New subject: Explanations for bans (Usernames and sense of proportion)

7 May 2004

Seems me to be stretching a point _considerably_ to object to someone's 
username on the basis of it containing the substring "troll". 

Even if we grant a) that usernames that are obviously likely to give gross 
offense need to be dealt with, and b) that serious trolling behavior gives 
gross offense to Wikipedians, it does NOT follow that c) usernames containing 
the substring "troll" are grossly offensive to Wikipedians. 

Continuing to belabor this point: someone whose username contains the word 
"troll," who does not, in fact, troll, is not a problem. Someone whose 
username does not contain the word troll, who does, in fact, troll, is a 
problem.

It's fair enough to assume that someone with a trollish username might be 
trying to send a signal, and should expect his/her activities to receive more 
attention than they might otherwise... but...

Let's act on the basis of what people do, not what their usernames are.

I beg to remain
Yr. humble & obdt. servant

   The Comptroller

Usernames: sense of proportion