Wikipedia IRC channels exist specifically to support the wiki community.
IRC is a useful communication tool. However, it is not an alternative to on-wiki debate, and is not intended to shortcut or replace good discussion elsewhere.
Always remember that just because you might use IRC to chat, other Wikipedians may not.
Channel and ops guidelines
Channel guidelines
Users are expected to exercise good common sense. At all times, users should act sanely, civilly, and fairly.
Don't be a dick
No incivility toward others and no excessively offensive language (and if complaints are heard, desist).
Others to be treated in an appropriate manner, whether present or not.
You are responsible for your conduct; repeated warnings indicate a need to change — heed them.
Ask channel ops to defuse disruptive discussions.
Ask openly, don't canvass
No conspiring for reverts, blocks, deletions, protections, etc.
It's often a good idea to simply ask for outside input — comments, feedback, and suggestions.
If someone asks you to review or enact a block, ban, or support / oppose in any debate, think first and be neutral. Whatever the request is, if it has merit and you have reviewed it and checked it yourself, support it. If you haven't done so carefully, do not.
IRC is good for sanity checks, but is not a substitute for on-wiki consensus in situations where it would be required.
Logging
Anyone may be logging, however, it is a gross breach of channel expectations to publish logs without permission. If there is an issue, e-mail channel logs to the Arbitration Committee to consider any possible action. (Recaps of channel logs posted back on channel are usually ok.)
If needed, channel ops will discuss and decide when something needs to be done, if warnings have been ignored, or if the behavior is so egregious a warning isn't required.
Ops guidelines
Channel operators' main job is to help users, and act fairly and neutrally to keep the quality of the channel and its discussions appropriate.
Channel environment
A higher standard of conduct, fairness and civility is expected from chanops
You were chosen for careful judgment here too. Use it.
Guidelines for channel kick, temp/perm ban and access alterations
Warn fairly, first, in private if appropriate. Consider mediating in the background. Do not use kick/ban casually. Consider your neutrality before acting.
If it's just someone who refuses to cool down, often < 3 hours is enough.
If it's longer than a few days, check broad chanop consensus.
Removal for more than 3 months, invites of non-admins, and add/remove/change levels on the access list (other than routine new admins), always need approval of level 30+'s.
If there is disagreement, discuss.
Comment: - proposed typical handling of some common situations
To avoid room for capriciousness in decisions, here are some common situations and suggested handling if "routine". That said, any user is encouraged to help improve the channel and no user should have to suffer an unpleasant or problematic channel in silence.
Over-heated debate - seek cooling down (public or private). Moderate, warn, then remove moderation when it seems safe. Any user who doesn't get a hint, remove briefly to chill.
Harassment, grudges, spill-overs - as above. If the user persists, then ensure genuine issues are covered but (after fair discussion) do not allow unhelpful ones from constantly dominating and distracting the channel.
Canvassing - warn, note in channel warnings been given (if privately discussed), then remove briefly for a 2nd or further attempts. If persistent, deal appropriately.
Gross attack, gross offensiveness, serious breach of trust etc - remove (minimally if possible), then discuss with chanops.
Channel levels - levels typically used will be simplified to 5 (user), 10 (op and can issue invites), 30 (higher level ops) and 49-50 (owner). Appointment and management of 30+ users is by the Group Contact and his Deputy.
This page is maintained by users of the irc en-admins channel as a general channel user guide.
These are users who retain their channel operator access but have not been seen on the channel (or only very seldom) for many months, or are less active and hence perhaps unlikely to be the best first contact if a channel op is needed:
These contain the IRC pseudonyms of all users listed as having access to the channel. In many cases these will not match known Wikipedia usernames, either due to technical restrictions or simply personal preference.
A number of these are historic and no longer active; like adminship, access to the channel is not usually lapsed for non-use. Bold indicate non-admin access.
James_F (James Forrester), and
seanw (Sean Whitton, deputy)
Ordinary channel problems
Any channel operator listed above.
Exceptional channel problems or resolution
If no luck, ask someone with level 30 in the list above.
Log and privacy related issues
If none of the above have helped, which is unusual, and the matter is serious, then please email James or seanw, or the
Arbitration Committee who handle many of the privacy related issues on the wiki, as well as act as 'backstop' for many appeals and reviews. Arbcom may also have access to confirmed copies of the private channel logs allowing them to check what may have actually happened in case of dispute. Do not post logs on the wiki itself, without permission from all concerned.
Channel noticeboard
This section is for any user to bring concerns or problematic behaviour to the attention of channel operators. When bringing any issue here, please remember that logs must not be posted within Wikipedia and should they be required, a channel operator will ask you to provide them by email. If you would prefer the matter to be kept private, please contact a channel operator by email.
Add new discussions at the bottom of the page with a level three header (===Example===).
