WilmottWiki:What WilmottWiki is not
From WilmottWiki
This policy in a nutshell: WilmottWiki is first and foremost an online encyclopedia and, as a means to that end, an online community. Please avoid the temptation to use WilmottWiki for other purposes, or to treat it as something it is not.
For more interactive discussions, and heated debate, you may be better off posting on the wilmott.com Forum.
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What WilmottWiki is not
WilmottWiki is not a paper encyclopedia
WilmottWiki is not a paper encyclopedia. This means that there is no practical limit to the number of topics we can cover other than verifiability and the other points presented on this page.
There is a kind of feasible limit for individual article sizes that depends on page download size for our dialup readers and readability considerations for everybody. After a point, splitting an article into separate articles and leaving adequate summaries is a natural part of growth for a topic. Some topics are covered by print encyclopedias only in short, static articles, and since WilmottWiki requires no paper we can give more thorough treatments, include many more relevant links, be more timely, etc.
This also means you don't have to redirect one topic to a partially equivalent topic that is of more common usage. A "See also" section that states further information on the topic is available on the page of a closely related topic may be preferable.
WilmottWiki is not a soapbox
WilmottWiki is not a soapbox, or a vehicle for propaganda and advertising. Therefore, WilmottWiki articles are not:
- Propaganda or advocacy of any kind. Of course, an article can report objectively about such things, as long as an attempt is made to approach a neutral point of view. You might wish to go to Usenet or start a blog if you want to convince people of the merits of your favorite views.
- Self-promotion. Editors should avoid contributing to articles about themselves, other people, or organizations in which they are personally involved, as it is difficult to maintain a neutral point of view while doing so. Creating overly abundant links and references to autobiographical articles, or to articles in which you have a personal stake, is similarly unacceptable. However, we do encourage published researchers to start their own pages, but please put your ego to one side when writing it.
- Advertising. Articles about companies and products are fine if they are written in an objective and unbiased style. Furthermore, all article topics must be third-party verifiable, so articles about very small "garage" companies are not likely to be acceptable. External links to commercial organizations are acceptable if they can serve to identify major corporations associated with a topic. Please note WilmottWiki does not endorse any businesses.
WilmottWiki is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files
WilmottWiki is neither a mirror nor a repository of links, images, or media files. All content added to WilmottWiki may have to be edited mercilessly to be included in the encyclopedia. By submitting any content, you agree to release it for free use under the GNU FDL. WilmottWiki articles are not:
- Mere collections of external links or Internet directories. There is nothing wrong with adding a list of content-relevant links to an article; however, excessive lists can dwarf articles and detract from the purpose of WilmottWiki. On articles about topics with many fansites, including a link to a couple major fansites is appropriate, marking the link as such.
- Mere collections of public domain or other source material such as entire books or source code, original historical documents, letters, laws, proclamations, and other source material that are only useful when presented with their original, un-modified wording. There's nothing wrong with using public domain resources such as 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica to add content to an article.
- Collections of photographs or media files with no text to go with the articles. If you are interested in presenting a picture, please provide an encyclopedic context.
WilmottWiki is not a free host, blog, or webspace provider
You may not host your own website, blog, or wiki at WilmottWiki. WilmottWiki pages are not:
- User pages. WilmottWiki members have their own user pages, but they are used for information relevant to working on the encyclopedia. If you are looking to make a personal webpage or blog, please make use of one of the many free providers on the Internet. The focus of User pages should not be social networking but rather providing a foundation for effective collaboration.
- File storage areas. Please upload only files that are used (or will be used) in encyclopedia articles; anything else will be deleted.
WilmottWiki is not a crystal ball
WilmottWiki is not a collection of unverifiable speculation. All articles about anticipated events must be verifiable, and the subject matter must be of sufficiently wide interest that it would merit an article if the event had already occurred. In particular, individual scheduled or expected future events should only be included if the event is notable and almost certain to take place. If preparation for the event isn't already in progress, speculation about it must be well documented.
WilmottWiki is not censored
WilmottWiki may contain content that some readers consider objectionable or offensive. Anyone reading WilmottWiki can edit an article and the changes are displayed instantaneously without any checking to ensure appropriateness, so WilmottWiki cannot guarantee that articles or images are appropriate for children or adhere to specific social or religious norms. While obviously inappropriate content (such as inappropriate links to shock sites) is usually removed immediately, some articles may include objectionable text, images, or links, provided they do not violate any of our existing policies, nor the law of the United States, where the servers are hosted.
What the WilmottWiki community is not
WilmottWiki is not a battleground
Every user is expected to interact with others civilly, calmly, and in a spirit of cooperation. Do not insult, harass or intimidate those with whom you have a disagreement. Rather, approach the matter in an intelligent manner, and engage in polite discussion. If a user acts uncivilly, uncalmly, uncooperatively, insultingly, harassingly or intimidatingly towards you, this does not give you an excuse to do the same unto them ("he started it!"). Either respond solely to the factual points brought forward and ignore its objectionable flavoring, or ignore the relevant message entirely. When a conflict continues to bother you or others, adhere to the procedures of Dispute Resolution.
Also, do not create or modify articles just to prove a point. Do not use WilmottWiki to make legal or other threats against WilmottWiki or WilmottWiki members: other means already exist to communicate legal problems. Threats are not tolerated and may result in a ban.
WilmottWiki is not an experiment in anarchy
WilmottWiki is free and open, but restricts both freedom and openness where they interfere with the purpose of creating an encyclopedia. Accordingly, WilmottWiki is not a forum for unregulated free speech. The fact that WilmottWiki is an open, self-governing project does not mean that any part of its purpose is to explore the viability of anarchistic communities. Our purpose is to build an encyclopedia, not to test the limits of anarchism.
WilmottWiki is not a democracy
WilmottWiki is not an experiment in democracy. Its primary method of finding consensus is discussion, not voting.
WilmottWiki is not a bureaucracy
In particular, WilmottWiki is not a system of law. Disagreements should be resolved through consensual discussion, rather than through tightly sticking to rules and procedures. A perceived procedural error made in posting anything, such as an idea or nomination, is not grounds for invalidating that post. Follow the spirit, not the letter, of any rules, policies and guidelines. Our dispute resolution process exists to mediate and arbitrate disputes between users, not to enforce judicial remedies.
When you wonder what to do
- When you wonder what should or should not be in an article named "whatever", ask yourself what a reader would expect under "whatever" in an encyclopedia.
- When you wonder whether the rules given above are being violated, consider:
- Changing the content of an article (normal editing)
- Changing the page into a redirect, preserving the page history
- Posting to the community forum
What your userpage is not
Most of the policies here apply to your user page as well. For example, you can't use your user page as a free web host.
