Forum:Revise the underedit rule

Forums: Index > Site discussions > Revise the underedit rule

As the title of this forum suggests, I believe we should scrap the 'underedit' rule that requires users to acquire 100 edits and 50 mainspace edits, or at the very least reduce the number of edits required to use the feature. At first I was a bit cautious to remove this rule, but I've become a believer following the reactions on chat and some various other reasons. As a frequent chat-goer and administrator, I can safely say that the 'underedit' rule is both counterproductive and unnecessary. In my eyes, the original purpose of the rule was to shoo away the unruly visitors that often came onto the chat with the purpose of disruption in mind. These users have shown no intent of returning, and the chat is doing well. With the recent termination of the automated chat program that kept these underedits out of the chat in the first place, chat moderators and administrators have reverted back to the old-fashioned method of warning these users themselves. This is both inconvenient and disrupting. The flow of chat has had difficulty rebounding after these users enter the chat, which isn't an intended repercussion of the rule. This also discourages users from editing altogether. It's a rarity to see a user go on an editing spree with the sole intent of using the chatroom, and we may be unintentionally dispiriting newcomers from becoming apart of our community (which can come off as intimidating and goes against 'Do not bite the newcomers').

Essentially: The 'underedit' rule is counterproductive and no longer necessary. Either scrap it entirely or reduce the number of edits required to use the feature by a significant amount (if you want to go this route, I would personally recommend 25 edits with 10 edits to the mainspace). I would at least like to see the rule significantly nerfed. --Bullet Francisco (talk) Contributions Editcount 03:06, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

I would also like to suggest that we allow the 'underedits' to use the chat for a longer duration than we are currently allowing. This would act as a 'chat trial', and it would encourage them to get the edits required so that they can come back and socialize. --Bullet Francisco (talk) Contributions Editcount 03:09, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

Couldn't have said this any better, I agree. User:SplashTheHedgehog/Signature3 03:15, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

I'm gonna be neutral, but, I rather not scrap the rule entirely. Because I get the feeling the chat will get turned "upside down" and will become chaos. I'm being brutally honest here. Pacmansonic138 (talk) 03:17, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

Yeah... rethinking it, we should just reduce the number of edits required and allow the underedits to stay on chat for a little while. We shouldn't scrap the rule entirely. --Bullet Francisco (talk) Contributions Editcount 03:19, September 8, 2013 (UTC)

I think the underedit rule is fine the way it is. Many new users join the chat with no intent on editing the wiki in any way. The underedit rule shows us which users are willing to edit and which users will just give up. This isn't supposed to be a social wiki, after all, so while we may be driving away some users, I also think we're also giving a users a reason to edit. I also think that when these users edit the wiki to join the chat, they make it a habit and become good editors (and may I also mention that many users who edited to join the chat (some recently) have also become some good editors?).

The underedit rule can also show us the true nature of a user as well. It will show us who is a true contributor of the wiki and who isn't, but it can also show us if the user has good intentions or bad intentions. I can't even count how many times users have swore, openly insulted, and spammed because they couldn't get their way. It hasn't happened, recently, like you said, but I always think that you can't get too comfortable. Just because it hasn't happened in a while doesn't mean it won't happen again. Better safe than sorry.

And this is just a personal preference, but if the underedit rule is gone, then that means anyone can join the chat. Along with many users joining only for the chat with the possibility of us turning into a social wiki as opposed to an informational wiki, there'll be random users on the chat popping up everywhere. I like it better when everyone knows everyone and it isn't like the MLP wiki chat, when there's 20-30+ people there all the time. This reason is irrelevant, but something I prefer. It's not a real reason to oppose this.

All in all, I think there will be very many downsides if the underedit rule was removed. If we must, I would suggest we reduce the amount of edits needed. I wouldn't go with 25 edits and 10 mainspace, however. I suggest 50 edits and 25 mainspace, or anywhere around that area. MetalMickey272

50 edits and 25 mainspace is a plausible amount. I'm okay with that. --Bullet Francisco (talk) Contributions Editcount 03:25, September 8, 2013 (UTC)