It’s Comment Spam: the Next Generation. Only, this time, it’s attacking wikis.
Wikis (again) are websites that are set up to be easily editable by all comers. They have been used to great success in some really cool settings, like the Wikipedia.
And now, a la the Tragedy of the Commons, some cretinous fools are ruining it for everyone. Since, after all, if anyone can contribute to a wiki, then anyone can post to it. And if anyone can post to it, anyone can post spam and Google-bombing links and crap like that.
Which means that people have to lock down wikis — their “sandboxes” (publically accessible spots to try out formatting) first, but, have no doubt, their wikis as a whole.
Wikis still remain an incredibly powerful tool, but it’s a pity that a big piece of that power has now been spoiled.
And, yes, my wiki sandbox was hit, and Doyce, bless ‘im, spotted it and cleaned it off, and I’ve restricted edit access to it now. Dammit.
(via Doyce)