Forums:Database Lock

Tolkien Gateway > Council > Database Lock

First off, I want to thank everyone for reverting all the spam edits and tagging false pages for deletion.

The spam we've had this past months is hard to miss. And it seems endless. So, in a small (and frankly, one-sided) discussion, three users expressed the interest in locking the database for all unregistered users (perhaps only temporary), arguing that the little contributions we get from anons is a small loss compared to the gain of stopping the spam dead.

But me being Dutch and all (and one of the Dutch mantra's is "discussing without deciding is better than deciding without discussing"), want to put up a vote.

Considering the need for a decision, vote before Wednesday, June 23, 18:00 UTC.

The Database Should Be Locked To Unregistered Users

Support

1. Ederchil ^{(Talk/Contribs/Edits)}
2. Mith (Talk/Contribs/Edits)
3. User:Morgan

Information
Heraldic Device of Eärendil and his House.
lore-2 This user has an intermediate understanding of J.R.R. Tolkien's works.
Hobbit This user supports Hobbits over any other race.
This user believes the Entwives are lost forever.
This user believes Balrogs do not have wings.

Hi all!

My on-line name is Earendilyon. I've known Tolkien's writings since the late '80s and have most of his work in my possession, and a lot about him and/or about his writings.

Other interests of mine are:

• (Medieval) History (I've got an MA in it)
• Languages (especially Latin)
• Hiking
• Reading

--Earendilyon 04:59, 8 February 2006 (EST)

My Tolkien Library

Books by Tolkien:

• The Silmarillion (also in Dutch translation)
• The Hobbit (twice; also in Dutch translation by Max Schuchart)
• The Annotated Hobbit
• The Lord of the Rings (twice; also in Dutch translation by Max Schuchart, also twice)
• Unfinished Tales (also in Dutch translation)
• The History of Middle-earth by Christopher Tolkien:

1. The Book of Lost Tales Part One
2. The Book of Lost Tales Part Two
3. The Lays of Beleriand
4. The Shaping of Middle-earth
5. The Lost Road and Other Writings
6. The Return of the Shadow
7. The Treason of Isengard
8. The War of the Ring
9. Sauron Defeated
10. Morgoth's Ring
11. The War of the Jewels
12. The Peoples of Middle-earth

• The Children of Húrin
• The Road Goes Ever On
• The Tolkien Reader
• Farmer Giles of Ham
• Smith of Wootton Major & Farmer Giles of Ham (in one volume)
• Mr. Bliss (in Italian translation)
• Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics
• The Father Christmas Letters (also in German translation)
• The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

Books about Tolkien:

• Tolkien quizboek, S. Buchholz
• Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter
• Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings, Lin Carter
• Tolkien the Medievalist, Jane Chance ed.
• Some Light on Middle-earth, Edward Crawford
• A Tolkien Bestiary, David Day
• A-Z of Tolkien, D. Day
• Tolkien's Ring, D. Day
• De wereld van de Hobbits, D. Day
• J.R.R. Tolkien, R. Evans
• The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, Robert Foster
• Realms of Tolkien. Images of Middle Earth, HarperCollins
• Tolkien's World, Randy Helms (twice: pb. & hardc.)
• Tolkien, Hexa 2
• The Magical World of the Inklings, Gareth Knight
• Meester van Midden-aarde, Paul Kocher
• A Tolkien Compass, Jared Lobdell ed.
• The Mythology of Middle-earth, Ruth S. Noel
• J.R.R.Tolkien. Fantasy Literature als Wunscherfüllung und Weltdeutung , D. Petzold
• Tolkien, in de ban van zijn werk, M. Schuchart
• The Road to Middle-earth by Tom Shippey
• Tolkien Lexicon, J.E.A. Tyler
• Motieven in Midden-aarde. Essays over Tolkien en fantasy, Lembas-extra 1988, Unquendor
• Symboliek van In de Ban van de Ring, M. Uyldert

1.  KingAragorn  talk  contribs  edits  email  21:48, 21 June 2010 (UTC)

Arguments in Support:

• It stops the spambots cold.
• Therefore, it doesn't ruin Recent Changes and Page History any longer.
• Furthermore, it would prevent the wrecking (if only temporarily) of articles.
• The effort of reverting and deleting the pages is time consuming and really, really works on my nerves.
• Anonymous edits these past months haven't really been good edits, or are edits that wouldn't be missed.

Oppose

Arguments in Opposition:

• It prevents anonymous edits, some of which are useful.
• It could discourage editors signing-up (as some users edit anonymously before joining) at a time when the Gateway needs more editors.
• It could, as a result, make the Tolkien Gateway are more insular and closed community.