[WikiEN-l] Most immature war ever? Are we embarrassed yet?

Tue Feb 7 20:44:59 UTC 2006

Ryan Delaney wrote:

>Like it or not, these rules don't apply to Jimbo. Did you forget that Jimbo
>retains the power to ban anyone from Wikipedia, and that there is no appeal
>or discussion if he chooses to do so? Everyone who edits is here because he
>and the board permit them to. And anyone who reverts his block of a user is
>wheel warring. By definition, Jimbo cannot participate in a wheel war
>because anyone who undoes his block is wrong.
>  
>
This is a tiresome argument, and entirely beside the point.  Yes, Jimbo 
legally can do whatever he wants (with consent of 2 of the other 4 board 
members).  That's quite different from how Wikipedia as a community 
operates, though, since it relies mainly volunteers.  Everyone is here 
because we're a community editing an encyclopedia, and believe in its 
mission; the Board serves us, not the other way around.  If the 
community decides the present leadership does not have its confidence, 
it can move elsewhere, as Encyclopedia Libre did.  Jimbo's power is 
mainly "soft power", not "hard power", and in that sense, he was 
wheel-warring.

-Mark