Meta:Snowball
 | The following page documents an official Meta-Wiki policy. This page has been developed and approved by the community and its compliance is mandatory for all users. It must not be modified without prior community approval. |
Don't close discussions early in favour; we don't like to do Snowball closures on Meta-Wiki.
The reason has been voiced by many people in discussion forums on Meta: Meta is usually not a "home" wiki to most Wikimedians.
Most Wikimedians visit Meta only when they take part in a discussion; they tend not to watch polls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's unfair to arrive here before an advertised deadline, to contribute a new idea to a discussion, only to find the poll closed "due to snowballing".
Participants on Meta-Wiki are a complex and diverse mix; as in real-world international politics, protocols that everyone can understand are important, regardless of linguistic or cultural background.
Remember, a discussion is not a vote. Even a long list of "supports" does not preclude the appearance of a single and important objection. An important comment giving deeper insights can often change the whole course of a discussion.
However, stewards are allowed to close requests for rights early when it is clear that the person has virtually no chance of getting the right based on initial comments. The user is invited to try again once they have gotten sufficient experience for the role they are applying for.
See also edit
- Snowball clause – the page on Snowball imported from the English Wikipedia.