The Cunctator wrote:
As you can see at http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMC%27s_sysop_request I basically agree, but I'll ask you to consider a more scalable resolution; that is, have the Recent Changes etc. display the nickname only, and enforce innocuousness of the nickname.
Is the nickname actually in the database? (Forgive my cluelessness on this point.) Or is the nickname just whatever someone happens to write?
This does sound like a better solution. I just now asked the wikitech-l list for an opinion on how hard it would be to change his name to TMC from Throbbing Monster Cock. It seems not-impossible but a pain in the neck.
But if nicknames are in the database, then that sounds like a useful solution.
If we can figure out a way to not have to fight, that is, give TMC a harmless playpen that doesn't bother anyone else, then I think everyone wins. TMC, other than his need for such a playpen, is a good contributor.
That's the strange thing about it, isn't it? I agree. His contributions are fine.
And I think it's good to have a few antiestablishment figures around. It's a sign of a healthy society.
Sure.
But even if you think my plan has merit, I could certainly understand banning TMC in the meantime.
Well, I don't intend to ban him unless he tries to be a pain in the ass about the name change.
--Jimbo
On Thu, 2002-11-14 at 10:40, Jimmy Wales wrote:
The Cunctator wrote:
As you can see at http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMC%27s_sysop_request I basically agree, but I'll ask you to consider a more scalable resolution; that is, have the Recent Changes etc. display the nickname only, and enforce innocuousness of the nickname.
Is the nickname actually in the database? (Forgive my cluelessness on this point.) Or is the nickname just whatever someone happens to write?
An optional nickname can be set in the user preferences (so it's stored in the chunk o' options in the user table, but not in a conveniently accessible fashion). Its sole purpose is to appear as the text of a user page link in ~~~-signings in talk pages.
Showing the nickname *everywhere* would make the independent existence of the username both pointless and confusing.
-- brion vibber (brion @ pobox.com)
On 11/14/02 4:11 PM, "Brion Vibber" brion@pobox.com wrote:
On Thu, 2002-11-14 at 10:40, Jimmy Wales wrote:
The Cunctator wrote:
As you can see at http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMC%27s_sysop_request I basically agree, but I'll ask you to consider a more scalable resolution; that is, have the Recent Changes etc. display the nickname only, and enforce innocuousness of the nickname.
Is the nickname actually in the database? (Forgive my cluelessness on this point.) Or is the nickname just whatever someone happens to write?
An optional nickname can be set in the user preferences (so it's stored in the chunk o' options in the user table, but not in a conveniently accessible fashion). Its sole purpose is to appear as the text of a user page link in ~~~-signings in talk pages.
Showing the nickname *everywhere* would make the independent existence of the username both pointless and confusing.
That's its sole current purpose, but why should the nickname only appearing on talk pages be any less confusing?
The tagging of RecentChanges and revision edits with the username can be seen as equivalent to signing comments on the userpages. I don't think it's inherently confusing.
The majority of people don't use a nickname, so this change wouldn't even be an issue for the majority of the people.
I'm not saying this is a perfect idea; I just don't think its consequences would be mass confusion, and it certainly wouldn't be pointless.
Why not? Because we can't perfectly adjudicate the inoffensiveness of usernames. People have even thought that my username is vulgar.
The downside, as I see it, is more one of added complexity, and possibly just shunting off an issue that will come back later. But I'm not going to panic about unpredictable future possibilities.
On Thu, 2002-11-14 at 13:50, The Cunctator wrote:
On 11/14/02 4:11 PM, "Brion Vibber" brion@pobox.com wrote:
The Cunctator wrote:
As you can see at http://meta.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMC%27s_sysop_request I basically agree, but I'll ask you to consider a more scalable resolution; that is, have the Recent Changes etc. display the nickname only, and enforce innocuousness of the nickname.
[...]
Showing the nickname *everywhere* would make the independent existence of the username both pointless and confusing.
That's its sole current purpose, but why should the nickname only appearing on talk pages be any less confusing?
The tagging of RecentChanges and revision edits with the username can be seen as equivalent to signing comments on the userpages. I don't think it's inherently confusing.
People can sign their edits in-page however they wish or not at all. The tilde-signing is a labor-saving convenience feature to automatically put in a link back to the user page, which is common in such signing; the nick is a convenience feature for those who wish their signings to appear differently from their user name, but still want a simple labor-saving method to link back to their user page. If we didn't have it, we'd still have people making manual links to their user pages whose text wasn't identical with their usernames.
Tagging on RC and page histories, on the other hand, is automatic tracking. Its sole purpose is to be clear and informative. It's not a signature; it's a return address.
The majority of people don't use a nickname, so this change wouldn't even be an issue for the majority of the people.
I'm not saying this is a perfect idea; I just don't think its consequences would be mass confusion, and it certainly wouldn't be pointless.
Why not? Because we can't perfectly adjudicate the inoffensiveness of usernames. People have even thought that my username is vulgar.
Then what makes you think that we _can_ perfectly adjudicate the inoffensiveness of nicknames, or that if we could there would be any reason to do so separately from hidden usernames which would never be seen by anybody (so why do they exist?)?
-- brion vibber (brion @ pobox.com)
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