IAR isn't for a regular, predictable, situation where a generic agreed solution would be better, and not for a sourcing issue or "systematic problem" like this. More and more often there is a chance (small in any given case, large overall) that important information for an article may be blog published, so we do have a genuine issue here.
I tend to use eventualism for filling out a page, not for correcting violations of NPOV (paramount policy).I don't expect to find myself thinking *"It's not balanced and gives undue weight but eventually we might get a source that fixes it"*. That's different from extra information that we don't need. As Charles says the problem is that RS is our filter to ensure what we do say is reliable. So the question is, that information in the blog - who says it's accurate? Why would a user rely upon it?
My suggested view is to look at the purpose of RS. The aim of RS is part of a wider goal - not passing off dud information as good, and allowing users to see transparently where our information comes from. We do that to an extent with self published material. So I would be okay with a solution that extended and built upon SELFPUB. For example:
Self-published or questionable sources may be used as sources of information, without the requirement that they be published by experts in the field or reliable sources, so long as:
1. the content is salient or NPOV would be compromised if absent; 2. the content is not published in a more reliable source; 3. the author's details and the origins of the material (authenticity) is not in question; 4. the author's position to speak to the matter or viewpoint involved is not in question; 5. the material is not unduly self-serving; 6. it does not involve claims about third parties; 7. it does not involve claims about events not directly related to the subject; 8. the article is not based primarily on such sources; 9. The material is clearly attributed to the author and the type of medium made clear (personal website, blog, etc) for the reader's understanding.
This is more, a natural extension and rationalization of an existing norm, and puts SELFPUB on a platform with other material of a like nature. Worth proposing?
FT2
On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 7:57 PM, Ian Woollard ian.woollard@gmail.comwrote:
Sure there's something you can do: fix the definition of reliable
source.
Or, isn't this the point of IAR?