[Foundation-l] Racism in Commons

[Rob Smith]

On 12/5/07, Oldak Quill <oldakquill at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 05/12/2007, Durova <nadezhda.durova at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Why bother? Good old William of Occam would have made a fantastic
> > > Wikimedian. You've got a simple, quick, and easy solution to a pretty
> bad
> > > problem. Why hesitate and go in for something more complicated? Don't
> > > understand the reason to overcomplicate. Or, alternatively, you could
> ban
> > > him from uploading any more politics-related images...
> > >
> > > Honestly, though, if we get to the stage where 50 percent of one guy's
> > > picture gallery labels him as a Neo-Nazi - complete fringe theory -
> > Commons
> > > need to learn something from enwiki and toughen up. There's a word for
> > that
> > > we use at enwiki: POV-pushing. This is not acceptable and we don't
> really
> > > need any more bad press at the moment, not with Durova/!! all over the
> > > Register.
> >
> >
> > En.wikipedia has a lot more problems and disgruntled users than Commons
> ever
> > has, and I don't believe it is purely due to size or reputation. We're
> more
> > easy-going at Commons and we try to talk to and help people before
> clicking
> > the block button and pissing them off - you'd be surprised how many
> times
> > I've explained one point of policy to someone who would otherwise have
> been
> > blocked for uploading copyvios or such after repeated warnings, and they
> > realised a point they hadn't understood before and became decent
> > contributors. Policy and copyright are hard to understand and blocking
> is
> > not the way to educate people.
> >
> > en.wp does not do things perfectly; and no, they aren't the perfect
> older
> > sibling for the little ones to look up to. En.wp is more like the
> rebellious
> > older sibling who became a rock star and wildly famous, but is also
> slowly
> > killing itself with drugs and alcohol. Just because it makes a lot of
> money
> > and has a lot of fans doesn't mean the little siblings should mimic its
> > behaviour.
> > --Ayelie
> >   (Editor at Large)
> > ******
> > Could I ask for a retraction, please?
> >
> > I've been keeping my head low for two weeks in the hopes that things
> would
> > blow over.  Yes, I'm in the Register now.  And unfortunately in a couple
> of
> > more mainstream news sources also.  None of them contacted me for
> comment
> > before running the story.  And due to the way dispute resolution
> progressed
> > I had no fair opportunity to present my side of events onsite, either.
> >
> > I unblocked the editor as soon as I realized I was mistaken, apologized
> > repeatedly, sought to make amends, invited scrutiny, and pledged
> > improvements.  What more can I do?
> >
> > I'm not Essjay.  I haven't lied about my credentials or misled any
> > reporters.  I've volunteered for Wikipedia for two years and 20,000
> edits
> > and handled some of the site's most difficult disputes.  Please assume
> good
> > faith.
> >
> > This reads like an implication that I've sought this attention, and that
> I'm
> > a substance abuser.  None of that is true.
>
> ...at least he didn't harm
> anyone.
>
> --
> Oldak Quill (oldakquill at gmail.com)



Lying does not harm anyone.  Interesting.


Rob Smith