Talk:NOBUS

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This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 1 September 2021 and 8 December 2021. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Saharae. Peer reviewers: E.roberts.scruggs.

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Emphasis that it is NSA's term

In an edit, @GliderMaven: changed "NOBUS, short for "NObody But US", is a term used by NSA to describe security vulnerabilities which NSA thinks only NSA can exploit." to "NOBUS, short for "NObody But US", are security vulnerabilities which NSA thinks only NSA can exploit.", with the edit summary "article's aren't about terms". But of course some Wikipedia articles are about terms. I really don't understand his point. And I really don't like his version, since it does not make clear that the term originated in NSA documents. Thue (talk) 18:22, 2 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The thing to remember with Wikipedia article's is that they're about ideas, not terms. I agree that NSA coming up with the term that this should be in the article, but it's unnecessary to put it in the first sentence, and doing that kind of thing is discouraged by the policies.GliderMaven (talk) 18:28, 2 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia has articles about terms. Where does it say that we do not? What policies are you talking about specifically? Thue (talk) 19:22, 2 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

They're not absolutely, totally, completely banned, but they're strongly discouraged. And the style of the first sentence is laid down in WP:MOS, you go something is <something> rather than something is a term for <something>.GliderMaven (talk) 19:38, 2 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Note that "is NSA's term for" is not the same as "is a term for" - "is NSA's term for" contains actual important context. I do not normally write "is a term for" (or variants), but its use by NSA is actually central context here, which is why I am so opposed to your edit. Your version seems to me to be uninformative. Thue (talk) 19:45, 2 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

No, the relevant wiki-policy is "Wikipedia is not a dictionary, or a usage or jargon guide." The article is about the Nobody but US policy of the NSA; i.e that nobody but the NSA should be able to crack encryption. The fact that it's referred to by the term "NOBUS" is largely (but not completely) irrelevant here. We're defining the policy, not the term. In addition we can mention that the term is often used to refer to that policy, but the article isn't primarily about the term, it's about the policy.

This probably sounds horribly pedantic, but if you read the wikipolicies carefully that how it's supposed to work. If you read a lot of dictionaries it can seem very strange.GliderMaven (talk) 01:20, 8 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It is a question of being correct and informative instead of mindlessly following policies. You value writing something uninformative (arguably wrong) text, just to follow some general policy which the author of that policy probably never consider how to apply to this case. Thue (talk) 10:38, 8 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

No, I actually think NOBUS is primarily a policy of the NSA, not simply a term; the term is how the NSA refer to the policy. But the article is, and is supposed to be, on the policy. You can (of course) mention the term as well, but the article is to be, of necessity, centered on the policy, and so you don't lead with it as a term.GliderMaven (talk) 14:53, 8 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Is there some *other* word or phrase used for the idea that only the NSA can decrypt some cryptosystems?

Is there some *other* word or phrase used for the policy of keeping security vulnerabilities secret when "only the good guys" could use them; while telling people to patch other vulnerabilities when "the bad guys" could potentially use them?

Related Wikipedia policies/guidelines:

* WP:IAR policy

* WP:ISATERMFOR policy

* MOS:REFERS guideline

* WP:REFERS essay

--DavidCary (talk) 02:04, 11 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]