Battlestar Wiki:Assume good faith: Difference between revisions
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{{policy|Assume good faith|shortcut=BW:AGF|27 September 2006}} | {{policy|Assume good faith|shortcut=BW:AGF|27 September 2006}} | ||
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Revision as of 17:08, 12 October 2006
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| Battlestar Wiki Policy |
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| Article Standards |
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Article Standards & Conventions |
| Sysop ← Interaction → User |
| Site Wide |
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Deletion |
| Guidelines |
| Inactive Policies |
| Razor Material |
- This is a derivative work from Wikipedia's Assume good faith policy, which is permissible under the GNU FDL license. All related edits will be released under this same license.
Assume that others are trying to help Battlestar Wiki rather than harm it, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.
A Fundamental Principle
To assume good faith is a fundamental principle on any web-based, free content, encyclopedia project . In allowing anyone to edit, we must assume that most people who work on the project are trying to help it, not hurt it. If this weren't true, a project like Battlestar Wiki would be doomed from the beginning.
When you can reasonably assume that a mistake someone made was a well-intentioned attempt to further the goals of the project, correct it without criticizing. When you disagree with someone, remember that they probably believe that they are helping the project. Consider using talk pages to explain yourself, and give others the opportunity to do the same. This can avoid misunderstandings and prevent problems from escalating.
Please do not bite the newcomers
Newcomers unaware of Battlestar Wiki's unique culture and the mechanics of wiki editing often make mistakes or fail to respect community norms. It is not uncommon for a newcomer to believe that an unfamiliar policy should be changed to match their experience elsewhere. Similarly, many newcomers bring with them experience or expertise for which they expect immediate respect. Behaviors arising from these perspectives are not malicious.
Intentions, not actions
Assuming good faith is about intentions, not actions. Well-meaning people make mistakes, and you should correct them when they do. You should not act like their mistake was deliberate. Correct, but don't scold. There will be people on Wikipedia with whom you disagree. Even if they're wrong, that doesn't mean they're trying to wreck the project. There will be some people with whom you find it hard to work. That doesn't mean they're trying to wreck the project either. It is never necessary that we attribute an editor's actions to bad faith, even if bad faith seems obvious, as all our countermeasures (i.e. reverting, blocking) can be performed on the basis of behavior rather than intent.
Assuming good faith also does not mean that no action by editors should be criticized, but instead that actions should not be needlessly attributed to malice.
- Never assume malice when stupidity will suffice.[1]
Or, more likely, at Battlestar Wiki, it is an unfamiliarity of our policies and procedures.
Caveats
It's important to be nice, until it is time to not be nice.[2]
- This policy does not require that editors continue to assume good faith in the presence of evidence to the contrary. Actions inconsistent with good faith include vandalism, sockpuppetry, and lying. Assuming good faith also does not mean that no action by editors should be criticized, but instead that criticism should not be attributed to malice unless there is specific evidence of malice. Accusing the other side in a conflict of not assuming good faith, without showing reasonable supporting evidence, is another form of failing to assume good faith.