On Monday 11 November 2002 09:15 am, wikipedia-l-request@wikipedia.org wrote:

Here is a partial list of the customs or guidelines I see as already in place: * don't delete an entire article or insert random nonsense (no vandalism) * don't alter other user's comments (no forgery)

• don't write partisan articles on controversial subjects (NPOV)
• don't post copyrighted material, except fair use

Here are the 3 enforcement mechanisms:

• anyone can undo a change, thus reverting the vandalism, forgery or POV

violation (soft security) * a sysop or above can ban an IP address

• developers can ban a signed-in user (not "authorized" but "can")
• Jimbo can ban a signed-in user

Is this is fine, then let's keep it. If it could possibly be improved, let's improve it.

Ed Poor

This seems similar to what I proposed in this post http://www.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikipedia-l/2002-November/007226.html

In that post I also added that a statement be added to each edit window that reads;

"By saving this page you indicate that you agree to the terms and conditions of using this website"

"rules and conditions" would be a link to the policy page (read more in my previous post - near the bottom).

Yes it is a EULA but dammit is no longer possible to review each days edit and get to know each new user. Believe me I have tried more than anybody else except Ed to orient new users. At one time not too long ago at all I greeted each one that had made more than 2 unoverwritten edits and I edited each of their first entries for style, NPOV etc and then gave them feedback. But I don't have time to do this when there are 40 new users every that meet those selection criteria every several days. I guess I will change the filter to 5 unoverwritten edits.

The point is that we are quickly loosing the ability to effectively do things like we always have done them. Now instead of "tapping somebody on the shoulder" as was the previous custom we must have the software point people to where our policies are and state that those policies are enforceable.

-- Daniel Mayer (aka mav)