[WikiEN-l] Re: 172 de-sysopped

Wed Mar 2 18:57:54 UTC 2005

> Anthere wrote
> 
> > So, I really do not hold grunge against him.
> 
> Indeed, it is hard to see how Ed Poor can be held responsible 
> for Nirvana.
> 
> He does, though, seem to think he is in some kind of 
> old-timer WP heaven, where procedures are at best tenuous.  
> Accountability rocks.
> 
> Charles

Darn it, you beat me to the punch with your "grunge" pun! :-)

But don't get me wrong: I really LIKE accountability. I didn't just
shoot from the hip, blow the smoke off mah trusty six-shooter and ride
off into the sunset. 

I brought attention to the issue of Blocking Wars, and I wish that would
get as much attention as the WAY the issue came up. Our goal is not to
create an increasingly rigid and powerful bureaucracy, but to create a
free and open encyclopedia. 

Everything that contributes to Wikipedia's goals should be classed as
"good" and encouraged (within obvious reasonable limits). Stealing
copyrighted text isn't good, because its unethical (oh, and against the
law, too, I guess). Having a GodKing like Larry Sanger (or a board of
GodPrinces) endorsing particular article versions isn't good. 

But everything that detracts from Wikipedia's goals should be classed as
"bad" and discouraged. And we need something quicker than the cumbersome
"dispute resolution" process. Trying to cast rules violations as a "you
vs. him" dispute is a problem.

Having 415 deputy sheriffs and no marshalls is a problem. 

I am not a loose cannon (although I admit to going off half-cocked
occasionally). I have always been accountable to the community. Jeez,
you guys would never have trusted me with root access to the server, or
allowed me to run SQL UPDATE queries directly on the database, if I
hadn't earned your trust. And don't forget, I'm the one who started the
tradition of Bureaucrats and above running for office. (Another
developer simply appointed himself and a few other "Bureaucrat"; I ran
for election and when I won it I refused to promote myself BECAUSE WE
NEED TO PROVE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE TRUSTWORTHY AND ACCOUNTABLE
TO THEM.

Sorry for shouting and rambling, but it's been a rough 24 hours.

Uncle Ed