You are absolutely right. But let me give you some background to my question.
I'm one of the 2 sysops on HuWiki. We have a growing, but still fragile community with about 20 very active (100+ edits / month) editors.
Currently we experienced the first onslaught of quite persistent trolls and disruptive users ever. Unfortunately several of the key policies have never been translated including WP:SOCK or have been translated before but never had to be put into use like 3RR.
A couple of days ago we had to issue the first blocks for 3RR and the two sysops were vehemently attacked by the blocked users and their friends, demanding our resignation.
I know it's business as usual in EnWiki, but to me, this was my first trial by fire as a sysop (i.e. being called a "nazi"). We're in the process of translating and clarifying all key policies and that's how I found out this inconsistency in the word of the policy and common practice in EnWiki.
The reason I wanted to clarify this is because I know I'm going to be *personally* attacked because of this if its not crystal clear in our version. :(
BTW, do you know how the initial policies of smaller Wikipedia's get formulated? Are they translations of EnWiki policies? Or do they have their own local benevolent dicator like Jimbo, who has the final say in these matters (at least initially)?
Or do people in smaller Wikipedias vote on each and every policy from day 1?
Thanks, nyenyec
On 6/27/05, Gregory Maxwell gmaxwell@gmail.com wrote:
On 6/27/05, Kelly Martin kelly.lynn.martin@gmail.com wrote:
Sounds like legalism to me. Common sense that socks of an editor blocked for 3RR can be blocked at the very least for any further reverts (not 3 more, even one more is enough). Common sense also says that a 3RR block should not be extended.
Let's not get hung up on pedantic legalistic arguments over whether 3RR is a "block" or a "ban" or whether or not admins have a "right" to block or not block. This is an encyclopedia, not an experiment in bureacracy.
Right!
Our policy pages are around to help make our behavior more uniform and to reduce the surprise when we do what we normally do... They do not exist to shackle us. The wikipedia community reserves the right to decided everything on a case by case basis. Consistency is important but it is less important than having a correct solution.