I may put some personal stuff about myself here later - after I've thought over whether I can risk being personally identified - right now I'll just say that, 'cos of my job, I've visited many different countries on all the different continents and that I have a mixed ethnic/cultural background.
that is resident at a sub-page because I have consciously and deliberately decided to have no real User page (because I like my name to show up red in my Watchlist for my personal convenience)
This is not an encyclopedia article. If you find this page on any site other than Wikipedia, you are viewing a mirror site. Be aware that this page may be outdated and that the user to whom this page belongs may have no personal affiliation with any site other than Wikipedia itself. The original page is located at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Alice/About_Me
Wot! No real User page?
I'm not so unusual in not having a real User page; User:JzG also does not have one and while I wasn't visiting it I found this rather intriguing image:
Interesting?
“
Why would an expert bother contributing his valuable time to a project that can be ruined (by) any random idiot on the net? People love to compare Wikipedia to Open Source but guess what: bad, incorrect code doesn't compile. Bad, incorrect information on the net lives on and non-experts hardly ever notice the mistake.
In what sense does (thisthis[2] or this) constitute harassment? Bloody hell. edward (buckner) 12:46, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
Amazing. Why is an editor with hundreds of fine articles behind him, a fine stylist and clear thinker to boot, being blocked for some harmless (and apparently well deserved) comments about someone who spends most of his time writing trivial crap like this. There really is something very wrong here. Is this some kind of revenge for his (entirely constructive and accurate in my view) criticisms of Wikipedia? edward (buckner) 13:04, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
"...I'll try to give you a picture of what's going on. Nairs and Ezhavas form two "castes" in the South Indian state of Kerala. Kerala used to have a casteless society prior to the arrival of the Namboothiri Brahmins around AD 700. Buddhism was also prevalent in Kerala at this time. The Namboothiris imposed a caste system in Kerala, but this system was different from the usual four-tier caste-system in the rest of India. At the top were the Namboothiris, followed by Kshatriyas (Nairs who underwent a certain ceremony to become Kshatriyas), followed by Nairs, then Ezhavas, then things get a little hazy after this. Although Nairs fulfilled the role of "warriors" in Kerala after the arrival of the Namboothiris, they were still considered Sudras. Nairs ended up being rather powerful and became feudal chieftains and landlords. Ezhavas are believed to be Buddhists who initially resisted attempts at conversion to Buddhism by the Namboothiris. Certain sections of Ezhavas were Kalaripayattu trainers and physicians. Other sections practiced toddy-tapping, agriculture and other trades. I didn't grow up in India, so I am not entirely sure of the root of the animosity between Ezhavas and Nairs. Suffice to say that some level of animosity does exist. For example, members of these two castes do not intermarry. Ezhavas think Nairs are arrogant and are dwelling on the past to make themselves feel better and Nairs think Ezhavas have an inferiority complex. This is not what I personally think, because honestly, I really don't care. But this is the general idea between certain members of the community. Anyway, I started editing the Ezhava article, to try to clean it up, I was immediately attacked by a group of editors who assumed that because I was a Nair, I had some sort of agenda. Anyway, that's a brief synopsis of what's going on! --vi5in[talk] 18:39, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
They need a holiday. I suggest GdanskDanzigGdańskGduńsk Bognor. Guy (Help!) 23:01, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
Neither can I; they do indeed need a holiday. I suggest GdanskDanzigGdańskGduńskBognor Belfast!! :-) jxm 07:47, 4 December 2007 (UTC)
Blocking
8.1) Blocking is a serious matter. Administrators should be exceedingly careful when blocking. Blocks should be made only if other means are not likely to be effective.
