On Mon, 06 Oct 2003 18:52:49 -0400, user_Jamesday user_Jamesday@myrealbox.com gave utterance to the following:
Regarding temporary bans
As a dictator elsewhere I've found them to be very useful as a way of setting limits without the problems a long term ban causes. They are a useful reminder that the rules will be enforced, if necessary.
The abuse problem can be handled by: o a five times as long ban for anyone who is found by a majority of some group to have acted in a partisan way, doubling each time it happens within a 30 day period. o a six month prohibition on editing the articles over which the first ban was inppropriately applied or any articles linking to them at the time of the ban.
I think the second idea would potentially lead the disgruntled ones to troll all over forums beyond wikipedia's control spreading FUD about how we censored them (and probably invoking Godwin's law in the process :-). Some people with bees in their bonnet about certain things have even gone to the trouble to set up spambots to make their voice heard widely.