Help:FAQ/Administration

See also: Wikibooks:Administrators

How do policies get decided?

Wikibooks:Policies and guidelines describes how Wikibooks arrives at its policies and guidelines through a process of discussion and consensus. Discussion takes place on the Wikibooks:Mailing lists, on IRC, and in the various policy pages which form part of the "Wikibooks:" namespace. For recent policy discussion on wiki, try looking at recent changes.

What is an administrator? What is a sysop?

An Administrator is simply a Wikibookian who can access the few restricted Wikibooks software functions: deleting modules and uploaded files, protecting and unprotecting pages and blocking and unblocking IP addresses.

"Sysop" is a more technical designation which deals with a special user account itself, due to historical and to the Wikimedia software the "flag" that gives an Administrator its special privileges is called sysop flag that is why Administrators are sometimes called sysops (even if the definitions aren't equivalent).

The Administration tasks and rules are (still to be) defined on Wikibooks:Administrators, they are not of a technical nature and are defined more than several managerial tasks that must be performed by selected groups of users that needed or requested the access to be able to perform them to the good of all the community.

How can I become an administrator?

It's easy. First, you need a user account. Then, make useful edits over a period of time. In this way, you prove to the community that you are here in good faith. Then, add your name to Wikibooks:Requests for adminship. Voilà! Be sure to read Wikibooks:Administrators and Wikibooks:Deletion policy, and use your new "powers" with caution.

Who monitors the conduct of an administrator?

Administrators monitor each other; all administration tools are completely reversible by any other admin (including page and media deletions, lockings, and IP bannings). In rare cases, Jimbo Wales has to step in. In any case, the GFDL license grants you the right to fork, but all forks must be on your own servers, in accordance to policy (the fixed policy regarding fork is still under discussion you are welcomed to express your views).

How can I unban an IP?

Administrators can go to Special:Ipblocklist and click on "unblock" as required. Developers can unblock multiple IPs at once.