Yes, Theresa Knott was right that it was much much too long, but I had
already sent it...
I got a very interesting reply:
"It's true that the explanation I gave was grossly oversimplified, both
for space and, frankly, to put it in terms that editors could understand."
(!!!!!!)
"What I was referring to loosely as the "editorial group" are the
administrators, of whom you are one."
If he actually knows that I am an administrator, rather than guessing, that
suggests a reasonable degree of knowledgeability. Perhaps he is a Wikipedian
himself?
He concluded "The wonder of Wikipedia is that it works remarkably well. I
have a background in sociology and somewhere in this process there's a
dissertation for someone."