Something I've been thinking on for ... well, I first ran into it over a year ago, so I guess it has been perculating since then.
I don't know what the purpose of DPC is. Let me explain, I had taken the About page as a statement of purpose, but a bit over a year ago I stated such in a forum thread and was told by a member of SC, not in so many words, that while that is a statement of why and how the site was created -- it does not state what it has become.
Like I said, that was over a year ago -- so I hope you will forgive me not stating who the SC member was. I am fairly certain I remember well enough, but without looking up the thread in question (which I doubt I could find) I don't want to place the statement at the wrong feet. In any event, it doesn't really matter who said it -- the result is there is no statement of purpose for the site. At least not a public one.
The result of no statement of intent is each member forms an idea of what the site is for themselves, but no two people seem to agree on what that is. At that time (over a year ago) the differences in what each member considered the site to be were fairly diverse -- and have continued to move further and further apart since then.
I understand the site has grown into a community that is far beyond what was originally invisioned -- and will likely continue to grow and evolve. However, by allowing random growth, and only stepping in with rulings and decrees when the tensions come to a head is, in my estimate, an example of growth by explosion. In which, the various ideas of purpose continue to conflict until an explosion occurs -- at which point the site declares itself to encompass all the areas the pieces fell upon and things continue until the next explosion. This is not an effective way to build a community in my estimate, as it requires the active promotion of a dissention for any growth to occur. It seems to me, sooner or later, the resulting explosion is going to splinter the site instead of expand it.
So, call it whatever you like; a Mission Statement, Statement of Intent, Purpose or even Prime Directive -- but, can we have an all-encompassing statement of what DPC actually is?
Pretty please? :D
And while we're at it, can the same be applied to the various parts of the site -- that is a statement of what the forums are for, what the challenges are for (even what the purpose of the individual challenges are; open, member, exclusive, and so on)?
With sugar on top? ;)
The statements will have to be considered and revised from time to time -- much the same way the challenge rules are now. But, with such a statement, we may not be on the same page (disagreements will still occur) but at least we will be reading the same book (and if the subdivisions are given like treatment, the same chapter).
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