[WikiEN-l] Unauthorized deletion of images

[Geoff Burling]

On Sun, 7 Aug 2005, Leif Knutsen wrote:

> >But don't do this if they were validly deleted.
> >
> >If you claim to have permission, I can imagine two reasons why the
> >images would have been deleted:
> >1) The permission was not verified (this is up to the uploader)
> >2) The images were with-permission only. As of a mailing list post a
> >few weeks ago from Jimbo
> >(http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2005-May/023760.html),
> >images that are used on WP with permission but do not fall under any
> >other category may be deleted.
>
> OR - someone violated the policy because they had a point of view on the
> issue and found these facts rather inconvenient.
>
> These were uploaded prior to Jimbo's email on the issue.
>
> Still, they were put forward for deletion because those who wanted it
> deleted complained that permission hadn't been obtained. If there was
> another reason for it, that should have been raised as the reason. I can't
> even find the archives of the discussion.
>
> Can someone please find out who deleted them? I would like to file for the
> appropriate sanctions against the individuals. If I simply upload them
> again, they are sure to be deleted as a result of Jimbo's policy.

If you don't know who deleted the files, how can you be sure that this
wasn't done as a mistake or by accident? If you are certain that if you
upload the files again they will be deleted, but don't know who did it,
then I find it hard not to conclude that you do know who deleted them,
or do know the reason why they were deleted -- or are projecting a
state of mind onto someone you don't know, & who may have committed
an honest mistake.

I've seen an awful lot of one-time subscribers post to this list, claiming
that they are being harshly penalized for their own unwitting mistakes,
asking for understanding & leniency in the matter. I think it would be
a nice gesture for someone in that situation to extend that same
understanding & lenency towards the Admins when asking for help. They
are just as human as every other Wikipedian, & have been known
to make mistakes -- but every petitioner insists that they are
undoubtedly the victim of a tyrant drunk with power. That kind of attitude
only drives those people away from Wikipedia who would respond & help
such requests, & leave the petty tyrants who enjoy smirking at letters
like this.

Geoff