[Wikipedia-l] Proposed solution to deletion dilemma

Thu Sep 26 17:02:59 UTC 2002

We can solve the dilemma Cunctator mentioned with soft deletes of one
sort or another.

Problem #1: There are way too many micro-stubs and nonsense pages that
have to be deleted.

Problem #2: Once in a while, our hard-working Volunteer Deletion Crew
accidentally deletes something that another contributor (like Cunctator)
wishes they'd been able to look at before deletion.

Solution A: Replace delete by a "soft delete" that erases the current
text but keeps the article history. A link to the article shows the
?-mark (or red line) same as a hard delete.

Solution B: Create a "marked for deletion" function, with a timer. A
standard period of time after being marked, say, 24 hours, the software
automatically deletes it -- unless someone removes it from the deletion
queue. (Variation: any edit to a "marked" article automatically clears
the "delete me" flag.

Ed Poor