[WikiEN-l] WP:DENY is a steaming pile of crap.

[Sam Blacketer]

On Nov 9, 2007 12:03 PM, Daniel R. Tobias <dan at tobias.name> wrote:

> On 9 Nov 2007 at 10:39:57 +0000, "David Gerard" <dgerard at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > If you act in a manner perceived by others as being jerklike, they are
> > likely to perceive you as being jerklike.
>
> ...which still doesn't justify being a jerk back to them.  Two wrongs
> don't make a right.


Reflecting on this debate, we all know there are some users who are just
about causing drama and not here to build an encyclopaedia. There are also
some users who are just about propounding their own views and not here to
build an encyclopaedia. Then there are some users who, while they have an
abrasive approach, want to make a better encyclopaedia. The missing
consideration is that sometimes, users in this latter group move into either
of the first two based on their experiences.

And, that includes their experiences with admins.

All admins should consider the actual effect of admin actions and of talk
page messages on the user who receives them. An admonition to 'please behave
better and think of others' allows the recipient the choice of complying or
not. A comment that 'you are a disruptive troll and are on your way to an
indefinite block' does not.

I find that the best way of making obsessive editors more constructive is to
give them things to do. In other words, "you can have claim X in the article
if you can prove to me it's significant - bring me some mainstream sources
for it". Every hour this editor spends looking for the source is an hour
spent in possible improvement of the encyclopaedia, and an hour not spent
disrupting things.

-- 
Sam Blacketer
London E15