Bot Interference

Occasion: Bot interferes with normal edit with UserName cookie set which cooresponds to one targeted by SharkBot

• Date: 20110228
• Page: ExtendingTheWikiParadigm

An attempt was made to edit the page to make it a corporate rather than personal and individual page, by replacing personal pronouns like I with we, us, etc.

Along with that the editing of what appears to be a Wanted Page into two separate words, to maintain meaning but remove reference which has recently been deleted.

The edit, which made the page one or egoless participation was reversed.

Comment: Editing should be allowed to occur by humans, without the interference of bots. After all, that is one of the chief tenants of a wiki.

Ideally, yes. It would be nice if we could live without needing police, too. Or spam filters, anti-virus software, and even fences around swimming pools. A fundamental tenet of Western society is freedom, but we still need mechanisms in place to avoid harm from selfish, inconsiderate, or careless individuals.

Note: All of the above protections are/were employed or allowed by the person/entity/computer/systen involved, and not by some third party who assumes the duty.

• Except for the police, of course.
• [And sometimes the spam filters and anti-virus software. And, while I don't know for certain, I suspect that either law or insurance policies require fences for swimming pools that are at least semi-public. So while the fences aren't provided by a third party, their use is mandated by one. I'm also required to carry auto insurance be a third party.]

Recall that GrammarVandal was so persistent that editing was virtually impossible without his/her interference. GrammarVandal is not a bot.

If you disable your UserName cookie, you'll be able to edit without interference. GrammarVandal has spoofed your UserName so many times on certain pages that the SharkBot frequently assumes use of your cookie is the GrammarVandal. -- DaveVoorhis

---

So now, if one desires to use his/her own UserName, the Bot take the place of the "GrammarVandal" by being so " persistent that editing" is "virtually impossible without his/her interference"

Yup, but target your blame where blame is due. Blame the GrammarVandal for maliciously exploiting a feature that, until he/she came along, worked only because it assumed good faith. GrammarVandal doesn't.

I think neither are desirable. The UserName cookie is made available by the software executed by c2.com and WardCunningham, until the option or the Wiki is removed/discontinued/abolished/changed by the owner of it, I will continue my participation with UserName cookie set. It may become inconvenient, but I will work around the inconvenience by using the Wiki as it is intended by its originator. As to someone spoofing my name, allow me to handle that by editing devices of my own. -- DonaldNoyes.20110228

Sure, you can do that, but that's the hard way. Easy way: You turn off your UserName cookie, I let the SharkBot whomp any edits by "DonaldNoyes", and then maybe GrammarVandal wouldn't be so inclined to spoof UserNames, eh?

Related: GreatThings