Elisabeth Bauer wrote:
While I agree that we need a group contact, I'm against the use of cloaks. It creates an IMO unnecessary distinction between "official" and normal users and can lead for newbies to the false impression that they get an somehow more "official" answer from someone with a cloak when it's in fact only a personal opinion like that of many other users. It destroys the fundamental equality of the people involved in Wikimedia.
If we use cloaks, it should be reserved to people on the board or people with an existing official function (like developer liaision, press contact...) not distributed arbitrarily by an "I trust you policy".
I thought so too, until I realised that they were useful for technical reasons, especially +I modes. That caused me to go from grumpily complaining about their problems to requesting one. Cloaks aren't highly visible, especially when users join the room before identifying with NickServ, as they often do. Some users have a cloak but don't bother identifying at all. I usually don't notice cloaks unless I go looking for them.
Most #wikipedia regulars seem to have a cloak now, so I'd expect a bit of opposition if we tried to take them away. Also, the Freenode staff seem to be very much in favour of the idea.
I often talk on IRC without having identified, and I've never been challenged by a newbie wanting "official" answers. I can't remember anyone ever commenting on the presence or absence of a cloak in relation to any kind of officialness.
-- Tim Starling