[Foundation-l] Meta:MetaProject to Overhaul Meta

[Alex Schenck]

Okay, apparently, we have a few problems here.

Despite praise from various sources, several other Meta people have
complained that this project is doing more harm than good. While I of course
completely disagree with that notion, I feel that I ought to let out some
steam.

Meta right now is horrible. Really, it is. People need to stop kidding
themselves and understand that the way that it is in right now is akin to a
trash heap. Sure, there are some good things on Meta, but the vast majority
is unorganized rubbish that could probably be put away in an archive and
forgotten about until cyber-archaeologists come along and sift through it
and thing that they're artifacts. I mean, come on. Sure, this place has a
lot of history of Wikimedia, but if things need to be kept, why can't they
be kept in a more orderly fashion?

Another thing: people have been complaining about speedy deletions and that
they violate Meta policy. Can I be brutally honest? Meta is a ghost wiki and
the policies aren't nearly as important as they are on local projects. When
people start complaining that deletion of unused images such as pornography
is out of process, I cringe. No one is going to miss some of these things.

I understand that some people have objected to some things which I have
deleted. However, those things can get restored, and besides, any project
which requires a massive overhaul will experience errors.

Frankly, I've got better things to do than completely overhaul Meta. I'm
doing this for the greater good of Wikimedia's projects. People are afraid
to touch Meta because it is a massive unorganized heap. I'm trying to change
that, and I've gotten a go-ahead from the top. If people are going to
complain that a policy on a nearly abandoned wiki is not followed over
getting things, you know... accomplished (gee, what a thought), then why am
I and thirteen other editors (two of which have decided to quit the project)
wasting our time like this?

For the meantime, I will continue this project, but I would like to propose
a solution: an archive wiki of Meta. Move *everything* on Meta over to this
archive. Start fresh. The archive will contain all things that Meta used to
have, so nothing will just disappear, and someone else can go through the
archive if they really feel like it and find whatever they're looking for. I
promise I won't touch that archive. Plus, anything that is current can be
kept on Meta as is. Let Meta be useful again instead of a depository of crap
dotted with worthwhile discussions and essays.

--Alex