[Wikipedia-l] Re: Policy

[Jimmy Wales]

The Cunctator wrote:
> Of course, the rest of you who subscribe to the mailing list clearly
> feel that it's necessary to lock down the policy pages, so vive la
> revolution!

I don't think it's necessary to lock down the policy pages.  Is there
a problem with ongoing vandalism there?  I don't think so.

At the same time, I think it's wiser to steer towards a policy of
openness and consensus decisionmaking.  Why keep policy proposals
hidden from the mailing list?  Why not refrain from making policy
changes until a consensus is reached, both on the mailing list and on
any relevant talk pages?

It's one thing to say "policy pages should be locked down so only an
authorized elite can edit them".  It's another thing to say "Hey, it's
better to talk about policy changes extensively before making them.
It's more important, the bigger the change.  So don't avoid making
proposals to the mailing list."

In the current case, there's a question about deletions.  There are
many valid points on all sides, many pros and cons to various ways of
handling them.  But there is also consensus that non-destructiveness
is good, that caution is good, that getting abject crap out of the
system is good.

Edit wars on the policy pages won't help much with that, but talking will.

--Jimbo