[Foundation-l] Re: Wikijunior - Wikispecies, Mk 2?

Wed Oct 27 11:37:21 UTC 2004

Daniel Mayer wrote:

>--- Anthere <anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Just a thought... I think setting up an approval voting limit at simple 
>>majority to conclude a project is supported does not strike me as being 
>>  a consensual decision.
>>
>>I think we still need to think better how to start/decide new projects.
>>    
>>
>Yes, simple majority is *not* an acceptable level of support. We work by
>consensus here and thus must develop proposals that a supermajority of people
>support. If only a simple majority supports something, then we must go back to
>the people who voted against the issue and ask what else needs to be done to
>change their minds. 
>  
>
A simple majority often gives us a majority of the simple.

A bare simple majority can be a symptom of a divided community.  I don't 
know if going back to "change their minds" is the right approach.  That 
as often results in people digging in their heels.  Even "supermajority" 
drags in the language of a system based on divisiveness.  The minority 
needs to be brought into the decision, and made to feel that they are a 
part of it irrespective of their earlier position.  It often means that 
the majority opinion still needs to be modified.

Ec