[WikiEN-l] Mywikipediaspace

[David Gerard]

On 02/10/06, David Gerard <dgerard at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes. What is the point of such a rule in a TOS? It won't stop
> deliberate violation. So how is it planned to enforce it?
> "Wikipedia: The encyclopedia anyone can edit if they click OK to a
> multi-page contract of adhesion of the sort no-one ever reads anyway."


To expand on this:

What it appears Danny would like is a rule that people would have to
agree to such that they would behave. But you can't legislate against
misunderstanding or malice. What effective penalty can we apply? We
can't even stop people editing if they really want to.

Adding a new rule, or a TOS or whatever, won't change malicious
behaviour a dot, and will hamper the good editors. No rules can ensure
quality, no rules can ensure neutrality, no rules can prevent
cluelessness and no rules can prevent malice.

The solution to bad behaviour is as unlikely to be "let's add LOTS of
new rules" as it is to be "let's add a new rule" when the problem is
editors who don't care about existing rules.


- d.