Subject: All excellent reasons, I support this.
Author:
Posted on: 2024-01-19 20:14:46 UTC
I used to check the Wiki daily, but I’ve fallen out of the habit as working full time plus has developed into my weekly norm. I’m sorry for that. But Linstar has been on top of wiki vandalism for months now, so we might as well make the process easier for him!
—doctorlit, doing an internet during lunch break
Full disclosure: I'm starting this because I promised Linstar I would. It's not ideal because I'm gonna be busy over the weekend, but it's probably never going to be perfectly ideal. {= ) Please don't be alarmed if I don't reply for a couple of days.
The purpose of this discussion is basically to take a look at the different roles available for wiki editors and see if we want to make any changes to who has what powers. We've literally never reviewed this before. ^_^; An overview for Fandom is here, and WikiTide for comparison is here, though it looks like they haven't yet filled in descriptions for all possible roles. Since it's all based on MediaWiki, I think it's safe to assume broad similarity between the two.
In a nutshell, we're talking about who has the ability to block users, to protect/unprotect pages, to edit protected pages, and to grant powers to other users. The top roles are Bureaucrat and Administrator (aka sysop), and the two typically go hand in hand, but the main difference is that Bureaucrats have the power to make and un-make Admins. Admins cannot un-make other Admins.
Currently, we have the following users with both Bureaucrat and Admin (aka sysop) powers, in order of most recent edit:
We also have the following account with only the Admin/sysop role, but not Bureaucrat:
There's also Rollback power, which allows you to undo all the most recent edits by a single user. This is useful if a page has been vandalized; all edits by one vandal can be undone in a single click. Admins have this automatically, but it can also be granted independently. Currently no one has this who isn't also an admin.
There's also Content Moderator power, which is relatively new and so no one has it, but I think is one we should look at closely. It grants rollback plus the ability to delete/undelete pages/files, edit and move protected pages/files, and some other stuff relating to discussion threads, which isn't terribly relevant to us.
I will note that WikiTide doesn't have an equivalent role to this one because they offer the optional extensions AuthorProtect and LockAuthor for additional flexibility in determining who can or can't edit what.)
Questions to discuss: Are there roles on the wiki that are being underutilized? Is there anyone who currently wants a role they don't have? Is there anyone who currently has a role they don't want? Should we take any action to remove roles from inactive members? (My answer to the last one is no, not unless there's some reason it becomes a problem.)
Also, is there anyone who is generally interested in being a wiki editor, but doesn't know how to start? Don't be shy! Ask questions here!
~Neshomeh
Sounds like they've worked out the issues that caused the split, and meanwhile the WikiTide group solved some tech and funding issues, too. They got registered in the US as a 501(c)(3) charity, for one thing. They'll be migrating to better, more affordable severs in the US, too. More details about the merge here.
They project that the actual data migration will be done by March at latest, so maybe we'll talk more about moving then.
Meanwhile, if you're in the UK and want a your own server (albeit an older one), Miraheze has some for sale... {= )
~Neshomeh
It narrows down the options, at least.
-Ls
Re: underutilizing roles:
Honestly, with the community being so small, there isn't much point in having, like, a tiered system with different powers anyway. We pretty much all know each other, no one who's been here more than six months or so is going to get roles and then turn around and sabotage the thing! And that's basically what we have done, what with all the actual human Wiki-title havers being Bureaucrats. So if we were going to give anyone Content Moderator or Rollbacker, might as well go straight to one of the higher level ones.
For that matter, Linstar was asking for Admin, but let's just make him Bureaucrat, yeah? Didn't think of it last week when I replied down below.
Re: removing roles from former Boarders
Nah, I agree there's no point in doing so, unless their accounts get hacked or something. There's always a chance they'll pop in again someday, and even if they don't, it's kind of an additional sign/record/memory of their contributions to the community.
—doctorlit, dreading another day of USDA inspection
I, uh, got on an editing spree. Sorry. ^_^;
I don't have much to add here, either. Mainly, I didn't make Linstar a Bureaucrat because that's not what got discussed below.
Re. roles, I don't think we need to hand out all the powers to anyone who expresses the least interest. Having the power implies having the responsibility, IMO, and not everyone wants that. I thought our more occasional editors might be interested in getting un-restricted from pages locked against trolling, but since no one spoke up, I guess not!
~Neshomeh
I have a decent amount of free time and tend to check the wiki's "recent changes" page often. Many times, I have found and reverted edits by vandals, but without admin, I can't block them (which none of the lesser statuses than admin have, as far as I can tell.) Given that it's often taken a bit before Nesh/doc/hS can ban users, and that they will often continue until they're blocked, I think I could be helpful in that regard at least. I also have a fair bit of wiki editing experience, and am already familiar with the (FANDOM, at least) admin powers, since I'm one on the My Immortal wiki.
--Ls
For the record, I also support Linstar becoming a wiki admin: my availability has gotten sporadic with my new job, and Linstar has shown enthusiasm and has earned my trust with good communication over Discord.
That's three Yeas and no Nays so far. I'll give it another day before calling final results, just cuz I know everyone's lives are complicated these days. {= )
~Neshomeh
Thanks to everyone who weighed in. I'll now go make that happen.
~Neshomeh
So proud! Couldn't ask for a better choice. =)
congrats!! you’re gonna be a great wiki admin :]
Thank you to everyone who has placed their confidence in me. I'm glad to be able to help further with spam.
-Ls
I'm not really involved in the wiki myself - and I've also been sucked into work and moving and writing and such - but I don't see any reason not to give Linstar the admin bit.
Another yea - Lin's the only person I really ever see talk about the Wiki on the Discord, and he's put a lot of effort into it.
I used to check the Wiki daily, but I’ve fallen out of the habit as working full time plus has developed into my weekly norm. I’m sorry for that. But Linstar has been on top of wiki vandalism for months now, so we might as well make the process easier for him!
—doctorlit, doing an internet during lunch break
I don't have much authority to throw around, but Linstar is definitely one of the most active maintainers of the wiki, and has been for some time. I think he'll do well.