Proposal for Harmony (was: Policy on Reversions?) - WikiEN-l

19 Nov 2003

Erik made an eloquent and keen observation:

:-)  Until there is a firm policy that is strictly enforced (e.g.
:-)  you can revert only once, if that doesn't work, you will have
:-)  to take it to the talk page), edit wars will be a reality on
:-)  Wikipedia, and the side that is willing to invest the most
:-)  time in their "POV" will get it through by sheer force.

This is precisely the problem which vexes me. This is what 
makes me want to leave Wikipedia permanently, as I have been 
'threatening' to do all this week. This is what has driven 
away countless superb contributors. Some have complained about 
this problem loudly and repeatedly before making a public 
departure, but many have just quietly vanished like Lewis 
Carroll's snark.

Thus I would like to propose the formation of a sort of club 
or SIG within Wikipedia - sort of on the lines of the old semi-
humorous Wikipedia 'militia' - a group of contributors who will 
join to intervene in edit wars and work together to create a 
stable and neutral article, one which all parties to the edit 
war would agree is correct and good and satisfying.

These club members would show by example how to contribute in 
a harmonious, useful fashion. These members would bind THEMSELVES 
to the rule of "you can only revert once". They would propose 
options on the talk page BEFORE making edits to the article. 
They might even wait an hour or a day for assent from others 
before making a change.

These club members would politely remind others not to make 
abusive remarks on talk pages. They would refactor talk when 
it got too long or tangled.

I don't have to be the club president, we might not even need 
a president or a formal roster.

What does everyone think about this plan?

Ed Poor