The Heretic Knowledge Vault:Policy
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"Protection" is wiki-ese for a particular step that can be taken by sysops ("Brothers and Sisters" among the Heretical Monks) to minimize damage to individual wiki articles that appear to be targeted for persistent vandalism or spam. When a page is protected, only users with the sysop privilege can edit it. (Everyone can ''read'' protected pages, of course.) Protection of a page can and does come and go; a page protected because of vandalism can be unprotected once the vandal is dealt with. | "Protection" is wiki-ese for a particular step that can be taken by sysops ("Brothers and Sisters" among the Heretical Monks) to minimize damage to individual wiki articles that appear to be targeted for persistent vandalism or spam. When a page is protected, only users with the sysop privilege can edit it. (Everyone can ''read'' protected pages, of course.) Protection of a page can and does come and go; a page protected because of vandalism can be unprotected once the vandal is dealt with. | ||
| - | ==Conflict Resolution== | + | ===Conflict Resolution=== |
Under normal conditions, the most likely reason to protect a page is to avoid "edit wars" where one contributor insists on making a change that a different editor insists on objecting to, and therefore rolls back. The two then go back and forth undoing each other's edits and reinstating their own, until someone intervenes and protects the page to stop the retaliatory edits. Fortunately, that's something that we really haven't seen in The Heretic Knowledge Vault, although it's a known bane of many other wikis. If it ever does occur, the resulting protection will be short-lived and will be lifted as soon as the warring parties reach some kind of accommodation. | Under normal conditions, the most likely reason to protect a page is to avoid "edit wars" where one contributor insists on making a change that a different editor insists on objecting to, and therefore rolls back. The two then go back and forth undoing each other's edits and reinstating their own, until someone intervenes and protects the page to stop the retaliatory edits. Fortunately, that's something that we really haven't seen in The Heretic Knowledge Vault, although it's a known bane of many other wikis. If it ever does occur, the resulting protection will be short-lived and will be lifted as soon as the warring parties reach some kind of accommodation. | ||
| - | ==Vandal and Spam prevention== | + | ===Vandal and Spam prevention=== |
Unfortunately, as this is being written (June 16, 2007), conditions are not "normal" on the wiki, because of an incredibly massive spambot attack that has resulted in many vandalized pages at the same time. Accordingly, for right now, '''all''' content pages are protected from edits by non-sysops, with only a very few exceptions (e.g. [[That Typos Thread]], which is left editable because it helps Poe and Impy). ''This is a temporary measure.'' A security fix has been put in place that, with some luck, will beat the spam-scum; when it has been shown to be adequate, the blanket protection will be lifted. This has already started on a hit-or-miss basis and will expand to all content pages in a few days. | Unfortunately, as this is being written (June 16, 2007), conditions are not "normal" on the wiki, because of an incredibly massive spambot attack that has resulted in many vandalized pages at the same time. Accordingly, for right now, '''all''' content pages are protected from edits by non-sysops, with only a very few exceptions (e.g. [[That Typos Thread]], which is left editable because it helps Poe and Impy). ''This is a temporary measure.'' A security fix has been put in place that, with some luck, will beat the spam-scum; when it has been shown to be adequate, the blanket protection will be lifted. This has already started on a hit-or-miss basis and will expand to all content pages in a few days. | ||
| - | ==Exemptions== | + | ===Exemptions=== |
One other thing: we generally don't protect user pages or talk pages. Talk pages, in particular, are the place where disagreements over content can get worked out, and it's obviously desirable to keep them open so that the working-out process can go on. Most talk pages, and even a few user pages, are presently protected because of the spambot problem, but that's a ''very'' unusual situation and the protections will be lifted ASAP. | One other thing: we generally don't protect user pages or talk pages. Talk pages, in particular, are the place where disagreements over content can get worked out, and it's obviously desirable to keep them open so that the working-out process can go on. Most talk pages, and even a few user pages, are presently protected because of the spambot problem, but that's a ''very'' unusual situation and the protections will be lifted ASAP. | ||
Revision as of 13:06, 20 June 2007
This page describes the block and protection policies used by the Heretical Monks of the Heretic Knowledge Vault. Please read and comment on the talk page.
(Last update: Graybeard 10:22, 16 June 2007 (CDT))
Contents |
Basic philosophy
The basic philosophy for access and blocks is very simple:
Thou shalt not screw around with the wiki, with errantstory.com, or with Caffeine Angel Studios.
