[WikiEN-l] Re: Two users left because of Wik

Wed May 5 12:38:58 UTC 2004

Fred Bauder wrote
> I can't believe he left on that account. I think it was more the general
> athmosphere. The process with Wik will probably go for several rounds and
> drag on for 6 months. This is linked to the substantial support system Wik
> has among other users many of who would rebel on the other side if the
> arbitrators were seen to deal pre-emptively with him.

Yes it was the general atmosphere, but it's important not to use that as an
excuse to be defeatist. Wik featured as a big part of that general
atmosphere. Tannin said on his user page:

: I got so bloody tired of seeing so much good work destroyed by a tiny
: minority of well-known problem users that I quit.[...]

: I guess that one of the things that really brought this home
: to me was that, quite by chance, I've had to spend a good
: deal of time working on some other multi-contributor
: cooperative web-based projects lately. Somewhere along the
: line I had forgotten what it was like to work with people
: who want to work with you toward a common goal, as opposed
: to putting up with the disruptions and distortions and
: evasions and downright lies that we get so used to here.
: (You want examples? Try Wik or Nico or RK. There are others
: of course, but those three will do to illustrate my point.
: It's easy to tell who they are. Just ask yourself if User X
: does more harm to the project, or good for it.)

: Maybe one day the Wikipedia community will get its act
: together and do something to encourage people who actually
: contribute to the encyclopedia instead of pandering to the
: trolls and the fanatics and the lunatics. Maybe.

The arbitration committee does not have to be like Jimbo; always hesitant to
act except in the most egregious cases. The community will squabble amongst
itself forever about whether users should be kept on or banned. This
bickering damages the community. What I want from the arbitration committee
is decisive leadership aimed at the betterment of the encyclopedia project.
I don't want a legalistic process or proof beyond reasonable doubt.

Of course it's true that you can't really keep anyone out of a wiki if
they're determined to circumvent technical measures. The value of leadership
is to end the in-fighting, and to avoid the sense of betrayal so many
Wikipedians feel when they are attacked for defending the community against
a troll.

-- Tim Starling