on 6/23/07 3:39 AM, David Goodman at dgoodmanny(a)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