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Editing Discussions - Discussion
    Keywords: SL description

How should we edit discussions? Here's an example:

  • A: The moon is a star.
  • B: No, the moon is not a star. And neither is the sun.
  • C: Yes, the sun is a star.
  • A: B, you're right, the moon is not a star. I will delete our back and forth.

How should A go about purging out his statement?

  • If he deletes only his own statement, B's reply would hang in empty space.
  • If he delete's B's reply, he distroys the connection for C's statement.
  • If he edits B's reply, he might distort its meaning.

TJ: In a pure discussion, it seems to me that just leaving the flow of the discussion is dandy; a page set up for discussion specifically, I mean. A page about 3-3 joseki that starts up a discussion, hopefully eventually all discussion on that page comes to a completion, a consensus is reached, and someone can MasterEdit it and get rid of the actual discussion and present the findings in a nice way. If there is no consensus, and not even a crystalization of different points of view can be presented after a good time, the discussion can be moved to a discussion page and the original page can mention the points in contention and point to the discussion until such time as there is resolution, if ever. Anyways, I think rules on this matter are and should be a passing thing, and common sense and restraint used in all cases, along with understanding. WabiSabi, you know.:) This is just how I myself would go (and have gone) about it.

(Sebastian:) Thank you for linking it to WabiSabi - we should really keep this in mind. It is easy to get too involved in rules and maintain them for their own sake. I now think that we don't need rules, but a guideline and recommendations, with the intention to make writing and editing on SL a pleasant experience, and to make SL fleetingly beautiful. I may feel differently tomorrow. :-)

(Sebastian: Moved the discussion about WomenDiscussion to that page)


Andrew Grant: Here's a similar problem which I'd appreciate guidance on. Recently I suggested changing a line in RulesOfGoIntroductory, (basically translating it from mathematical jargon into English.) Several people posted agreeing with me, generating a mini-discussion on that page. No-one disagreed. So I went ahead and changed the line. Should I now delete the discussion, which no longer relates to anything as the offending line is no longer there? I'm reluctant to delete other peoples' contributions for fear of offending anyone.

Charles I'd say, go ahead - after a reasonable time has lapsed.

Andrew Grant: OK, I'll give it a week or so then delete it. I'll leave a one-line note in its place saying I've deleted it (otherwise what's to stop someone mistaking it for an act of Wiki Vandalism and restoring the text, and blocking my IP address into the bargain?).

Charles I don't think people get blocked for that sort of thing ...

(Sebastian:) In such situations, I encourage everybody to move the obsolete text to CompostHeap. Sometimes stuff presumed already dead even sprouts new life there.

Fhayashi: Should dead topics come back to life? Perhaps some things are best left dead?

(Sebastian:) This is a very good question. Of course, if someone posted nazi ideology here, we should revert it and mark that poster as a vandal. But most posters here are well meaning, and if they get occasionally off topic, they probably will realize it when you allow some time to pass. What looks big to us today may look much smaller tomorrow. If we kill a whole conversation abruptly, it will only raise emotions, and may well end in a [ext] flame war. I believe that the CompostHeap offers an ideal solution. It encourages editors to move the discussion out of a page where it distracts, while giving all parties of the discussion time to sleep over it. If there really was any merit hidden in between the weeds then that part can grow. If not, it will be deleted by mutual agreement after a reasonable time. And mind you, BTW, so far only good points have sprouted ot of the CompostHeap.



This is a copy of the living page "Editing Discussions - Discussion" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2003 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.