On 10 aug. 2014, at 14:27, Erik Moeller erik@wikimedia.org wrote:
However, we've clarified in a number of venues that use of the MediaWiki: namespace to disable site features is unacceptable. If such a conflict arises, we're prepared to revoke permissions if required. This protection level provides an additional path to manage these situations by preventing edits to the relevant pages (we're happy to help apply any urgent edits) until a particular situation has calmed down.
I agree that the current situation is basically something that grew historically that is no longer sustainable. For a long time this was not really a problem and good faith made it work regardless of how broken it was, but when it is used for manipulation, then action is required.
This is not a new thing, but perhaps a clarification that was long over due (and one we perhaps we shied away from too long). We need to collaborate to iterate and improve the software for our movement. I'm the first to support the fact that we have not been able to do that in the past for many reasons. We are now becoming more capable, but we will also still be making a lot of mistakes from various roles, while building the actual feedback loop required to perfect this process. BUT that is a separate issue and there are different venues for that, which are not Common.js -like methodologies.
DJ , Volunteer developer