Board Thread:Wiki Discussion/@comment-5264386-20141113101121

Hey everyone,

Now before I begin, this post is going to be pretty long, but it's a necessary evil for this particular thread:

In light of recent comments from other users, I think now is the right time to start the process of making more formal and explicit policies for the wiki, starting with the Code of Conduct. This is what will hopefully the first post in a series of many, where we as a community work on one policy at a time. When we feel the policy's wording is satisfactory, that's we move onto the next, and the process repeats until we have the key policies in place. By breaking down the list of suggested policies and reforms, such as those outlined in this blog, we can hopefully create an efficient and effective way in which to create the policies we need for a growing wiki.

My personal aim whenever I start one of these threads is not to give suggestions as to specific rules, as this approach has been criticised in the past as saying "these are the rules I came up with, so they now apply". In other words, it really sets a bad precedent for policy-making, and is kind of the opposite of what these threads are for. Instead, I'll try and start off with a few general ideas about the policy, such as what it represents and needs to do. It might turn into a short essay, but let's give it a go anyway, shall we?

Anyway, with that out of the way, a good starting point (as pointed out in other threads) is the rules for the chat. The general gist of the rules that are relevant to the mainspace wiki can be summed up as "treat other as you wish to be treated". I guess my ideal vision would be that any fan of the Dark Souls can come to the wiki and participate in our community without feeling judged or persecuted for their gender, their ethnicity, the way they use language, etc.

Of course, that's very unlikely to work out verbatim, since the lack of a physical situation when communicating online often instills a mindset that we can neglect the politeness strategies that we normally use in our everyday lives, such as avoiding offending a person through discussing certain subjects in a blunt or crude manner. Given this, I'd say we need to just set out a policy which basically states that 'we're all players of the Dark Souls series here, so even if you don't like the way that a user acts, at least treat them with the courtesy and respect you would expect of others when they talk to you'. It's all too often that we get so caught up in the words appearing on the screen that we forget that, behind those words and that username, is another person; a fellow gamer with their own lives, aspirations and worries.

I don't know, maybe I'm trying to move a mountain with a spoon by suggesting that we should remember that there's another gamer on the other end of the line, but hey, it's worth a shot. I'm just one guy trying to start the ball rolling by giving what I would imagine the policy to look like. Maybe it's a bit idealistic, but that where everyone else comes in. Together, each giving our own interpretation, we can build the policy to reflect what we need to ensure that each user is treated with respect, regardless of their opinions. In saying that, here is the baton...

'''Also, just a friendly reminder that you should only post something on this thread if it contributes something to constructing the actual policy. Gibberish and irrelevant posts will be removed from the thread. Thank you for your time.''' 