WikiWorld

[Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 AT comcast.net>]

on 8/31/07 9:44 AM, Brianna Laugher at brianna.laugher AT gmail.com wrote:
> 
> So as far as I see it this list can have a few purposes...
> - tech discussion about different wiki engines, different ways they
> implement things

Being the computer-challenged person that I am, I'm going to depend on the
rest of you to mentor me through that part.

> - social discussion about different practices of managing communities
> (how to put the B in BDFL)

Here, you're talking my language! I am very interested in the cultural
aspects of a wiki community. Most especially, how persons relate to - and
communicate with - each other.

My only experience with the wiki medium is with Wikipedia; namely its Talk
Pages and Mailing List (Wikien-l). In them I find a great deal of hostility,
miscommunication, defensiveness, bullying, and a tone I can only describe as
mean. As a result, many persons with something important to say, but without
the skills to combat the noise, are being intimidated - and are not being
heard.

To present to this problem, I have formed some very basic ideas about
something I am calling (to myself, right now) a "communication sandbox".
This would be a site or list, or whatever, where persons could go to
practice and sharpen their communication skills. The subjects could be
anything from social and political issues, to their own experiences with
communication. This list (or whatever) would be monitored by empathic
persons with good interpersonal and communication skills of their own, who
would offer advice and counseling on how the participants could better get
their messages across, what to avoid, and how to deal with personal attacks
and other intimidating behaviors. The List would not be archived.

As you can see, most of this is me thinking out loud right now. I would love
some feedback.

Glad to be a part of this,

Marc Riddell