[WikiEN-l] Worthy admins? (was "The userbox fad")

[Chris Jenkinson]

Ray Saintonge wrote:
> I sti;; read Jay's comment as directed to the policy level rather than 
> the individual user level.  A good admin should be able to distinguish 
> between these levels.

Yes, of course. I am distinguishing between them - but understanding the 
reasoning behind why one person is doing it, who is part of a group, 
will usually show up reasoning for why the entire group is behaving as 
it is.

> I agree that people with conditions such as Asperger's will tend to 
> gravitate here.  The anonymity can help them to feel that they can 
> contribute on an equal footing with everyone else.  The downside is that 
> in return for being treated like everyone else, they must act like 
> everyone else.   The Wikipedian community cannot make particular 
> allowances for these conditions when to do so would conflict with a 
> person's anonymity.

Our particular allowances for them would be nothing more than more 
civility and more presumption of good faith, same as for everyone else. 
I'm not arguing for anything more than this.

> When otherwise normal little kids use this technique, and it works it 
> becomes a learned strategy that they take into later life.

Do you have a solution?

> The sentiments there are good but not always practical.  I can get far 
> more attention with a pointed one-liner than with a long detailed 
> analysis of a situation.  That has nothing to do with the validity of my 
> assessment.  When it comes to answering messages one needs to be 
> selective.  Answering every message can be a physicla impossibility.

You raise fair practical points. A pointed one liner is good but if 
people interpret it as rude then it is not good, even if you think they 
are being overly sensitive.

Answering every message may be a physical impossibility, but that 
doesn't mean that an attempt shouldn't be made.

Chris