[WikiEN-l] the wik user

Sat May 15 11:59:09 UTC 2004

In a message dated 5/15/2004 5:28:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
fredbaud at ctelco.net writes:
Much of the fire, as opposed to the light, that eminates from Wik concerns
editing disputes which do not affect the content of an article, being over
such questions as whether Vietnam is in Southeast Asia or in East Asia, or
whether Mongolia is in Central Asia or in East Asia, etc. 
This whole post is kind of silly, but then again its assumptions are kind of 
silly too. As for his editing disputes not affecting the content of an 
article, the examples given prove that this is not the case. Geographic regions are 
important ways of classifying political entities, cultures, flora and fauna, 
etc. Misclassifying a country certainly does matter. 

So no matter
whether Wik "wins" or not, and he does usually win as he never gives up or
wastes time talking with other users about disputes, the article itself is
basically unaffected.

Why does Wik usually win. In fact, he usually comes under attack. And if he 
is right, what is wrong with winning. Are we expected to let everyone, 
including those who are wrong, win equally? If he is right, why should he give up? If 
the other user is just as persistent as he is, but motivated by some agenda 
and the debate has been going on for ever, why should he keep reiterating the 
old arguments to people who resort to rhetoric rather than fact?  As for the 
articles being basically unaffected, that would only be true if we want the 
articles composed entirely of platitudes. The importance of the articles lies in 
the details.

He does affect Wikipedia as he serves for others as a model of how to impose
your will and get your way. 
No, now you are assuming that his way is wrong, but he is able to get away 
with imposing it anyway. That is patently false. In fact, this ad hominem attack 
is simply a way for the poster to impose his will and get away with it.
He will also (eventually) serve as an example of
what happens if you continually buck the minimum requests Wikipedia makes of
users in the way of etiquette.

The only really interesting point here. Does etiquette mean that we have to 
succumb to people who try to use Wikipedia to further their own agendas. In 
fact, calling etiquettte is being used as a way "impose your will and get your 
way" at the expense of accuracy. (Not that many of Wik's opponents are actually 
paradigms of etiquette). 

Fred
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