[WikiEN-l] Samiharris looks like a sock, and everyone suspected

[Todd Allen]

On Feb 13, 2008 1:34 AM, Cool Hand Luke
<failure.to.communicate at gmail.com> wrote:
> Twenty-six editors have agreed with pretty compelling evidence that
> Samiharris is a sock of Mantanmoreland.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_comment/Mantanmoreland#Outside_view_by_Cool_Hand_Luke
>
> Meanwhile, it appears that several prominent users have suspected the
> real-world identity of Mantanmoreland since September. We've banned accounts
> for suggesting it.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard#Stop_stalling_already.21
>
>
> I've expressed by disappointment elsewhere.
>
> http://www.wikback.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2762#Post2762
>
> I hope not to say anything intemperate, but I'm seething and tired at the
> moment.
>
> My only hope is that something good comes of this.  Perhaps we should
> seriously rethink the concept of pseudonymous editing.  At minimum it might
> be wise if all admins could view IP addresses themselves--this whole
> allowing-open-proxies-until-we-discover-them policy is an invitation to
> abuse.
>
> Cool Hand Luke
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If you want a checkuser, ask for one. This is the wrong mailing list
to talk about regular admins being allowed to view IP addresses, since
that would be quite a massive change in the Foundation's privacy
policy. While I wouldn't give you very good odds, foundation-l would
be the place to discuss such a proposal.

As to open proxies, why yes, they're subject to abuse. In fact,
editing itself is subject to abuse. That doesn't mean we can or should
take away the "edit this page" button. We just have to accept that
sometimes an abuse will occur, and deal with it as best we can.

-- 
Freedom is the right to say that 2+2=4. From this all else follows.