[Foundation-l] Do we need a Code of Participation?

[Brian McNeil]

What is being missed here is *Wikinews' comment namespace is outside NPOV*.

We want opinions, we want people proposing half-assed solutions and getting
them shot down in flames. We want people to come back to Wikinews to see
what issues catch their attention and provoke them to {{haveyoursay}}. I
think that particular template goes on virtually every single new article.
It is positive feedback for our contributors because they get to see people
are reading their articles and are provoked to comment on them.

For some the blunt, but succinct, "Don't be a jerk" is not the way WM should
do things, and I have sympathy for their point of view. If someone can come
up with something as pithy in about 10 words or less I'd be happy to see it.

On the other hand, I'd remind people who have a focus on other projects that
Wikinews is, well, a news site. Every article we keep makes its appearance
on the front page. What we have here is an online equivalent of letters to
the editor, but with retroactive moderation. There has been limited use of
profanity on these pages to date, but some have been very active and are now
longer than the articles they are attached to.

My personal favourite... (from [[WN:BJAODN]])

Article: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Nebraska_Senator_sues_God
Comment: "In a stunning twist, God countersued the entire human race for
distruction of property and loitering. "I clearly said they could eat of any
tree except that one. That fruit was off limits," He remarked, "But did they
listen? No. There are consequences, people!" Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman sued
the senator for infringement of "look and feel." --76.18.66.115 02:37, 19
September 2007 (UTC)".


Brian.

-----Original Message-----
From: foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:foundation-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of David Gerard
Sent: 06 November 2007 15:19
To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Do we need a Code of Participation?

On 06/11/2007, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:

> David, 'because everybody does it' is not an excuse to do something in the
> Wikimedia Projects. Wikimedia must create its own distinct identity; and
its
> reputation and credibility will be a great part of that identity - and its
> use of language a crucial part as well.
> The language of social pages should not be the language of Wikimedia
> policies.


No, I mean it's actually, functionally speaking, the first rule of all
social spaces on and offline.


- d.