[WikiEN-l] Test case: policing content

Sat Mar 26 04:35:23 UTC 2005

Tom Haws wrote,

>steven l. rubenstein wrote:
> If Tom Haws is going to label as a POV warrior anyone who 
> insists that our policies, such as Verifiability and Cite sources, must be 
> enforced, then how on earth are we going to write a good encyclopedia?  Or 
> do you have a different goal, Tom?

I appreciate the response.  I believe your frustration is honest, and I think (hope) we all share it.  I think that the most sane approach is to realize that Wikipedia simply isn't set up at this time to accomplish the level of editorial control you contemplate.  That doesn't mean it isn't an appropriate goal, just that we have to work pragmatically with the system we have at the moment.

Yes, I personally would be even more patient.  That may not be the "right" answer, but my attitude is maybe I can 1) learn something from that "original researcher" 2) help him feel good about contributing to Wikipedia, and 3) show him by example how Wikipedia works at its best and what NPOV means.  As much as it hurts at times, I simply cannot afford to take excessive ownership in articles.

And so I continue to believe that repeated deletions of the same thing (I personally wouldn't repeat myself over twice except on a talk page) are indeed the beginning of the problem.  And I apologize for the flippant tone of my response.

"If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got."  "If at first you don't succeed, try a different approach."

Tom Haws