Hi!
I don't feel that Not Writing Every Rule Down From Day One is automatically a failure of that system, though I agree we could be doing more to emphasise what is fundamental principles and what is administrative stuff.
It's a matter of deciding whether there is something gluing all projects into one or not. This common glue cannot come from en.wiki, it must come from wmf, because wmf is the only thing that really holds us together (trademark + hosting service). It's definitely NOT about administrative or local stuff.
BTW, my request for a list dedicated to small wikies is not provocative. It's just a matter of recognizing that since WMF fails (so far) to give this glue it will probably be better if at least try and make this glue all together, since none of us will ever have the numerical force needed to fight against en.wiki's POV.
Berto 'd Sera Personagi dl'ann 2006 per l'arvista american-a Time (tanme tuti vojaotri) http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html