On Tuesday 07 February 2006 03:23, Peter Flodin wrote:
On 2/4/06, Rajko M
wrote: the hard fact is that the most successful wiki site Wikipedia does not require it, so people are used to idea that anybody can edit information without registering and logging.
I would challenge the statement that people in general are used to the idea of changing the content of web sites they visit, let alone being able to do it without registering.
I've got in mind Wikipedia visitors that discovered that they can edit the site, not any web surfer, as many of them are really not aware that it is possible.
The problem is that on HCL page http://en.opensuse.org/HCL/Desktops I call people to add their experience, but even if I would undertake actual tasks of input and information sorting, I have no single page where anybody can leave his experience without registering and logging.
As the creator of the HCL section on the wiki, I started with laptops and it grew with the demand of different devices. I think the issue you have encountered is that, there is not so much demand for hardware compatibility of complete desktop systems. I personally think this is because: 1. Most hardware is well supported, (if it works you don't need an HCL)
I need HCL before I buy computer. After it is bought I need patches, tips and tricks, support database etc. It is too late for HCL :-)
2. Most Linux users are using white boxes and not branded desktop systems.
Most of Linux users that use white boxes don't need basic advice either, and that is openSUSE right now. Most of newbees do need and actually need badly information how to start. Even very simple tasks are hard to figure out for one that just came from windows. This came in mind, do we have troubleshooting guide?
Their experience show that vandals of any kind are not that big concern as closed wiki.
Changed mind. Sophisticated vandals are big problem.
You have not convinced me that: 1. We have a real issue with contribution 2. It would be in any way solved by allowing anonymous editing.
I'm convinced now that anonymous editing would be a bad idea. I just need some communication media that will allow users to tell what they think. ( besides my own mailbox :-)
Peter 'Pflodo' Flodin ps. Because the server is hosted by Novell, they are accepting certain liabilities with content that is hosted. They try to pass this liability on to the submitter, but this is difficult if users are not registered, so I doubt that the policy would change even if we wanted it to.
The disclaimers are there to remove liability, but I'm not sure that they work in all possible cases.