[Foundation-l] Verifiability: Constitution? Question for Jimbo!

[Daniel Arnold]

Am Montag, 18. September 2006 20:39 schrieb Gerard Meijssen:
> There are many people who have been disgusted by the
> policies about (in their opinion) nitwits who claim that an article is
> not "good" but do not argue WHY it is not good. The notion that
> something is not good because there are no sources provided is in and of
> itself not a conceptual argument, it is a formalistic argument.

Well, as I have said it: 
> > Well enforcing of policies in a bureaucracy way like: "There is something
> > wrong but I don't say what" does help nobody. 

This includes that you are a bit patient with a newbie and go into detail what 
you think a proper source could be because he probably has not a real clue 
what a proper source could be like. But general patience does not mean that 
you need to be overly patient and wait for enternity for validation of 
information.

> Constructive criticism.. I would love a definition for that.. is that
> not the criticism that says "you are on the right track but see the way
> of your errors" .. basically replacing one POV with another ..

Ray Saintonge did define it nice:
"Not really.  It presents alternative points of view.  It recognizes what 
is right in the article, and suggests alternatives that might improve 
the article.  Insisting that the original writer has erred is not 
constructive."

So I don't see how constructive criticism can introduce more POV.

> When you think that things are self evident, think again.. The only
> point you may have is that there are loads of crackpots posting their
> ideas. The overwhelming mass of them is why you come up with these
> rationalisations.. They help you sometimes, but they are as likely to
> prove you wrong.

True I love rationalisation but I don't mean dumb rationalisation blindly 
ignoring everything else. Rationalisation does not mean applying a robot like 
style. Rationalisation of certain things will also give you a lot of time and 
creativity back you can use for for example for helping newbies making good 
edits.

Cheers, Arnomane