[Foundation-l] [Wikitech-l] flagged revisions

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

Samuel Klein wrote:
> I agree this is important, to the projects and to the progress of flagged
> revs as a concept (which is still one step of a long journey).  It is worth
> a quick thread on f-l for that reason if not for general interest.
>
>   
I was so taken aback by the conceit that the adoption of one
single extension by a single language in a single project might
be of interest on a foundation level, that I didn't reply directly,
but decided to think hard about whether there is anything at
all about flagged revs that might be of foundation level relevance.

I was in fact mildly surprised to find that I could conceive of one
such issue. And that issue is what limits should we set on the
size of wikipedia projects to whom we will _allow_ setting up
of flagged revs. The leading programmer of flagged revs has
suggested 100 000 articles in the wikipedia context (smaller
sizes ok for instance in wikisource contexts).

But since wikipedia is nearest my heart, that is what I will
focus on here.

My thinking suggests that 100 000 should be the hard lower
limit; below which size, there would have to be extraordinarily
strong and exceptional circumstances where flagged revs could
conceivably be allowed. Do bear in mind that flagged revs is
labour intensive, and bestows very little benefit in the early
stages when emphasis is getting just any content at all up there,
and use by readers is not really that intensive, nor is there much
media interest yet, nor the general public that involved.

My thinking is that it should be strongly discouraged that flagged
revs be used on wikipedias below 250 000 articles, before that
size community building and content creation should be key, not
worrying about the face the wikipedia presents to the outside
world.

But on the other end of the spectrum, on projects like the one
I am active on (the Finnish Wikipedia)...

Disruptive behaviour is not wired into our genes or our
culture, but quietly coöperative behaviour has been. Our
wikipedia is a paradise in comparison to many. For this
reason personally I would consider it a great shame if
we were to be granted flagged revs before say 750 000
or one million. And even as I say this, I know there are
the chance brothers (Fat and Slim) that this devout wish
will be observed. I consider it a great problem that
solutions for problems larger wikis have are nearly
without exception foisted on smaller wikis without much
consideration of what their real effect there will be, and
are they really ready for it.


Yours,

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen