[Wikipedia-l] Edit Wars

Fred Bauder fredbaud at ctelco.net
Mon Aug 5 14:51:30 UTC 2002


At 09:54 AM 8/5/02 -0400, Ed Poor wrote:
>Locking a page is only a temporary solution to an edit war. It stops the
current battle, of course, but a better long-term solution is to teach
contributors how to write from the NPOV. I'm not saying that this is an
EASY solution, obviously. I myself have struggled mightily to learn how to
write neutrally, and I still fail occasionally on subjects dear to me (such
as Global Warming, which Axel has reverted in flames a few times :-).
>
>I've stepped in from time to time, as in the Eisenhower controversy,
trying to show how information that veers away from the consensus can be
included: usually by summarizing, creating a new article, or demoting
content to an external link.
>
>What do others think about the prospects for educating contributors to the
controversial pages, on how to write from the?

Prospects are dim in certain instances. Some folks have a lifetime
half-life on certain fixed ideas. A crank usually has a narrow focus so
even they can benefit from tips on technique. In instances where a
government in engaged in war or serious domestic conflict Wikipedia is just
a part of their psychological warfare operations, if they bother with us at
all.

But I continue to think a good [[controverial issue]] page would be helpful.

Fred Bauder




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