User talk:Simetrical

Blocking / Protecting Query

Sim - noticed you were unblocking IP's and unprotecting some stuff - we had been having a little problem with a couple of vandalism attempts against The Long Road's page - what's correct procedure if that persists? I see Manstein's page is protected so it can only be changed by registered users! that seems a bit odd on that page but might work for TLR if problem recurs but that system doesn't seem very clear to user - if you are registered and go to edit you get Note: This page has been locked so that only registered users can edit it message - but if you aren't registered (or logged in) it just appears totally locked - should that have other explanation to say it can be edited by registered user?

Also what is correct procedure if you get a total spam /porn attempt from an IP? --Makanyane 00:46, 21 May 2007 (CDT)

• It's fine to block IP addresses, but use short block durations to start with, say a day. If it persists, escalate, but never block it for more than maybe a month straight. Many IP addresses are dynamic, and even static IP addresses won't belong to the same person forever.
• You can go ahead and protect pages that are getting vandalized by anonymous users so that they can only be edited by registered users. Again, these protections probably shouldn't be indefinite. By some estimates a majority of Wikipedia's content comes from anonymous users; that's much of the advantage of wikis.
• I'll look into the protection message for semiprotected pages.
• Block spamming IPs for a day or so on the first time, maybe a week on the second and a month on the third. I'll add messages to the block and protect pages to clarify all this, I guess. —Simetrical (talk • contribs) 10:08, 21 May 2007 (CDT)