On 10/6/05, David Gerard dgerard@gmail.com wrote:
On 10/6/05, Michael Turley <michael.turley at gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we should add the "guard dog" analogy to the rule, since guard dogs sometimes go a little outside the bounds of their confines at unexpected times. This would also support admins such as yourself, who are attempting to apply the spirit of the rule rather than just enforcing to the letter.
No. The current wording (including the bit about the electric fence) expresses the spirit quite accurately, down to the bit about its electric fence nature.
Bottom line: unless it's to fix simple vandalism as defined at [[Wikipedia:Vandalism]], there is no right way to revert more than three times in 24 hours. If you break 3RR, you are doing something completely wrongly.
The electric fence analogy gives people the false impression that they can walk *just up to the edge* and even reach their finger toward it. This is why we keep seeing fourth reverts at 24 hours and a few minutes after the first.
I'd rather we were more clear that people are not "safe" walking right next to the fence like so many think they are. Electric fences don't move when necessary to protect the Wiki. 3RR does (and should) move occasionally.
Further, a guard dog can catch the scent of an intruder in disguise, much like we sniff out sock puppets.
-- Michael Turley User:Unfocused