No, it isn't a deterrent. It is to discourage people who "can't take a hint."
Goal: Clear, Concise and Witty
Not sure what you mean there.
Maybe I wasn't clear: the part in quotes in my post was the "official answer" from the previous thread https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13435601500A56109000&page=1#2
.
I was responding to it on a new thread, because the previous thread is closed. Of course closing the thread may be a hint that I shouldn't respond. But I ignore the hint.
Lost in Space
The editing pause should not affect anyone engaged in normal activity. It might have an effect on someone who is being a Serial Tweaker to an article, but that's what the preview function is for.
While we welcome constructive feedback regarding our site's policies, the original thread was closed because we are not going to disclose the precise mechanisms we use to enforce those policies, as that information could be of use to people attempting to bypass them. We have in fact noticed a significant decrease in mass vandalism since the editing pause was installed.
Speaking from a personal standpoint, your editing history does not indicate that you're being hampered in any way by the system, so I have to question the reasoning behind this post. We are not interested in hypotheticals or theories. If you have evidence that legitimate new tropers are being turned away by our policies, please present it. Otherwise I will consider this thread to be pointless.
Edit: We can track activity by new accounts. Unless Eddie's got some info we don't, there is no shortage of new tropers on a daily basis and they seem to have no trouble editing.
edited 11th Aug '12 2:22:31 PM by Fighteer
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
1. I assure you that I have hit the "edit pause" several times, sometimes several times per edit. (EDIT: to be quite clear: by this I mean that I hit the edit button, for the first time, not having previously editted the page, and I get an edit pause. I muck about reading some other stuff, come back, hit edit, and still get an edit pause, and so on, before finally being allowed to make an edit.)
Perhaps by "not hampered" you just mean that I have edited anyway. Yes, true, I am a bit bloody-minded.
2. It is true that I am just a single user, and probably not representative. (See last sentence of 1.) Still, it's not fair to ask me to provide evidence. For starters, I have no access to the information I would need to make such a case.
You say you have seen a decrease in vandalism as a result of this. No doubt! I would be surprised if it were otherwise! And you did say there are still lots of new users. Okay, but were there more before? Has there been a decrease in the number of edits by new users?
3. Posting the rules may encourage some vandals to bypass the system. It will also let new users know when the inconvenience will end, which may encourage them to stick around.
At the very least, you might consider giving SOME idea on the edit pause page as to what is going on, even if you don't give all the details. I only know because I did a search.
edited 13th Aug '12 6:50:20 PM by MindlessMinion
A Chuck Norris Facts ripoff has sobering thoughts on this topic?
she her hers hOI!!! i'm tempe
Starform
Hi. What would you recommend a new user do until allowed to edit pages (I got my account yesterday).
The five best Superman writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, and Peter J. Tomasi.
Starform
I forgot a question mark. Sorry!
The five best Superman writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, and Peter J. Tomasi.
Reading up the policy pages on Administrivia about good edits would be my first thought.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
In uffish thought
You can also help out on You Know That Thing Where, since, as far as I know, there aren't any restrictions on new accounts working there. YKTTW is the suggestion area for new tropes, and it'd be great if you could think of examples of Rays From Heaven or comment on the title of a cappella or work with other people on other such drafts.
Whatever you choose to read and do, happy troping!
That was the amazing part. Things just keep going.
Starform
Thank you.
The five best Superman writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, and Peter J. Tomasi.
Starform
Also: is it wise to check whether I'm allowed to edit pages each day a good idea, or will that cause my account to be deemed "vandal?"
The five best Superman writers are Dan Jurgens, Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, and Peter J. Tomasi.
I do not think that would trigger any vandal filters.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Zzzzzzzzzz
Checking to see if/when the block has been lifted is not vandalism.
...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.
The original thread is closed. But I don't take hints well.
"The editing pause is for new accounts, as a deterrence against vandalism. For security reasons, we will not disclose the exact mechanism by which it works, nor the duration of the new account period."
You may wish reconsider these security reasons, and/or the mechanism itself, in light of the fact that the editing pause is also a deterrence against positive contribution.
www.schneierfacts.com has some sobering thoughts on this topic.