...A block can be undone with an apology if you missed something. It's the initial mindset of sock-presumption that leads to such mistakes that needs correcting. Plus the mindset of tenaciously defending a block to the death. It's not the end of the world for an admin to admit they got something wrong, to apologise, and to unblock. If it looks like a block was wrong, just unblock and wait and see what the account does next. If nothing happens, no harm done. If they start up again (and that doesn't include people lashing out because they were upset at the block), then you (or others) can reblock with a clear conscience. If they calm down, apologise and start learning to do things better, well, Wikipedia has another productive editor-in-the-making.Carcharoth (talk) 08:58, 6 December 2007 (UTC) [5]
...A culture of blocking that drives away new editors is one of the ways that Wikipedia could decline. Each successive generation of productive new editors will get smaller and smaller as it gets more self-selecting. When the volume falls below a critical level, Wikipedia will be in trouble. New editors learn best by experience, which crucially involves being able to edit Wikipedia (not trying to negotiate a shortening of an indefinite unblock). They are not going to learn how to handle themselves correctly after a few exchanges of posts on their talk page with a couple of admins. Discussion on article talk pages is how they will develop into an experienced editor, able to handle themselves. This is why I favour the philosophy of short blocks, and several second chances, with an indefinite block only coming after they have shown they will not change their ways, and crucially, being warned that the next block will be indefinite. Anything else means that inexperienced new users will be caught in the indefinite block net, and that will be damaging to the encyclopedia. The best of the new editors will try again with a new account, and do better the second time round. Some, though, will just give up. What would you have done if you had been blocked indefinitely after your first 20 or so contributions? Tried again or walked away?User:Carcharoth 20:05, 2 December 2007 (UTC) [6]
New contributors are prospective Wikipedians and are therefore our most valuable resource. Editors are expected to treat newcomers with kindness and patience. Nothing scares potentially valuable contributors away faster than hostility. Blocking policy states, "Warning is not a prerequisite for blocking, ... but administrators should generally ensure that users are aware of policies, and give them reasonable opportunity to adjust their behaviour accordingly, before blocking."
Paul August☎ 18:09, 8 December 2007 (UTC) It appears that this important principle is being ignored with regularity. It is much better to err on the side of caution in situations like this. Disruptive editors will eventually be identified and dealt with soon enough. Good new editors are a necessary resource for the project. If treated poorly they usually leave becoming a permanent source of bad PR, dissuading many others from participating as well. This is a serious matter. One good editor lost does far more harm to the project than dozens of disruptive editors not blocked at the first possible moment.
"Paul August☎ 18:20, 8 December 2007 (UTC) There appears to be rampant paranoia concerning sock/meat puppets, and an over zealous concern to detect and block them as quickly as possible. We should judge editors by their edits, not by who we think they are."
Roolz
...there is a serious problem which traces back to a fundamental flaw with the entire site.
Flaw
The rules are worded so that they may be interpreted in several conflicting ways, which causes a lot of argument about issues like WP:NPOV and so forth.
Problem
Because of the above flaw, lack of any real qualifications/measurements, and standard human related issues; Admins and arbcom members may not actually understand the rules they are enforcing any more than a newbie, so we end up with strange rulings, blocks, and problems that never seem to get solved. (Unless we go to Jimbo, which I am loathe to do.)
To illustrate these two factors working together, there is the poor editor who was topic banned from Robert Prechter articles. In the arbcom case, it was found that Smallbones was POV pushing by comparing one of his/her revisions against another editor's. In comparing the versions myself, indeed Smallbones' article was more "negative" but also more sourced. I compared the two article's reflists. The proposal found to be "better" by the arbcom actually excluded references from The Wall Street Journal. (My understanding of NPOV is that we let the reliable sources determine the overall positive/negative tone of our articles.) The really rich part is that the other editor, whom the committee felt wrote a more "neutral" version, evidently is an employee of Robert Prechter. I'm not saying he/she is perfect, but essentially Smallbones has been topic banned (without prior warning) for following the rules, citing sources, and pointing out an editor with a clear WP:COI by the arbcom.
