On 7/9/05, Tony Sidaway minorityreport@bluebottle.com wrote:
I object strongly to the characterisation of RickK as an unstable administrator. He was one of the best we've had, he worked long and hard, and he finally decided he'd had enough. I wish he would come back, but if he's had enough then we should be thanking him for his long and faithful service. Which I do gladly. Thank you RickK.
While overall I believe he had a greater positive than negative impact on Wikipedia, and worked tirelessly for the project, I do question the willingness to paint him in a wholly positive light without negatives.
RickK was a very volatile personality, and not just recently. I remember him being similar when I joined the project. He was always very prone to taking things personally and regarding statements not directed at him specifically as personal attacks. He bit newbies, including many who meant no malice, but were simply unfamiliar with the Wikipedia way.
I regard him as displaying a form of the Wik disease; slowly becoming convinced he was the sole bulwark against the teeming hordes of chaos, and becoming possessed with the conviction that he was important and unappreciated simply because others were not as fanatical as he. He excused rudeness and sharpness and carelessness because there was simply too much work he had to do, and not enough time to do it.
IMO, he was headed for a burnout for a long time, and it was a largely self-inflicted one.
-Matt (User:Morven)