I've tried to refrain from commenting here, but I can't help it.
I don't object to the idea of shorter terms in theory, but based on the experience of the last few weeks, I think it's too early to be talking about it. This election turned into, to put it bluntly, a crapfight, with open season on the candidates. I found it to be a painful experience, and I wasn't even one of the ones being targeted most. I would also seriously consider not running again entirely on that basis, despite the fact that I'm looking forward to getting into my work as an arbitrator. That's why I chose one of the three-year terms - and I believe I'm not the only one.
I think it would be wise to make absolutely damned sure that the events of this election don't happen again before we start talking about shortening the terms of the newly-elected arbitrators, or we may well find next time that we once again won't have enough suitable candidates, or that a certain class of users won't run. Being tremendously thick-skinned shouldn't, IMO, be a requirement for running for arbitrator.
I'm not going to get into the additional issues that have been previously raised about people trying to make popular decisions instead of right ones, but I agree wholeheartedly with much of what was said by people like Angela.
-- ambi
On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:05:47 -0500, steven l. rubenstein rubenste@ohiou.edu wrote:
I agree with Blankfaze and Danny that three year terms are too long. Isn't it one of the points of computers that they speed things up? Three years in the wikiworld is a very, very, long time. Shorter term limits are a matter not only of preventing the establishment of a cabal (or the appearance of one); it will help prevent burn-out and of course encourage greater participation on the part of others.
I understand Angela's concern about experience, but I think that requiring candidates for AC to have been around for a certain amount of time, or having done a certain number of edits, will guarantee a minimum amount of experience at Wikipedia, and staggered terms will help ensure a continuity of experience on the committee.
Steve
Steven L. Rubenstein Associate Professor Department of Sociology and Anthropology Bentley Annex Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701
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