Thinking about it logically, community service does seem like a viable option. However, the way it was originally said to be applied was not.
If a person were willing to go through the whole arbitration process until ruling, I would say there is a good chance they actually do enjoy Wikipedia and may have some value to the greater good. Perhaps in the future ArbCom can be given the option of giving community service in exchange for a lighter sentence.
For example, given: User X is knowledgeable in an area where a minority of Wikipedians can make substantive contributions, and the user's only problem is that they tend to get hot under the collar, make personal attacks, or other anti-social behavior. If this user is willing to do community service in the area they do well in, then it can be seen as a sort of "good behavior" and the user's ban will reduced from 4 months to 1 month. If, after one month, the ArbCom can pass a straight vote on whether or not the user has satisfied their community service, the user's ban can be lifted. If not, the ArbCom can issue a statement as to why it has not been satisfied and another vote can be scheduled for the next month.
This way, a potentially valuable contributor to the community can show their good faith and think about what they can do in the future to curb their behavior by carrying out the community service while still participating in the community.
Obviously, this would not work for all users, but even if it is offered to all users, any user who is shown to have violated conditions of community service and the soft ban can have the offer revoked. It will be good for the community and good for the user if they comply. It would be something akin to parole. As soon as you violate parole, you are back in jail. Until then, you can be a productive member of society.
-Skyler1534
-----Original Message----- From: Anthere [mailto:anthere9@yahoo.com] Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 6:42 AM
Daniel Mayer a écrit:
--- Sj 2.718281828@gmail.com wrote:
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:55:47 +0200, Anthere anthere9@yahoo.com
wrote:
One comment :
1.1) RK is banned from editing Wikipedia for four months. In the time
he
is banned, he will be required to do 'community service' work on Wikibooks on topics exclusively related to biology.
Fortunately, this did not pass.
Yes, this was a bizarre suggestion. Perhaps the next suggested remedy will require financial donations in reparation, before restoring a long-time user's editing privileges.
Community service is a very valid remedy in the real world. Why not
here? A
better proposed remedy would have added community service as an option
RK could
choose instead of a total hard ban.
*That* is just the type of thing that would have been appropriate for
(using
your own words) somebody who obviously cares a great deal about the
project.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, then all your problems start to
look
like nails. The ArbCom needs more tools.
-- Daniel Mayer (aka mav)
I perfectly agree it might be a solution, and a good one for RK to show his good will. And I definitly support this kind of solution.
But this can only be an option endorsed by RK himself. Not forced on him.
There is a huge difference between real life and Wikipedia.
We chose to participate and be part of Wikipedia community. We can also choose not to. And that will be okay.
We did not choose to born, and in most places we have no choice but to be part of the civil society.