How Voting Works

How Votes on Edits are processed

• Status: This page is work in progress and NeedsEditing and NeedsIntertwingling quite badly. I just gathered some information that went over the MailingList, so that it would not be lost. It partially duplicates Information which is on the FAQ. That stuff should probably get moved here --DonRedman

Preface

• Edits are generally kept open 7 days, with an additional grace period which lasts another 7 days.
• Edits with as many Yes as No votes are generally considered failed and not applied by the ModBot.

Algorithm for closing edits

Every hour, the server runs the following algorithm, applying it to each open edit in turn. In the text below, EXIT means that the fate of the edit in question has been determined, the ModBot turns its attention to the next open edit. by DaveEvans

1. If the editor has marked the edit as "to be deleted", it will be deleted. EXIT.
2. There is then some logic to do with dependencies between edits, there are 3 possible outcomes of the dependency checks
   • ModBot determines that the edit fails due to Failed Prerequisite EXIT
   • ModBot determines that the edit stays "Open" EXIT
   • The outcome of the check does not require any action, and the ModBot continues to process the edit...

1. If the edit has expired (older than 7 days), then:
   1. If there are MORE yes votes than no votes, then the mod is Applied. EXIT.
   2. If the edit has more than 0 Yes/No votes (Abstain are ignored), then the edit is failed due to Failed Vote. EXIT.

• (Fact of lost vote is given because won votes are applied in the step before, and the exit conditon being reached)

1. 1. By now the ModBot knows that the edit in question has expired (more than 7 days old) and nobody has voted on it.
   2. If the edits' grace period has expired (older than 14 days), then the edit is Applied (since no-one was apparently interested either way). EXIT.
   3. By now the ModBot knows that it is dealing with an edit between 7 and 14 days old, and with no votes so far.
   4. Each edit is associated with one artist. If that artist has no subscribers (excluding the original editor), then the edit is Applied. EXIT.
   5. Otherwise, it continues...

1. By now it is either dealing with an edit less than 7 days old, or one 7-14 days old with no votes.
2. If there are at least 3 Yes votes and 0 No votes, the vote is deemed to be unanimous, and the edit is applied, and is Applied. EXIT.
3. If there are at least 3 No votes and 0 Yes votes, the vote is deemed to be unanimous, and the edit is failed due to Failed Vote. EXIT.
4. Otherwise, the edit stays open for now.

Algorithm for Expired Edits

The algorithm for expired edits is the following (translated from ModBot.pm to pseudo code) by MatthiasFriedrich on the mailing list

IF someone voted yes or no; THEN
   IF yes_votes > no_votes; THEN
      apply() # and '''EXIT'''
   ELSE
      fail() # and '''EXIT'''
   FI
FI

# At this point, we only have expired mods that nobody voted on
# yet. Abstains are not counted
IF grace period has expired; THEN # grace period is another week
   apply() # and '''EXIT'''
ELSE
   # grace period has not expired yet
   IF the mod submitter is the only subscriber; THEN
      apply() # and '''EXIT'''
   FI
FI

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Original version: -