[WikiEN-l] Re: Blocking vandals

[John Knouse]

1) Allow sysops to check the IP of new contributors
2) Allow sysops to block new contributors by IP/name
 3) Have IP blocks expire after a definable amount of time
 4) Use an additional cookie-based "soft blocking" mechanism
that should
 fool the technically challenged.
 5) In order to increase sysop accountability, log all sysop
actions
in the  recent_changes (e.g. user:foo banned, page xyz
protected)

I agree with these as long as there's no other new cookie
use or java use; I despise them both.  I do think it's
legitimate to block people trying to vandalize, and I think
that one vandalism incident is PLENTY enough, IF IT IS TRULY
VANDALISM.  For instance, cutting and pasting something from
one page to another completely unrelated page is obvious
vandalism, or inserting a sentence such as "You are gay" is
obvious vandalism.  However, in some of these edit wars,
I've looked at some older versions and sometimes can't
figure out what people were getting so upset about.  I've
mostly been impressed by the objectivity of Wikipedia
results, and know that there are people editing who are both
left-leaning and right-leaning, but it can still come out
pretty neutral.

I do think it's a good idea, too, to set up a nonprofit and
am willing to do whatever I can to help.

--
John Knouse
jaknouse at frognet.net