http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=326922

How do I use the power of consideration responsibly?

This is relevant for Friars and above.

With the power to consider nodes comes the responsibility to use it wisely.

If you're not sure, leave the node for someone more experienced, or ask for advice in the chatterbox.

Before you begin to consider nodes, lurk about in Nodes to Consider for a few days. Make note of the reasons given, and see if you agree or disagree with the conclusions. Some nodes will remain on this list for days. Others will be edited very quickly. There are no hard and fast guidelines, but the community standards are evolving.

The janitors's job is to correct the bletcherous mistakes that monks occasionally make in posting; the goal is to keep the quality of the site high. However, janitors are not like newspaper editors: they do not fix problems with spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, tone, or fact. Node authors own their nodes, and they should be encouraged to learn how to post well and to bear responsibility for the quality of the site. Therefore: Help authors to help themselves; don't consider the small stuff.

Good reasons to consider a node include:

Poor reasons to consider a node include:

These are bad reasons because, even if they pass in the popular vote, janitors are still likely to veto the action!

Another "No No"

Please refrain from soliciting votes in the Chatterbox. It is acceptable (and encouraged) to work out in the Chatterbox which duplicate should be considered, but it's usually unacceptable to ask in the CB that people vote on a consideration or the considered node's rep. Let things run their course. Requesting votes in the CB is the same as attempting to influence the outcome or subvert the system of failsafes.

Accountability

Note that your nickname will be prepended to all of the considerations you submit. This provides some accountability. Follow the suggestions above and /msg a senior monk or a janitor if you have any questions, and you will do fine.


Go back to What is consideration? for the basics.

Back to the PerlMonks FAQ.