[WikiEN-l] Fleshlight

[Fastfission]

On 10/7/06, Delirium <delirium at hackish.org> wrote:
> I would have to say Danny erred in this case with his ignorant statement
> that it is a "non-notable product".

IMO it sounds like the real problem here is that in this case we've
concentrated the judgment of notability in one person. I've heard of a
Fleshlight, and indeed in some subcultures they are very well known
(probably one of the best specifically known adult toys at the
moment). It wouldn't be Danny's fault for not knowing that, though,
but if he's the one who gets to make that distinction in cases like
this -- that is, it is not open for discussion, review, etc. -- then
perhaps there's a problem.

But whether or not this is notable or not, the fact that 1. its
notability was decided by one person (or at least, that's the
impression I'm getting from this thread) and 2. it seems spurred by an
office complaint which seems absolutely counter to our core content
editing principles (i.e. that companies can have sole control over
their content because it might negatively affect them to have content
they don't have control over) indicates to me, anyway, that there is
and will be a real problem in the future here.

I know that the tension between the idealistic wiki way and the
overly-litigious American legal system is not a new one, but it will
only get worse over time. My fear for the future is Wikipedia losing
all of its iconoclastic edge and becoming yet another step in product
deployment. I suppose at one level it is inevitable -- anything which
becomes too popular in the United States has to become corporate and
become it fast if it is going to survive -- though I find it a little
sad.

FF