[WikiEN-l] An expert's perspective - Tim Bray on editing the XML article

[Ken Arromdee]

On Thu, 13 Aug 2009, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote:
> That's right. I proposed that we *treat* self-proclaimed experts as 
> having a COI, i.e., the same basic rules. A badge of honor, not a 
> shame. No more arguments about whether a situation is a real COI or 
> not. You claim to be an expert, please don't contentiously edit the article.

The idea that a badge of honor results in a restriction is contrary to what
most people think of as a badge of honor.

Like the argument "a block isn't a punishment", calling a restriction by a
nicer name and pretending it isn't a restriction isn't going to fool anyone,
and may only discourage more people as they now see that not only are you
adding dubious restrictions, you're trying to lie about them.

> It's a way to *protect* experts, not attack them. Treating "as COI" 
> isn't an attack at all. Right now, "COI" is often used as a attack.

It's an attack because it allows you to limit their activities in a way that
you could not if they didn't have a COI.  In other words, it's treated as an
attack because it functions just like one.

You're not going to get anywhere by pretending it's not something that it is.