Given the outcomes of both the case you were involved with and mine, plus Smallbones experience, I think the arbcom could be a poster case of SNAFU. That being said, Durova is for the most part a good admin, but I could have cause to withhold a vote for her if the arbcom wasn't such a mess. Given what it is, I don't think she'd be any better or worse than what we have now. Anynobody 02:07, 23 November 2007 (UTC)
Sorry for the delay in replying (bit of a work crisis). Actually, since logging back on I've been having a look at the all the Durova stuff again. I found a whole lot of cryptic comments about 'WR', which I couldn't make head or tail of until someone helpfully spelled it out as Wikipedia Review. Following that link gave me a good laugh (whoever knew that one - apparently retired - Admin took such a close interest in 'chesty charmers' and, for those who are enthusiastic about such matters, on an admirably non-racial basis too. It makes me proud that he's a fellow Englishman)!
The overwhelming conclusion that I come to is that some people: (1) have far too much time on their hands, and, perhaps as a corollary of that; (2) can't see the wood for the trees, getting caught up in their own overblown little dramas which are of absolutely no interest to anyone with a life outside Wikipedia. The problem with choosing ArbCom candidates is that it is precisely these blinkered introverts who put themselves forward when what's wanted is actually someone who can spare one day a week and, other than a knowledge of Wikipedia protocol, has no other involvement in 'the project'. As an aside, most of these prolific editors/ Admins also have WP:OWN-ership issues with 'the project'; as I posted on Kittybrewster's Talk page: The problem occurs when editors start to WP:OWN not just 'their' articles, but also the User space pages of their friends, and, indeed, the whole project, laying down the law, helpfully or not, to everyone else. (Personal opinion - doesn't call for a reply!)
Almost everyone who has posted on the Durova subject comes across badly; the Fürher can find time to support Durova and brand Giano'a troll', but he can't find time to post an apology or statement of regret on !!'s Talk page. Durova's 'evidence' is just one remove from moronic (and demonstrates, yet again, the wrongness of blocking without prior warning), and those drama-kings this stupid term coined to avoid potential problems; see: [7]Giano and Swatjester kick the political football for all it's worth. These are allegedly mature adults - the only reason for voting them on to ArbCom would be to increase the general hilarity of the proceedings. Having said that, redacting 'the evidence' from Giano's Talk page and slapping a ban on him was probably the stupidest decision of all: Wikipedia: the free encyclopaedia anyone can edit.
Presumably completely uninfluenced by the current fund-raising drive?
Staying on Durova, I take it that Lsi john was also involved in the CoS ArbCom as 'an ally' of yours?
Regarding 'the Troubles' ArbCom, from my involvement in it, the problem that I identify is that: (1) those Admins who had been involved in 'the Troubles' prior to the ArbCom were added to the proceedings as 'involved parties'; and (2) when they subsequently tried to enforce the ArbCom judgment, the fact that they were involved parties was used to slur them as being biased (see Rockpocket's Talk page). QED the way ahead was to get an 'uninvolved Admin' to enforce the ArbCom ruling: only there don't seem any willing to get involved; result: an ArbCom judgment being ignored with impunity six weeks after it was handed down. Pathetic.
Whilst on the subject, I am beginning to develop an allergic reaction to the term 'banhammer' or - worse - 'banhamma'.--Major Bonkers(talk) 15:01, 24 November 2007 (UTC)
Thanks for mentioning WR, I too had wondered about it as well as ED, which turns out to be Encyclopedia Dramitica another fun wiki, which discusses some prominent admins/editors in less than flattering terms. (And is blacklisted, try creating an actual link to the site for a demonstration).
In my opinion, your opinion is dead on. Factoring in the ownership issues you mentioned has helped explain the seeming randomness of blocks/bans/punishment and helps flesh out my theory of misunderstood rules, for example the situation where I came to know you. After commenting on the behaviour of another editor, you got nailed by an admin who found it especially upsetting and simply blocked you without warning or really even investigating why the comment was made to begin with. (Almost as if to say, "Not on my encylopedia bub! Comment on content not contributors...")
