on 1/31/07 7:39 AM, David Gerard at dgerard@gmail.com wrote:
Wikipedia is a working environment - a volunteer one (which has its own social rules, of course), but nevertheless it's a project with a particular purpose. I've seen how obnoxious editors scare off newbies, and it's not nice at all and is actually damaging to the project.
Other collaborative volunteer projects work other ways. The Linux and OpenBSD mailing lists are famously abrasive. But, as noted, no-one's started a "Nastypedia" ...
I think the basic rule, which I hold is the fundamental rule of all social spaces, is "Don't be a dick." Every other social rule we have is a special case of that.
Terrific! I much prefer the term "Don't be a dick" to "incivility"; can we make the change :-).
Seriously, is there an attempt made by other, more seasoned editors, to give support to these newbies to assure them they are supported by the majority of the project?
Marc