[Foundation-l] Anons cannot create pages on english wikipedia?

Wed Dec 7 14:47:23 UTC 2005

On 12/7/05, Jimmy Wales <jwales at wikia.com> wrote:
> Delirium wrote:
> > Jimmy Wales wrote:
> >
> >> Well at least so far, it seems that there have been two effects:
> >>
> >> 1. fewer crappy pages created
> >> 2. the ones that are create are as easy to identify as ever, since some
> >> of the anons are converting into 'anonymous redshirts' (i.e. users with
> >> no userpage).
> >>
> >>
> > You forgot:
> > 3. more crappy edits to existing articles (anecdotally).
> >
> > I agree we should collect more data, but we can't forget collecting data
> > on #3, or else it will be pretty useless.
>
> I agee.  There are probably a number of other small second-order effects
> as well.  For example, by encouraging new users to register when they
> want to create a page, are we positively increasing the number of "good
> wikipedians" by transforming good people from "well, I edit sometimes,
> but I'm not a wikipedian, I don't have an account" to "Hey, I guess I'm
> a wikipedian, I'll do more good work"?
>
> I doubt if we are in a position to figure that out.

"Encouraging new users to register"? When did Jimbo start using doublespeak?
Try "forcing" or "compelling". Honesty and precision in language are
our weapons in the fight against unmeaning.

One of the potential negative consequences of creating a barrier to
entry is that fewer good people will become editors because they will
have been discouraged from creating a new article.