[Textbook-l] Game Guides

Wed Jun 7 19:27:21 UTC 2006

Okay, Jimbo.  In an effort to discuss the game guides issue, I would
appreciate a couple of questions being answered.  I will try to
address various points people have brought up on the subject of game
guides as well as Wikibooks (WB) as a whole.  I will try to ask them
in a broad sense, including questions that may seem obvious to some.
Bear with me.

1. What was the original purpose of Wikibooks?

2. Is the current purpose the same?

3. Who has control over the overall content of Wikibooks? The
Wikimedia Foundation, the WMF Board, the community of Wikibookians?

4a. Some time ago now, you declared that game guides did not fit with
the intent of WB.  Were you speaking on behalf of the Wikimedia
Foundation?  Were you speaking just as Jimbo?

4b. Who decided all of a sudden to rid Wikibooks of game guides?  Was
there recent discussion on Meta?  Between the Board?  If so, is there
a record of this discussion?

5. Why specifically do game guides not fit in Wikibooks?  Are there
possible tax-exemption implications with having these here?  If so,
where is the information regarding this?

6. If the community of Wikibookians disagrees with the decision, and
consensus is formed against it, can the community disregard the
pronouncement?

7. If the community rejects the pronouncement and decides they want
game guides included, what steps would need to be taken to ensure
there place at WB?  Would the WMF bylaws need to be changed? If so,
how would they go about doing that?

8. Can video games be an acceptable textbook subject?  If so, what are
the requirements?  Is a simple walkthrough constitute a textbook?

9. If video game guides are to be gotten rid of, what about board game guides?

10. There is talk of a "Accredited Institution" metric.  If one small
institution somewhere develops a class on a topic, does that warrant
that topic's textbook on WB?  What about  if three institutions have
the class?  Should links to some number of courses be provided to show
the suitability for WB? If so, how many?

11. Do classes that you do not earn credit for (either
extra-curricular or within school, but not for credit) count as
classes under the Accredited Institution metric?  For example, clubs
used to educate someone on a topic not otherwise found in class.

12. If the removal of video game guides also results in the leaving of
many prolific and trusted WB editors, does the WMF consider this okay?

13. Any other comments on these issues?

I guess this is a start.  Forgive me if my biases show through. I
tried to ask questions brought up on both sides of the issue.  If I
have forgotten any glaring questions, please forgive me.  I understand
some of these are not easy to answer, but I, and others, would
appreciate whatever answers you can provide. Thanks.
--LV