On 2/7/06, Jay Converse supermo0@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/7/06, Steve Bennett stevage@gmail.com wrote:
On 2/6/06, The Cunctator cunctator@gmail.com wrote:
Pretty much the best kinds of project names are ones that are either expressly positive (i.e. their name assumes good faith, doesn't create an us/them dichotomy), or failing that are ironicly ugly (like "bureaucrat", "benevolent dictator", or "spelling nazi" or "mediation cabal").
Vandalism Cleaning Brigade? Grafitti Purging Workforce?
Okay in that they're simply descriptive.
Slaves for an Unvandalised Wikipedia?
Good.
The Anti-vandalism Superheroes?
That's both us/them and not ironicly ugly.
Vandalism Posse?
Us/them.
Other ideas--positive:
The Fencepainting Project (Shades of Tom Sawyer, with other neighborhood-building connotations.) Welcome Mat Project (the vast amount of vandalism is newbie-ish--enfolding handling vandalism into the concept of welcoming new users makes sense to me. I.e. there are no strangers, just friends we haven't met (and indoctrinated).)
Ironically positive: Care Bear Brigade (I know this was discussed and negged earlier, but it's hilarious.)
Ugly: Users for Mindless Conformity.
G'day Cunct,
Slaves for an Unvandalised Wikipedia?
Good.
Requires too much thought.
The Anti-vandalism Superheroes?
That's both us/them and not ironicly ugly.
Also attractive to the wrong people in the same way CVU is: "I just joined, and I hear there's this thing called a superhero? How do I become one of them?"
Fun name, though.
Vandalism Posse?
Us/them.
Better, though, and fun.
Other ideas--positive:
The Fencepainting Project (Shades of Tom Sawyer, with other neighborhood-building connotations.)
Could work.
Welcome Mat Project (the vast amount of vandalism is newbie-ish--enfolding handling vandalism into the concept of welcoming new users makes sense to me. I.e. there are no strangers, just friends we haven't met (and indoctrinated).)
Also friends who have an irritating habit of kicking in our front door in the middle of the night, pissing all over the rug, nicking any spare change that happens to be lying around, then scarpering, only to return the following night. Problem is, after a week or so, you start to wonder whether the sign outside the door that says "Come in! If you need to go, use the rug!" is such a good idea.
Ironically positive: Care Bear Brigade (I know this was discussed and negged earlier, but it's hilarious.)
I likes it too.
My suggestion: Glaziers. After all, one problem unchecked vandalism causes is the "broken windows" phenomenon ...
Ugly: Users for Mindless Conformity.
We could rename admins to that. Actually, "administrator" is probably a bad name, implying as it does responsibility for everything Wikipdeia does, and a deal of say that we just don't have. We make jokes about janitors and mop and bucket, but that's not what we are, either: *anyone* can *clean up* vandalism. We're not cops, either, despite the idiotic cries of "police state".
I think admins can be considered volunteer rural firefighters (or the SES). We try to clean up any messes (flooding, tree falling down, etc.), fight to stop messes getting worse (bushfires), and if necessary are empowered to confiscate matches wielded by self-professed firebugs.
-- Mark Gallagher "What? I can't hear you, I've got a banana on my head!" - Danger Mouse