[WikiEN-l] Dispute resolution mailing list

[stevertigo]

On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 5:42 PM, Risker <risker.wp at gmail.com> wrote:

> It's a bit unclear what problem this list (these lists?) would be intended
> to solve.
>

Great comments, Risker.

For one, we don't always do things to "solve problems" - sometimes we do
things because they are experimental or synergistic.

Content disputes? is there a reason why we would want people to discuss
> content disputes off-wiki? Seems to me one of the main allegations we hear
> at the Arbitration Committee is excess off-wiki communication related to
> content.
>

Excellent point. In a certain way, it seems that there must be some
limitation upon what depth content disputes may be discussed on list. In
another respect, a certain integration between talk page and list discussion
may help to 1) abstract conflicts from being localized to unseen talk pages,
and 2) bring abstract general-interest attention to specific talk pages.  In
reality, this is the way wikien-l used to work, before it got all
abstractified and focused exclusively on talking about what newspapers are
saying about us.

Behaviour disputes?  How will a mailing list address these better than
> current processes? (Note, I'm not a big fan of RFCs, but I would like to
> hear a rationale about why mailing lists are better.) What if the person(s)
> whose behaviour is the subject of the mailing list thread chooses not to
> join the mailing list?
>

Indeed, the list should not replace anything else. Rather it should give
people an eagle-eye view of disputes, and from this vantage this offers a
certain extra dimension to using RFC's, etc.

Interpersonal disputes?  Again, how is a mailing list better? and what
> happens when only one party joins the mailing list?
>

Very good point. Again, as far as specific conflicts go, it would be more of
an announce list. As far as general discussion goes, well this aspect at
least to my mind is quite necessary, as general discussion on talk pages is
not useful to anyone.

-Stevertigo