On 2015-12-08 17:57, Andreas Kolbe wrote:
I like that post, Milos. :)
The other day someone suggested to me in a chat Wikipedia should have a function like Skype, or IM, so people could chat about stuff privately. I think it's a great idea. (Obviously you would have to make it so people can only instant-message you after you've accepted their contact request.)
At the same time, I have a feeling such a proposal made on wiki would sink like a lead duck. On Wikipedia, having friends and talking to them PRIVATELY on a Wikipedia feature where (shock! horror!) others are EXCLUDED and can't see what you're saying elicits dire fears of "canvassing", "cabal" and other such words (while people still generally accept that it is okay for contributors to have email correspondence, or talk to someone in the pub).
I am not even saying that such fears would be unjustified – the Eastern European Mailing List arbitration case comes to mind – but it is somehow a weird culture. And as Milos says, all of that tends to evaporate when you are actually standing in a corridor at an event, or having your lunch and chatting.
Andreas
I think as soon as there is no reference to this chat as a decision-making venue (like "We have chatted and I unblocked them", or, even worse, "blocked them"), it should be ok, and might be even accepted as an on-wiki suggestion (we have irc anyway, and many people are there 24h/24), but then of course someone would need to lobby it, organize RfC, closing etc.
Cheers Yaroslav