Wikipedia IRC channels exist specifically to support the wiki community.
IRC is a useful communication tool. However, it is not an alternative to on-wiki debate, and is not intended to shortcut or replace good discussion elsewhere.
Always remember that just because you might use IRC to chat, other Wikipedians may not.
Channel and ops guidelines
Channel guidelines
Users are expected to exercise good common sense. At all times, users should act sanely, civilly, and fairly.
Don't be a dick
No incivility toward others and no excessively offensive language (and if complaints are heard, desist).
Others to be treated in an appropriate manner, whether present or not.
You are responsible for your conduct; repeated warnings indicate a need to change — heed them.
Ask channel ops to defuse disruptive discussions.
Ask openly, don't canvass
No conspiring for reverts, blocks, deletions, protections, etc.
It's often a good idea to simply ask for outside input — comments, feedback, and suggestions.
If someone asks you to review or enact a block, ban, or support / oppose in any debate, think first and be neutral. Whatever the request is, if it has merit and you have reviewed it and checked it yourself, support it. If you haven't done so carefully, do not.
IRC is good for sanity checks, but is not a substitute for on-wiki consensus in situations where it would be required.
Logging
Anyone may be logging, however, it is a gross breach of channel expectations to publish logs without permission. If there is an issue, e-mail channel logs to the Arbitration Committee to consider any possible action. (Recaps of channel logs posted back on channel are usually ok.)
If needed, channel ops will discuss and decide when something needs to be done, if warnings have been ignored, or if the behavior is so egregious a warning isn't required.
Ops guidelines
Channel operators' main job is to help users, and act fairly and neutrally to keep the quality of the channel and its discussions appropriate.
Channel environment
A higher standard of conduct, fairness and civility is expected from chanops
You were chosen for careful judgment here too. Use it.
Guidelines for channel kick, temp/perm ban and access alterations
Warn fairly, first, in private if appropriate. Consider mediating in the background. Do not use kick/ban casually. Consider your neutrality before acting.
If it's just someone who refuses to cool down, often < 3 hours is enough.
If it's longer than a few days, check broad chanop consensus.
Removal for more than 3 months, invites of non-admins, and add/remove/change levels on the access list (other than routine new admins), always need approval of level 30+'s.
If there is disagreement, discuss.
Comment: - proposed typical handling of some common situations
To avoid room for capriciousness in decisions, here are some common situations and suggested handling if "routine". That said, any user is encouraged to help improve the channel and no user should have to suffer an unpleasant or problematic channel in silence.
Over-heated debate - seek cooling down (public or private). Moderate, warn, then remove moderation when it seems safe. Any user who doesn't get a hint, remove briefly to chill.
Harassment, grudges, spill-overs - as above. If the user persists, then ensure genuine issues are covered but (after fair discussion) do not allow unhelpful ones from constantly dominating and distracting the channel.
Canvassing - warn, note in channel warnings been given (if privately discussed), then remove briefly for a 2nd or further attempts. If persistent, deal appropriately.
Gross attack, gross offensiveness, serious breach of trust etc - remove (minimally if possible), then discuss with chanops.
Channel levels - levels typically used will be simplified to 5 (user), 10 (op and can issue invites), 30 (higher level ops) and 49-50 (owner). Appointment and management of 30+ users is by the Group Contact and his Deputy.
This page is maintained by users of the irc en-admins channel as a general channel user guide.
These are users who retain their channel operator access but have not been seen on the channel (or only very seldom) for many months, or are less active and hence perhaps unlikely to be the best first contact if a channel op is needed:
These contain the IRC pseudonyms of all users listed as having access to the channel. In many cases these will not match known Wikipedia usernames, either due to technical restrictions or simply personal preference.
A number of these are historic and no longer active; like adminship, access to the channel is not usually lapsed for non-use. Bold indicate non-admin access.
James_F (James Forrester), and
seanw (Sean Whitton, deputy)
Ordinary channel problems
Any channel operator listed above.
Exceptional channel problems or resolution
If no luck, ask someone with level 30 in the list above.
Log and privacy related issues
If none of the above have helped, which is unusual, and the matter is serious, then please email James or seanw, or the
Arbitration Committee who handle many of the privacy related issues on the wiki, as well as act as 'backstop' for many appeals and reviews. Arbcom may also have access to confirmed copies of the private channel logs allowing them to check what may have actually happened in case of dispute. Do not post logs on the wiki itself, without permission from all concerned.
Channel noticeboard
This section is for any user to bring concerns or problematic behaviour to the attention of channel operators. When bringing any issue here, please remember that logs must not be posted within Wikipedia and should they be required, a channel operator will ask you to provide them by email. If you would prefer the matter to be kept private, please contact a channel operator by email.
Add new discussions at the bottom of the page with a level three header (===Example===).