I've tried to refrain from commenting here, but I can't help it.
I don't object to the idea of shorter terms in theory, but based on
the experience of the last few weeks, I think it's too early to be
talking about it. This election turned into, to put it bluntly, a
crapfight, with open season on the candidates. I found it to be a
painful experience, and I wasn't even one of the ones being targeted
most. I would also seriously consider not running again entirely on
that basis, despite the fact that I'm looking forward to getting into
my work as an arbitrator. That's why I chose one of the three-year
terms - and I believe I'm not the only one.
I think it would be wise to make absolutely damned sure that the
events of this election don't happen again before we start talking
about shortening the terms of the newly-elected arbitrators, or we may
well find next time that we once again won't have enough suitable
candidates, or that a certain class of users won't run. Being
tremendously thick-skinned shouldn't, IMO, be a requirement for
running for arbitrator.
I'm not going to get into the additional issues that have been
previously raised about people trying to make popular decisions
instead of right ones, but I agree wholeheartedly with much of what
was said by people like Angela.
-- ambi
On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 11:05:47 -0500, steven l. rubenstein
<rubenste(a)ohiou.edu> wrote:
I agree with Blankfaze and Danny that three year terms
are too long. Isn't
it one of the points of computers that they speed things up? Three years
in the wikiworld is a very, very, long time. Shorter term limits are a
matter not only of preventing the establishment of a cabal (or the
appearance of one); it will help prevent burn-out and of course encourage
greater participation on the part of others.
I understand Angela's concern about experience, but I think that requiring
candidates for AC to have been around for a certain amount of time, or
having done a certain number of edits, will guarantee a minimum amount of
experience at Wikipedia, and staggered terms will help ensure a continuity
of experience on the committee.
Steve
Steven L. Rubenstein
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Bentley Annex
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701
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