2008/8/10 private musings thepmaccount@gmail.com:
...I think we probably could work out way towards agreeing to disagree on this one - but I also suspect there's some common ground hiding there somewhere! Yes - full openness surrounding the length of time IP data is stored for may increase 'gamability' in some areas - it may also cause other unspoken, or un-thought of problems. The benefits to doing so are in my view a bit fuzzier and related to big picture community health issues and an abstract concept of what's 'right' - perhaps it'll suffice to say for now that I currently believe it would be a net gain to be open, honest, and clear about this sort of stuff.
It should be noted here that PM's opinions on the matter should be taken in the context of (a) having been thoroughly busted massively sockpuppeting on en:wp (b) at no stage accepting that he did anything wrong in doing so, and that there must be a problem with the checkuser procedures for him to have been caught.
- d.