[WikiEN-l] Self-sensorship, how far should it go?

[jayjg]

On 8/1/07, Andrew Gray <shimgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 01/08/07, jayjg <jayjg99 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I don't see any good coming from giving into trolls and stalkers. The
> > fact that a bunch of disgruntled, mostly banned ex-Wikipedians like to
> > spin conspiracy theories, and occasionally disrupt Wikipedia, should
> > simply be ignored. Not discussed on Wikipedia, not discussed here,
> > just ignored.
>
> "Ignored" is one thing. "Silenced" just feeds the fire.
>
> I note this thread began because a debate about Slim's identity, and
> the massive efforts gone to to conceal edits associated with her, *was
> on the front page of slashdot*. (Slashdot. Not Wikipedia Review, or
> Encyclopedia Dramatica, or anyone else; Slashdot, perhaps a classic
> example of our "natural supporters".) This led to a large amount of
> curiosity amongst our community. But a small group of people cracked
> down heavily on anyone trying to say "what the fuck is going on here?"
> on the wiki... which just further encouraged speculation about those
> efforts to conceal something.
>
> If you honestly don't see that this sort of behaviour is wasteful,
> counterproductive, inflammatory and - in the long run - just poisoning
> our reputation, then I am afraid my complaints are hopeless. But, by
> god, they were worth making.
>
> At some point in the past, people fucked up, made enemies or handled
> something badly or just been unlucky in who they dealt with. Things
> have moved on, and developed, and we're now in a situation where they
> have no choice but to look foolish, or keep harming the project. The
> only reasonable solution here is for them to stop and walk away.
> Sooner or later, they have to realise this.
>
> I will say it again - the people we are looking bad to now aren't the
> people who already thought the worst of us. We're now beginning to
> look like incompetent spiteful twerps to neutral third parties, and I
> see no indication it's ever going to improve. Essjay got us faintly
> amused newspaper coverage - what will "Wikipedia Covers Up Unknown
> Misdemeanours" look like?
>
> The project is bigger than them, it is more important than a username,
> and I will not stand by to see it dragged down to protect their pride.

Frankly, I don't really know what you're talking about any more,
Andrew. The people who look bad are those promoting this nonsense, and
those who insist on continually re-hashing it on Wikipedia and the
mailing list. Enough navel-gazing; go build an encyclopedia.