On Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.comwrote:
I don't support any proposal for a new mailing list for dispute resolution. However, I won't object to one for discussion *about* DR (that's the difference between consensus and unaminity - for consensus you just need people to not object, for unanimity you need their support). I do object to a mailing list where DR is actually intended to happen.
"dres-l" (see note at bottom) will at first deal with overall dispute resolution issues, and if specific things come up, we can point them in the right direction on the wiki. We of course do not want to say that things that should be dealt at Arbcom would be handled on dren-l
I understand you are under some impression that a "dres-l" list would somehow be compromised if it dealt with specific issues. Think of it this way: Someone in a dispute on Talk:Peace about the Peace article lead could email the list (through a simple on-wiki interface, by the way), and say "I've got a problem" -- dres listers could simply point them to a specific page on Wiki, or even (gasp) help them get things done on the page itself. Maybe even helping to resolve the conflict (less work for Arbcom), or helping disputants file a compliant to formal DRR.
Keep in mind that while it makes sense to diversify certain processes (cleanup, VFD/AFD, etc.) it also makes sense to integrate those things which are too divergent and need a kind re-integration. For example, I put together the WP:DRR page (now "Dispute resolution requests) to give people an interface to all of the various dispute resolution processes. Its still a mess for the simple reason that 1) each "dispute resolution" process has its own unique rules, and submitting forms, helper templates, etc., and 2) some of them are essentially useless: "Negotiation", (huh?) "Talk pages" (eh?), Mediation Cabal (GMAB), "Wikiquette" (WTF?). And note that ANI isn't even on there. ANI is now perhaps the most central DR hub on the wiki, and its not even considered as part of DR. "Integration" is the relevant concept. Does anyone disagree that certain things along the lines of "integration" would be good for DR?
So, things need to be done to DR. The valves are knocking, the timing is off, and the temperature guage is spiking.
-Stevertigo
Note: Why not make it a general "dres-l" and let all language wikis submit?