Statement of Fundamental Policies
The AKBAN-wiki‘s Statement of Fundamental Policies
The AKBAN-wiki project is launching with some fundamental commitments, articulated in this document. Those who support these commitments are invited to contribute to the initial shaping of the project Those who reject any of these commitments are hereby asked to abstain from participating.
I. The nature of the project.
The ultimate goal of the AKBAN-wiki community, martial arts veterans from all martial arts and sports, is to create the most reliable and largest encyclopedia that they can.
The AKBAN-wiki will be a wiki. Edits will not be required to be approved by editors before appearing on the wiki.
The AKBAN-wiki will not be centered on one or more martial art or martial arts practitioner. A wide view will give rise to many variations of movement and technique performance. Correct performance and safe techniques will be emphasized.
Advertisements on the AKBAN-wiki will be posted automatically. There may be unobtrusive non-profit sponsorship statements, but sponsors will have no editorial influence over the project, and enforceable, adequate oversight of this rule will be in place. Similarly, no grants that make specific editorial demands will be accepted.
The AKBAN-wiki will be devoted to simplicity, and cooperation.
II. Fundamental policies concerning content.
The content of the AKBAN-wiki will always be open content.
It will be the project’s aim to make the content of the AKBAN-wiki:
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>Safe – the AKBAN-wiki will include only safely executed techniques. Techniques that are not safe by nature or are specifically dangerous will have a special warning and will be used as a reference only.
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>accurate
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>based on common experience, published, credible research, and expert opinion
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>neutral
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>legal and responsible
<!– !supportLists–>· <!–endif–>family-friendly
III. Fundamental policies concerning community governance.
All contributors to the AKBAN-wiki must do so using their own real names, unless special and unusual permission is granted by project management.
The AKBAN-wiki will be open to contribution by a martial arts veteran (tentatively, “authors”) who is able to make a positive difference and who is willing to work collaboratively under the policies and management of the project.
The AKBAN-wiki will invite subject area experts to serve as editors. The term “editor” is, however, used in a restricted sense. Editors will be expected to work “shoulder-to-shoulder” with authors in the wiki. Among the things that editors will be empowered, singly or collectively, to do are (1) to make decisions about specific questions, or disputes, concerning particular articles in an editor’s area of expertise, and (2) to approve high-quality articles. Editors will not have the right, except perhaps in very unusual cases, to “lock” articles and thereby prevent the collaborative process from continuing. Finally, editors will be expected to share authority with other editors who are expert on the same subjects.
The AKBAN-wiki will have a set of persons of mature judgment specially empowered to enforce rules, called (at least tentatively) “Vatikim.”-(Hebrew for “Veterans”)
The enforcement of project rules–up to and including the ejection of participants from the project–is to be carried out using common sense and leniency while following “the rule of law.”
IV. Statement of rights.
Contributors in good standing have a right to build the AKBAN-wiki without constantly having to do battle with people who are constantly breaking project rules or trying to undermine the project. So there will be a process for rapidly removing rule breakers from the project. While most people will enjoy the privilege of contributing to the AKBAN-wiki if they are able to make a positive difference, there is a blanket right neither to contribute nor to participate in the project’s governance.
There will be a right of appeal, and analogues to other traditional “legal” rights will be observed, such as the right to view and respond to the evidence cited against one. We will make extensive creative efforts toward effective design of oversight processes, to ensure that the appeals process is not abused, e.g., in a self-serving way or to advance ideological views.
<!– !supportLists–>3. <!–endif–>The general public has the right to expect the quickest possible removal of copyright-protected and libelous material. Processes and tools will be created that make it difficult for libel to appear on articles concerning living persons and their activities, and for such to be removed as quickly as it is found.