforce
> deletion policy (ie that there was no policy allowing speedying of
> userboxes) were treated as trolls.
> 
> I'm not seeking a reconsideration of the userbox 'issue' here (thank
> God/[insert alternative deity of your choice here] that's over), but it
> shows just how easy it is to ignore policy if you characterise those
> seeking to uphold policy as trolls, wikilawyers and process wonks.

Yeah, I suppose you have a good point there.  But then policy and 
guidelines are descriptive, and being a wiki, actions on the ground can 
ultimately change policy.  What you need is not people who slavishly 
enforce policy, but people who are prepared to balance the issue, weigh 
and discuss it, and get an outcome.  There are at least thirty editors 
from whom I'd trust a rough majority decision on an issue. Userbox was a 
hard issue, there were obvious problems, but no obvious solution. And I 
think both sides gave as good as they got in that debate.  It's a shame 
we couldn't get a damn compromise through on that.  Sometimes, on some 
issues, I think Wikipedia really has to look at it and say, look, some 
people will be pissed off whichever way this goes, but we need a 
decision to end it, and if it means taking a one vote majority so-be-it. 
  Maybe on a slim majority we should implement monthly trials.

Steve block


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