[Foundation-l] Anons cannot create pages on english wikipedia?

Wed Dec 7 13:04:07 UTC 2005

Delirium wrote:
> Jimmy Wales wrote:
> 
>> Well at least so far, it seems that there have been two effects:
>>
>> 1. fewer crappy pages created
>> 2. the ones that are create are as easy to identify as ever, since some
>> of the anons are converting into 'anonymous redshirts' (i.e. users with
>> no userpage).
>>  
>>
> You forgot:
> 3. more crappy edits to existing articles (anecdotally).
> 
> I agree we should collect more data, but we can't forget collecting data
> on #3, or else it will be pretty useless.

I agee.  There are probably a number of other small second-order effects
as well.  For example, by encouraging new users to register when they
want to create a page, are we positively increasing the number of "good
wikipedians" by transforming good people from "well, I edit sometimes,
but I'm not a wikipedian, I don't have an account" to "Hey, I guess I'm
a wikipedian, I'll do more good work"?

I doubt if we are in a position to figure that out.

--Jimbo