Unlike the better-known, "encyclopedic" wikis like Wikipedia, WikiHow, Wikitravel, etc., this one is provided as an oh-by-the-way add-on to a small (very small) startup outfit, the "Caffeine Angel Studios" that we've all come to know and love. Anything in the wiki that makes it harder for Poe and Impy to conduct business at Caffeine Angel simply will not be tolerated. That means spam -- particularly spambots that put garbage into the wiki automatically -- as well as vandalism. It does not mean you can't have fun with what you contribute! Off-the-wall humor, irreverence toward Errant Story and its characters, and the odd bit of speculation are all fair game; in fact there's a whole separate page for Kyhmforumer Speculation that could certainly use more action than it's seeing. Just do not spam, and do not vandalize, and do not make it hard for Poe and Impy to succeed.
Block policy
The block policy is equally simple: if a user produces spam or vandalism, he/she/it will be blocked, permanently, no exceptions. If the evidence suggests that the user is a spambot that loads the spam automatically, there will also be no warning; those of the Heretical Monks who have sysop access will simply block the user. Depending on the circumstances, if the spam/vandalism results from definitely "human" activity, the user may be warned before the block is applied; vandalism is, at least in some cases, in the eye of the beholder, and every now and then a vandal goes on to become a useful contributor, on being made aware that the vandalism isn't appreciated. However, there is no obligation on the part of the Heretical Monks or anyone else to offer a warning before blocking.
This all sounds a lot harsher than it really is. The overwhelming majority -- probably over 99% -- of all blocks done to date have been on spambots, and the number of humans blocked for spamming or vandalism in the last year can be counted on your non-mutated fingers. People are not blocked just because their spelling or grammar is bad; good-faith attempts to add content are not reasons for a block, even if the added content doesn't meet the standards of a fifth-grade English class. However, neither should you expect such writing to remain unaltered. The monks patrol the wiki religiously and will correct spelling and grammar errors where feasible and if they're in the mood and/or time permits. Don't rely on it though. Tolerance is a virtue when it comes to populating a wiki, and it will be practiced where feasible. It simply is not feasible to tolerate vandalism and spam. Amen!
Protection policy
"Protection" is wiki-ese for a particular step that can be taken by sysops ("Brothers and Sisters" among the Heretical Monks) to minimize damage to individual wiki articles that appear to be targeted for persistent vandalism or spam. When a page is protected, only users with the sysop privilege can edit it. (Everyone can read protected pages, of course.) Protection of a page can and does come and go; a page protected because of vandalism can be unprotected once the vandal is dealt with.
Conflict Resolution
Under normal conditions, the most likely reason to protect a page is to avoid "edit wars" where one contributor insists on making a change that a different editor insists on objecting to, and therefore rolls back. The two then go back and forth undoing each other's edits and reinstating their own, until someone intervenes and protects the page to stop the retaliatory edits. Fortunately, that's something that we really haven't seen in The Heretic Knowledge Vault, although it's a known bane of many other wikis. If it ever does occur, the resulting protection will be short-lived and will be lifted as soon as the warring parties reach some kind of accommodation.
Vandal and Spam prevention
Unfortunately, as this is being written (June 16, 2007), conditions are not "normal" on the wiki, because of an incredibly massive spambot attack that has resulted in many vandalized pages at the same time. Accordingly, for right now, all content pages are protected from edits by non-sysops, with only a very few exceptions (e.g. That Typos Thread, which is left editable because it helps Poe and Impy). This is a temporary measure. A security fix has been put in place that, with some luck, will beat the spam-scum; when it has been shown to be adequate, the blanket protection will be lifted. This has already started on a hit-or-miss basis and will expand to all content pages in a few days.
Exemptions
One other thing: we generally don't protect user pages or talk pages. Talk pages, in particular, are the place where disagreements over content can get worked out, and it's obviously desirable to keep them open so that the working-out process can go on. Most talk pages, and even a few user pages, are presently protected because of the spambot problem, but that's a very unusual situation and the protections will be lifted ASAP.
Questions or comments
This policy is a work in progress. To comment, please use the accompanying talk page.
See also
- Working Protocols -- beginnings of a "manual of style," and pointers to some useful tools
