Wikipedia talk:Flux Rating
Interesting idea, but it's really something you should discuss with the developers (i.e. on Bugzilla). Also, I should point out that an article with a high number of recent edits may have excellent quality precisely for that reason (as opposed to, say, an article not updated for half a year), especially for articles on recent events. Also, on a more sinister note, vandals may want to seek out pages with low flux rate to vandalize, since it's less likely that they will be noticed. Radiant_>|< 06:44, August 24, 2005 (UTC)
Ok. I get that, so I wil be moving this to Bugzilla on your advice.
First, however the high number of recent edits will indicate a page in active change, exactly the point of a flux rating. The point is to establish relative stability/ instability as a marker. I understand that there can be many reasons for many recent and significant changes, both good and bad, but having an additional marker to help alert for high flux, or to indicate low flux is important. Remember, it's about significant changes, not minor changes. Refinement of a page or major addition will be a series of minor changes. Major changes can be a red flag. Frequent major changes will give a high flux rating, and will indicate significant page instability. Frequent minor changes will indicate page refinement,and will not necessarily affect the flux rating.
Potentially, another marker for change in flux will show when the rate of flux suddenly increases, and may indicate when there is a significant change in the way a page is being edited, and can be a marker for many things.
Furthermore, if vandals seek out pages with a low flux rating and vandalise the page. the flux rating will pop up and may alert us to what is happening. A "change in" flux rating will certainly pick it up.
The bottom line is that a flux rating will change when vandalism occurs, and indicators of flux rating will alert administrators of a page bing vandalised because they will register an unusually high flux on a page that had previously beenstable, and should only be undergoing regular minor changes.