Hello folks,
as announced at 16. November I retired as root today.
Normally you write in such mails that you are sad now and that you had a great time while it lasted. But I’m glad that it is over.
Don’t get me wrong: There were times when the work was great and most times the work was even fun. But there were also several times (especially in the last 2 years) when the Toolserver was horror. WMDE didn’t invest enough money, WMF found new problems with the TS, hardware was broken or the users (both authors and tool-users) were ignorant or impatient. If I had knew in autumn 2011 how the Toolserver would developing in the coming years, I had not overtake as main root. I learned the hard way, that it doesn’t matter how much work and time you invest if the leadership (WMDE and WMF) work against you; and the members of WMDE and the Wikipedians (at least in deWP) were no great help either.
I learned many things (in technical and political sense), met nice persons and helped to give the Wikimedia-universe some great tools, that’s the positive side I take with me now. I’m sure that I will miss the Toolserver and its users from time to time.
Those of you who switch to Labs I wish good luck. All of you (if retired already or not) I like to thank for the good times and I wish you the best for your future :-). I’m sure that I will meet some of you in the coming years again.
Sincerely, DaB.