on 2/5/09 6:27 PM, Marc Riddell at michaeldavi...@comcast.net wrote: > A lot of good input so far regarding the state of communication in the > wikis. I would like to take some time and construct a dialogue model for > discussing this issue further. I feel this would be better - more productive > - than me just listing a bunch of things that I think ought to be done (and > a hell of a lot more interesting :-) ).
> Back soon, I'm back. A society is the "who's who in the zoo". A culture represents the values and mores of that society. And this is most clearly reflected in the manner in which the members of that culture interact. The wiki society is made up of persons with a wide variety of educational backgrounds, experiences and learning. To communicate effectively this means, for example, that the computer experts and nuclear physicists among you are going to have to simplify the lingo for me if we are going to communicate in any effective and constructive way. Otherwise I will be totally intimidated by your language and will most likely choose not to participate in a discussion with you. Likewise, this society is made up of persons with a wide variety of personalities and emotional tolerances. To communicate effectively in this case means that the more aggressive among you are going to have to tone down your language. Otherwise some in the discussion will be totally intimidated by your language and will most likely choose not to participate in a discussion with you. With the result that much valuable input will be lost, and the resulting Project's work will not reflect the total of its membership's potential. Every discussion, aside from the "how ya hangin'", "how's the weather" chatter has a purpose; whether it's to solve a problem or to determine policy. With that in mind, I am proposing the following: A guideline (or "rule" if you want) stating, Do not make any statement in a discussion that does not contribute constructively towards the advancement of that discussion. And that, any statement found in a discussion by another reader of that discussion that does not contribute constructively towards the advancement of that discussion be challenged immediately, openly and directly. This will take time, patience, and probably involve a bit of controversy. But with this very clear, direct approach a culture will be created. A culture of fairness and civility that will be the signature culture of the Wikipedia Project. Thoughts? Marc Riddell -- Give them the climate and they will give you the culture. _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l
