NationStates Jolt Archive

This is still very much up in the air, because I haven't decided how hard to come down on it. I want to see how the player base thinks about this topic.

Explination of the options:

No-Holds-Barred: You can sign the Proposal however you want. The chances of this are slim and none.

Co-Author: You can't sign, but may add a line listing coauthor(s). If you pick this, please state what you think the limit on coauthors should be.

None: Just what it says.

Other: Explain.

These are the laws that rule us, not advertisments. I voted "none", as I think the nation's name at the top of the law ought to be enough.

I would reluctantly agree to a co-author line if it were limited to nation name, not including pretitle ("MyNation" as opposed to "The Huffly-Puffly Protectorate of Mynation"). No giving credit to every single person who contributed to the topic, either - you should have an author and at most two or possibly three co-authors. I would think that "none" or "one" would be co-authoring rule, and two or three the rare exception.

I vote none as well...

The authors name in presentment of the top of the Proposal/Resolution is enough; the only reason for presentment of author in body, is to satisfy the conceit of the writer...

I really don't see any need to sign a proposal. If you need to thank people, you can do that in the forum.

I vote for coauthors to be listed, but limited to two individuals. More than that, and it gets cluttered too fast.

I would support allowing 2 or perhaps 3 co-authors to be named by their short nation names (no full titles) at the end of a resolution.

I would support allowing 2 or perhaps 3 co-authors to be named by their short nation names (no full titles) at the end of a resolution.

I agree, mostly because I don't really care if people want in-game public record to reflect their efforts and don't want to see forty co-authors listed at the bottom of a resolution text. :)

That's twice in a row I've agreed with _Myopia_. What is the world coming to? :D

if the author so chose, i believe he should be allowed to name 1-2 co-authors who have helped in getting the proposal together...

That's twice in a row I've agreed with _Myopia_. What is the world coming to? :D

The end is nigh... ;)

That, or you're exercising mind control to make ME agree with YOU in advance.

I'd be willing to support, at most, three co-authors listed with each proposal, but I think it should be at the main author's discretion. Some of the best resolutions to come out of the NSUN have involved the brilliance of more than one mind, and to recognize them only seems appropriate.

I don't see why the nation's name at the top of the resolution isn't enough. The reward for those who had a hand in the resolution but didn't actually write it is the increased reputation and respect in the UN.

Two or three co-authors has my vote as well. Not to many, but the option would be nice. I've frequently worked together with other nations on resolutions, and while I can mention them in the resolution text, it would be more appropriate in the header.

while I can mention them in the resolution text, it would be more appropriate in the header.
Not mechanically possible. The only one mentioned in the header is the one who filled out the form. All we're discussing here is whether co-authors should or should not be allowed in the proposal text at all.

I don't see why the nation's name at the top of the resolution isn't enough. The reward for those who had a hand in the resolution but didn't actually write it is the increased reputation and respect in the UN.

The name at the top isn't enough, because sometimes the submitting nation is not the only author of the proposal or not the author at all. A single written work may be composed by several people, and sometimes one person has the ideas and has someone else with better wordsmithing skills author the legislation for them. (Recall Thomas Jefferson. Do you really think that he should recieve sole credit for the Declaration of Independance of the United States of America?) And sometimes one delegate with more status will submit a proposal written by someone less well known.

If only the name at the top is shown, it can be not only unfair but misleading. (Of course it can't be required to acknowledge ghost writters and such.)

Furthermore, allowing co-authorship encourages cooperation and discussion of proposals before submission, which I think are good things.

Two or three co-authors has my vote as well. Not to many, but the option would be nice. I've frequently worked together with other nations on resolutions, and while I can mention them in the resolution text, it would be more appropriate in the header.


I've also voted in favour of co-authors and completely agree with Groot Gouda. Gouda and Grosseschnauzer both had resolutions that I felt made appropriate references to the key participants in the drafting of a proposal.


The reason I feel strongly about this, is the spirit of the United Nations is about cooperation. Not debate and attacking proposals, but in finding constructive ways to work out problems with a proposals text and then submitting a proposal that multiple people are willing to stand by 100%.

I believe that allowing a co-author is a small carrot that promotes constructive feedback in the proposal drafting stage. I've been very unhappy when I've seen experienced players (who can write well) flaming or attacking newbies, who really just want a bit of help and refinement of their idea. I see this small carrot as a good way to discourage that sort of behavior and encourage team-building. :)


In the real world, when I make a public presentation or release a published paper, I place as many credits as possible. I've found that this enhances the credibility of the presentation / report, and also encourages more people to provide feedback when the work is in a draft stage. The same logic should hold true here too.

Not mechanically possible. The only one mentioned in the header is the one who filled out the form. All we're discussing here is whether co-authors should or should not be allowed in the proposal text at all.

Okay, I didn't understand that. Still, my opinion stays that that should be allowed.