[WikiEN-l] The userbox fad

Tue Jan 3 18:42:21 UTC 2006

> What purpose is served by this editor's participation in Wikipedia? 
> Does this person really qualify as a "Wikipedian"?

You can ask the same question of "social members" of tennis, bridge, or
music clubs. Ultimately their benefit, if any, is indirect. Maybe they
donate, maybe they encourage other users, maybe they resolve disputes,
maybe they participate on mailing lists, maybe (as suggested) their user
box edits are helping others.

No, I don't really think so either. But they're probably not more
harmful than someone that makes some well-meaning but factually
incorrect errors to a wide range of articles.

Steve