[Foundation-l] Update on ombudsman issue

Thu Jul 20 20:45:10 UTC 2006

On 7/20/06, George Herbert <george.herbert at gmail.com> wrote:
> There is a difference between "Your user account was not previously a
> problem or conflict with official Wikipedia functions, but is now, we
> need to officially ask you to change it or put up a disclaimer on your
> User page" and "Hey, let's all go force a name change on this guy
> because he didn't cooperate before".
>
> That there may need to be a change and/or disclaimer is reasonably
> obvious now.  There is zero justification in that necessity for any
> abuse of User:Ombudsman.  They weren't violating policy before when
> they refused to change their name.  Beating them up now for having
> previously stood up for their rights is inappropriate.
>
> That there were discussions of forced changes or a permanent ban
> before anyone sent a polite note to them explaining that Things had
> Changed is a terrible, terrible shame for this mailing list...

Well, one, my proposal didn't include banning him if he cooperated. It
did include asking him nicely (both for the name change and for the
disclaimer). It would be a way _around_ a forced name change. Two,
this mailing list is open, and User:Ombudsman is more than welcome to
read it.  We're not trying to hide anything by discussing it here.
--LV