[WikiEN-l] On preventing anonymous edits

Mon Apr 4 12:25:08 UTC 2005

On 4/4/05 3:30 AM, "Theo Clarke" <wiki at tignosis.com> wrote:

> On Sun, 3 Apr 2005 01:06:44 +0100, David 'DJ' Hedley wrote:
>>  That would be undermining the very point that promotes Wikipedia, though.
>> 
>>  "Anyone can edit" is false if anons can't edit. Theres a lot of people who
>>  would just walk out if that became true.
> 
> Analysed at that level, the promotional statement is already untrue. Blocked
> users and users of blocked IP addresses cannot edit. At a more extreme level,
> those with no access to the Internet cannot edit.
> 
> In my opinion, preventing anonymous edits makes the project no less open as
> long as registration is unrestricted.
> 
To correct the above statement, replace "no less open" with "less open".

By definition placing restrictions and conditions on users makes the project
less open. There can be a reasonable debate about whether and when it is
worth placing restrictions on the project--but it's difficult to have that
reasonable debate when people can't admit what that's doing.