[WikiEN-l] Admins shouldn't shoot back

[Marc Riddell]

on 6/23/07 3:39 AM, David Goodman at dgoodmanny at gmail.com wrote:

> I see a structure--a cellular structure of groups that only sometimes
> interact. If the group is reasonably small, under 50 or so--of whom in
> general 5 to 10 will actually be active, and if the interfaces between
> the groups are kept limited and channelized, the organization can
> continue.
> The cells I have in mind are he Wikiprojects. Many  of them work
> really well to maintain order in their work (I'm thinking particularly
> of Chemistry) and are reasonably hospitable to adequately informed
> newcomers. But they work only incidentally with the other groups. they
> appear in the general forums when something of critical concern to
> them appears, but otherwise they leave the rest of the wiki alone.
> Look at most of the admin candidates--they have each of them
> contributed substantially only within a scope of a few pages. When the
> become admins, they do a little general activity, but most remain
> fairly limited even in that. They are like the country members, who
> come to the capitol only on special occasion.

David,

Another area to think about are the frustratingly complex processes of
conflict appeal and resolution; both within the various Projects and in the
encyclopedia as a whole. As it is now a newbie, in particular, doesn't stand
a chance.

Marc