On 12/7/06, Titoxd@Wikimedia <titoxd.wikimedia(a)gmail.com> wrote:
No, they (or rather, we, as I do it too) do it because
31 is a prime number,
while 24 is not. See [[User:Drini/31 hours]].
I don't really get the prime number thing - even with reference to the
above page. Is this just being cute? Um...is this a good thing to be
cute about?
I'm also not sure I really agree with the rationale for strange block
times in general. If a vandal reappears every 24 hours, then by
blocking for any number between 24 and 48 hours, he just vandalises
every 2 days, right? It wouldn't really matter if you chose 25, 48 or
anywhere in between.
Are there not more sophisticated solutions to these problems? Like
blocking for 1 hour, but placing them on a redlist where their edits
are subjected to computer approval, and any possibly-good edits are
then subjected to human approval, before being allowed through. The
huge number of quite lengthy blocks being made each day is bound to be
catching out some good contributions.
Steve