WikiIndex:Administrators

WikiIndex:Administrators is fundamentally the first user group into which a regular wiki editor here on WikiIndex is 'promoted' into (rather than being auto-included by way of default or number of edits).

Administrators, frequently shortened to 'admins', and commonly also known as sysops, are usually trusted wiki people who have been invited to take on more specific roles within the day-to-day operation of the wiki. Some people may sometimes volunteer their services by requesting to become an administrator, rather than being invited. Whichever method is adopted, the element of trust is a fundamentally important attribute of a good admin, because admins are able to exercise a significant degree of control over the regular editor folks. One of the most powerful roles of a wiki administrator is to remove the editing rights of another person on the wiki, by way of blocking, which is clearly a drastic, though sometimes needed action. In reality, on a well-run and harmonious wiki community, with a core of constructive editors who work within the scope or aims of a wiki, administrators will often find they have little or no 'administrative' actions to undertake on a daily basis. In these instances, administrators will find they generally carry out 'housekeeping' duties, such as deleting spam, moving pages to a name which is already in existence (typically they already exist as a redirect), protecting pages which appear to be the target of repeated spamming, or sadly protecting pages which are the subject of an edit war! Arguably, the best wiki administrators are those who still continue to the fundamental core aims of a wiki, in being a regular editor, contributor, and in general, just being 'A N Other' member of the wiki editing community.

Due to the nature of the privileges which administrators enjoy, along with the fact they have been deemed to be trustworthy enough to have been awarded the role in the first place, administrators are often seen as, and used as figures of authority. Indeed, administrators are usually called upon to assist in resolving any conflicts, disagreements, edit wars, and the likes between other people on the wiki. Administrators will often be required to mediate, offer advice and direction, provide clarity and assistance in the compliance, or lack of, established community policies and guidelines. And it will usually be one or more administrators who are required to form the definitive answer in such issues, ideally whilst providing concessions to appease any seemingly aggrieved party. When areas of policy or guidelines are found to be lacking, or maybe existent but defective, administrators are usually expected to help in the development and / or improvement in these areas.

Being an administrator can be a thankless task, though. And sadly, as in all walks of society and life in general, there can occasionally be found isolated individuals or fringe groups who enjoy the disruptive, and even malicious provocation of authority figures, and wikis are no exception. Wiki administrators have been on the receiving end of such disruptive figures or individuals, including here on WikiIndex. When a wiki is developed around a community of trust and harmony, and is then needlessly attacked - irrespective of the method, it is both the regular folks of the wiki who are likely to be aggrieved, and in turn, those regular users will typically seek the aid of an administrator to take swift and decisive action. That said administrator is then at threat of being a prime target. Any kind of disruptive behaviour, especially on a wiki which relies on constructive cooperation, is generally always frowned upon. But it is particularly verboten to direct or target attacks directly at an admin. If these attacks continue to be targeted towards a specific admin, then not only can things get very messy, any prompt action to curb such disruption by said admin might be circumvented by the aggressor, and could ultimately destroy a previously harmonious wiki.

See also

• Category:Active administrators of this wiki
• WikiIndex:SMW administrators
• WikiIndex:SMWExtInfo
• WikiIndex:Bureaucrats
• Founder
• Owner
• WikiIndex:Staff
• Special:ListGroupRights
• Help:Group rights
• WikiIndex:Users