[WikiEN-l] Userbox fads

[Sam Spade]

On 1/7/06, Sam Spade <samspade.thomasjefferson at googlemail.com> wrote:
> While I like what Jimbo said, and what he agreed w Tony Sidaway
> regarding, I should hope he doesn't agree w tony on the following:
>
> One pretty good way to find out would be to take away the user
> categories and see how many people leave.  If they mostly stay, we've
> gotten rid of things that facilitate the abuse of Wikipedia.  If they
> mostly leave, we've unshipped people who were here for the wrong
> reasons.  Either way is a win.
>
> This is not only completely illogical, it underscores how out of touch
> admins can get. Intentionally taking away a source of joy from large
> numbers of users in a bid to see if they'll leave, or if they'll just
> accept your hegemony over them... thats pretty much the opposite of my
> recipe for success in a volunteer setting.
>
> Sam Spade
>

And in case it begs the question, my recipe for success in a volunteer
setting involves lots of affirmation, community building, and rewards
(however small). As a psychology student w who places a great deal of
emphasis on behaviour modification, I see a morbid unbalance of
rewards to punishments on this project. Too much ARBCOM, not enough
"editor of the week". In sum, DO NOT arbitrarily take away that which
makes people happy. Don't be reactionary, be adaptive. Less
complaints, blocks and deletions, more praise, mentorship and
barnstars.

Sam Spade