User:Metaeducation

So you know what you're getting into, please read a little of this before engaging me in a debate. (You probably notice I think a lot about ideals, infrastructure and policy...and I write a LOT. So the more focused you are the more likely you'll be able to keep me on the topic you want to discuss.)

Although I know that there is a formal policy regarding what Wikipedia is not, it is sometimes at odds with my personal philosophy about the project. Here are two of the major reasons I think Wikipedia is important:

• Wikipedia's politics provide a showcase for transparency in making and applying policies. It's not some kind of impractical social ideal, it's an attainable way of working that is fair and makes sense. I hope that it leads people to ultimately expect (and demand) openness and accountability from every government and corporation in the world.

• Wikipedia is one of few well-known projects that use software with built-in version control. By ensuring that old versions of information are available, there is less reason to fear making changes that lead to improvement. I hope that it leads people to ultimately expect (and demand) a full record of one's work in every program used for managing information.

This user page is somewhat strange, because I encourage you to improve it by editing...it's the wiki way! If you'd like to have a conversation about the material then append those comments to my user talk page. Kind words are always welcome—and do feel free to add to my newly-created barnstars page!

Issues that are truly tangential to the work here should be directed to me via my user name on Gmail, Yahoo, AIM, and some other services that I've bothered to make accounts on. (If you send me something and don't get a response, something is up. Suspect identity theft, incompetent or malicious internet filtering, that I'm dead, or that there was an oversight on my part. Keep sending it through any available avenue—I'm notoriously dedicated to my quest to reduce isolation.)