I'm kind of short on time at the moment, but I'll comment more about Durova/Lsi john in the near future. The short story is that they both have big egos, Durova really pissed Lsi off in the lead up to the arbcom, but doing that isn't very hard.Anynobody 22:19, 24 November 2007 (UTC)
Quotations shortened and taken without permission from: [8]
Verifiability
Very wise. Are you personally leaning more towards maintainability rather than verifiability being the inclusion threshold these days? Alice✉ 23:01, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
Hmm, not so much that. I think that the best route to maintainability is verifiability. :) I still very much think that verifiability should be relied on whenever possible to do the heavy lifting on difficult questions of "notability". — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jimbo Wales (talk • contribs) 17:46, 28 December 2007 (UTC) [9]
all sides can agree in principle to an orderly process of making a determination of what to do
Jimbo, you said "all sides can agree in principle to an orderly process of making a determination of what to do" above.
May I recommend a tried and tested system? Representative democracy for making new policy within the limits set by the law and the Foundation. I suggest you take the lead and move the English language wikipedia community in that direction. Let's start with suggesting that everyone name some wikipedia user as his policy representative using a template that can be used to automatically tally results. Anyone can change their policy representative at any time. The details of the use of this template and choice of policy representative will not be defined in advance as there are far too many unsettled issues (socks, circular linking, qualifications to be counted either as a Wikipedian or as a representative, etc). The idea is to try it out as an experiment and see what the results look like. I'm betting the results will be good enough to eventually lead to a House of Policy Representatives to balance Arbcom (which is our Supreme Court that interprets policy and hands down specific rulings in specific cases). Prior efforts show that a site notice of a policy vote merely leads to uninformed thoughtless vote casting that solves nothing. We need a deliberative body for creation or alteration of existing policy. We are now too big for the former ways to successfully work on English language Wikipedia site-wide policy anymore. WAS 4.250 (talk) 19:26, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
That sounds like an interesting idea, but it would (it seems to me) have a number of potential unintended consequences. I am just thinking out loud here, but I wonder if such a concept could be tried as a "shadow policy body" first to test it. I don't know of anything that would prevent it being tried out, but I recommend that the proposal to try it be widely circulated first to get people's feedback on whether it sounds worth trying. To me, it seems like it would be worth trying at least.--Jimbo Wales (talk) 20:33, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
Intriguing ideas (as ever) come from WAS 4.250! It would need to be balanced by the caveat that only users with a committed identity revealed to Arb||Com be enfranchised, though. Then we could get rid of all the sockpuppet witchhunts and daft canvassing rules (currently we must rely on either telepathy or huge watchlists) which waste a lot of sound and fury and productive editing... Alice✉ 20:43, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
Well, I don't know of any reasonable way for the ArbCom to confirm personal identities...--Jimbo Wales (talk) 23:31, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
Identity confirmation is already in place in the financial system (as is identify theft, but not for complex transactions, so wait a bit). Level one identity confirmation is simply have the person make a $1 credit card or Paypal donation to Wikifoundation. Level two is a wire transfer of $1, which requires somebody to present themselves in person to a bank and get their identity checked. There are also notaries in the US and in other places. Geez, this is the digital age. If identities could not be confirmed remotely for ordinary transactions of this sort, the whole banking world wouldn't work at all. If my brokerage house (who I've never met) knows who I am when I log in and buy or sell something (and the IRS gets to know it, too), how come Wikipedia can't? You yourself are more than saavy about financial matters, according to your bio. So think in terms of online brokerage services and ebay, and so on. Umm, and I might add that "phishing" for Wikipedia identification information doesn't seem very likely, so wiki-identity theft, once a user is verified, is never going to be a problem of the same magnitude that it is when it involves money. SBHarris 23:47, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
Ooooh, a combination of liquid democracy and personal accountability for use of power! How... subversive! SBHarris 22:53, 11 January 2008 (UTC) [10]
This editor has made more than two and a half thousand edits to the English language Wikipedia (the majority of them in Mainspace) and, consequently, will be a Grognard on 27 March2008. Then she will be entitled to display this Wikipedia Little Red Book
You have two cows. During the night one cow kicks over all the milk jugs, tramples the crops, and dismantles the barn. The other cow alerts you to the calamity. You make sure the first cow is warm and comfortable, and punish the second cow for waking you up.
