Wiki Doesnt Need Security

It's funny how people think lack of security on Wiki is a bug and then erase pages to make a point. Essentially its the same as bursting into someones house with a gun, shooting the place up, and then remarking "see what can happen if you leave the front door unlocked." "yah, some LOONEY might come in and shoot the place up!!!"

[No, its like fixing windows broken by vandals, and painting over their graffiti, and then making remarks about how their vandalism is a problem]

Wiki's security model is part of WhyWikiWorks.

See also KeptPages and SoftSecurity (and in particular relevance to this page, LimitTemptation)....


WikiDoesntNeedSecurity if we are dealing with rational behavior. However I cannot help wondering whether we have people with ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder, or other abnormal behavior around who repeatedly defaced pages, knowing these changes will be reversed.

Unfortunately there is a cost to their behaviour beyond the time it takes to detect and repair pages. The last change date (indicator of refactoring activity) gets distorted and there is a DenialOfService to people interested in RecentChanges -- dl


CategorySecurity CategoryWiki


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