To ensure a positive and respectful community, we have some rules in place that are adapted from Wikipedia's Ruleset. While Wikipedia has transitioned most of its rules into guidelines, we have decided to maintain some strict rules due to the unique non-encyclopedic nature of Appropedia. Let's look at these rules and understand why they are important.
- No personal attacks. We believe in maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment. So, please refrain from making personal attacks on other users. Even if you strongly disagree or find someone's actions frustrating, expressing your concerns constructively is essential. Instead of resorting to insults or derogatory language, explain what went wrong, why it's incorrect, and provide guidance on rectifying the situation. If possible, you can even take the initiative to fix the issue yourself, but remember to refer to the guidelines above.
- Respect intellectual property. Appropedia promotes content sharing under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license. It's crucial to respect the copyrights of others and ensure that your contributions and usage of the content on Appropedia align with the licenses of the works already present on the platform. This includes text, images, and any other forms of content. So, before adding or using content, make sure it is compatible with the licenses in place. By doing so, we foster a culture of collaboration and uphold the principles of fair use.
- Be civil at all times; let's strive to treat fellow users with kindness and respect. While debates may sometimes become intense or passionate, it's important to remember that there's a person behind every username. Even if you believe someone is mistaken, maintain a civil and courteous attitude. We value healthy discussions and encourage you to focus on shared ideas rather than attacking individuals. By embracing this principle, we create an environment conducive to collaboration and mutual understanding.
- Be cooperative and helpful. Collaboration and helpfulness are the cornerstones of the Appropedia community. We strive for high cooperation, supporting one another in our shared mission. While this principle is expected in the world of wikis, it holds even greater significance here.
Conduct guidelines[edit | edit source]
- Be Bold. When it comes to editing a wiki, being bold is the name of the game! Remember, every edit is recorded; if needed, it can be modified or undone later. So don't hesitate to jump right in and start editing. Whether adding a sentence, expanding an article, or fixing a mistake, your contribution matters. You don't need all the answers or know the perfect layout immediately. Just take that first step and keep building on it. Even a tiny improvement can make a significant impact!
If you have an idea for a new article, please don't wait until you've got it all figured out. Just start writing! Begin with a sentence, then another. Save it as you go, or continue writing. Feel free to include relevant links in the "External links" section. Remember, perfection isn't the goal here.
- Discuss Major Category Changes. We love when our community takes the initiative, but for significant category changes, like renaming or creating numerous subcategories, it's a good idea to discuss them first. Head over to Appropedia's Village pump, where you can share your thoughts and gather feedback. This is because category moves can be more complex than regular page moves, and we want to ensure everything goes smoothly without losing the valuable page history.
- Be Bold in Categorization: While major category changes require discussion, you can still be bold when creating or adjusting new categories. Check if a similar category exists under a different name; build it. Feel free to modify the categorization of pages or categories to make Appropedia more organized and user-friendly.
Remember, our community thrives on collaboration, learning, and improvement. So be bold, contribute your expertise, and work together to create an exceptional resource for sustainable and appropriate technologies.