Mark Gallagher wrote:
Refusing to adequately explain an admin action (or, indeed, any challenge action) is a Bad Thing, but it's a Bad Thing whether the spectre of IRC is raised or not. Those who fear IRC need to press home the whole "explain it on-wiki" thing, rather than spend sleepless nights wondering if the married couple Admin A and B said something private at the kitchen table last night.
I have nothing to do with IRC myself. I wouldn't say that it's out of fear, but it comes more from having a deliberative personality that likes to mull over ideas before responding to them. Waiting 15 minutes to respond to a comment while I think it over or reach out to a reference book to back up my ideas simply does not work in a chat line.
Peremptory admin actions are a different issue. Saying that something was decided on IRC, or saying, "I can do this because I'm an admin," serves only to raise the temperature of the discussion.
Ec