User blog comment:Brandon Rhea/Tips for becoming an admin/@comment-5047216-20121211213324/@comment-452-20121213060908

Those are all really good points, and the type of things I've always tried to do.

The one thing I'd change about that list is the "ask an admin" part. I'd definitely say "start a discussion", but admins are not the rulers of a wiki, the community is, so posting a proposal on a talk page is all that is necessary if you wish to discuss a major change. Seeking the opinion of an experienced admin is one thing, but asking "permission" is another.

In addition to the "be nice" points, I'd also add:
 * "always use edit summaries to explain your edits"
 * Edit summaries, particularly when editing something that someone else has just added, helps explain why you're "correcting" their addition, so they don't take it the wrong way.
 * "Always be neutral and factual in those edit summaries"
 * While a pun or wordplay may be acceptable, users who leave sarcastic, snarky or passive aggressive edit summaries really shouldn't be admins, as it shows they don't respect other users.