User:CorbinSimpson/User space

The following is my proposal on new policies to be merged into the policy at WP:USER. Note that the current user space policy is only a guideline and was never formally approved as policy. This is a shame, because the current guidelines are much better suggestions to follow than the example set by various Wikipedians who I shall not waste time enumerating here.

These proposals are simple. They are also individualized, not atomic; if they ever gain enough support to be proposed as policy, they should be voted on individually and not as a group. These proposals blanket the entire user space. The user space on English Wikipedia consists of the User: and User talk: namespaces.

1. Most policies, including WP:NPA, WP:CIVIL, WP:LEGAL, and WP:AGF, apply in the user space, but other policies, namely WP:NPOV and WP:BIO, do not. This seems sort of odd until you realize what those policies mean for the user space. NPOV is anti-constructive for user pages, because all users have bias and should be allowed to voice that bias. Similarly, users should be able to tell other users a bit about themselves and be able to talk about their traits and experiences. This has always been assumed, but never formally stated.
2. Users are allowed to explicitly state their opinions as long as the following two conditions are met. First, the user may not violate applicable policies with their statements. Second, the user, in addition to following WP:NPA and refraining from personal attacks, must also refrain from impersonal attacks on a group of people. This seems self-explanatory to me, but it would mean that I can say "I don't like gardening," but I cannot say "I don't like gardeners." This prevents statements like "I hate Islam," or "I hate deletionists;" however, "I don't get along with deletionists," or "I don't get along with deletionists...I believe in Wikipedia as an encyclopedia of all knowledge," should both be acceptable. I've also heard that the second condition should be rewritten to ban hate speech, but before I do that I would like to hear a good definition of "hate speech." I do agree that banning all impersonal attacks may be too restrictive.
3. Userboxes are only permitted in the user space, and may only be transcluded within the user space, except where special permission is obtained. My solution to the userbox debate, or at least the first part of it. Since the ability to transclude pages is not limited to the Template: namespace, it does not seem objectionable to require that all userboxes be placed somewhere within the user space.
4. Userboxes are constrained by the same policies as the rest of the user space. The second and slightly more important part of my solution to userboxes. Boxes, being wholly within the user space, should automatically follow the same policies that the rest of user space follows. I wanted to make it explicit so there would be no question as to whether or not it was implied by the other policies.
5. There is no fair use rationale in the user space. Strengthen that part of image policy a bit. The current wording only bans images that are fair use in pages outside of the user space. This wording prohibits any fair use images, even those uploaded expressly for user space usage. Again, this should follow from current policy, but some people seem to not quite understand it. Also, this applies to any other work that may be reproduced in user space. There is no reason why we should allow fair use of text but not of images, and so there is now an explicit denial of any such usage.

That's it for now. I am requesting endorsals and comments. If this page gets 10 endorsals, then I will move it to a page in the Wikipedia: namespace and request more formal comments there. Endorsals should go below; comments are welcome on the talk page.

Endorsals

1. Endorse this draft as author. - Corbin ^{Be excellent}
2. I agree with every part of this. Great ideas. --Cyde↔Weys 02:08, 21 May 2006 (UTC)
3. Endorse fully. Wonderful ideas; this is the kind of thing we need. - Pureblade | ^Θ 16:59, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
4. Endorse as far as I can understand it. (What is "transcluding"?) Alethiophile 03:34, 3 June 2006 (UTC)
5. Endorse When a user makes a userbox they will put it in there username space.--Actown ^e 22:19, 3 June 2006 (UTC)
6. Endorse: seems clearer than the current regulations! EVOCATIVEINTRIGUE TALKTOME | EMAILME | IMPROVEME 16:30, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Comments

• If these templates do get moved into the user namespace, then some user is going to have to "host" these. If there are any controversial templates, then that user is going to get the shaft. But otherwise, I agree with the "policies", POV and fair use policies. haz (user talk) 09:49, 21 May 2006