[Foundation-l] Wikinews - not so much a state of the wiki

[Mike Godwin]

Thomas Dalton writes:
>> Boy, I sure would hate to be the lawyer who had to explain this point
>> to a judge.
>
> You know, as the person paid to be the legal expert here, it would be
> helpful if you would make straight points as opposed to unhelpful
> rhetoric.

I don't think I signed away my right to express humor or irony when I  
signed up with this outfit.

I'm not sure what you mean by "rhetoric" here, since in fact I truly  
would hate to be the lawyer who was trying to explain in court how  
"raw Wikinews" and how it's different from "editorially checked  
Wikinews" and how different theories of liability might apply  
depending on which one was at issue, and why it should make a  
difference.  Not to mention spelling out the operation of flagged  
revisions.

I suppose you want me to use smileys when I say something wry or smile  
in resigned bemusement. ;)

Anyone familiar with my career knows I've explained difficult and  
complex issues in the past, but I think a critical judge would be  
impatient with glib distinctions between categories of Wikinews.  Make  
that doubly impatient if the judge is, say, French.


--Mike