[Wikimedia-l] Please, let's save the Wikipedia - from itself

[Fred Bauder]

It is addressed but by a rather complicated and demanding process. See
Wikipedia:Dispute resolution. Not really workable for new users who bump
up against well-established users who have bad habits, or have learned
that nasty behavior pays off in being able to control content.

Fred

> I think you are completely right and it is a big problem in the
> Wiki-world that is not being addressed by anyone in a leading position.
>
> Regards,
> Lars Gardenius
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>  Von: Rui Correia <correia.rui at gmail.com>
> An: Wikimedia Mailing List <wikimedia-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Gesendet: 23:08 Mittwoch, 4.September 2013
> Betreff: [Wikimedia-l] Please, let's save the Wikipedia - from itself
>
>
> Greetings to All
>
> Let me start by saying that I don't do much here at the WP, not compared
> to
> people who make hundreds of edits a week. I would love to, have a long
> list
> of "to-do", but unfortunately time is not on my side.
>
> In my limited involvemet here, I have seen many a good editor leave the
> project. Mostly, people leave because they can't take it anymore having
> to
> fight the 'blocks' of defenders that coalesce around certain topics.
>
> In itself, though not very healthy, such blocks forming around topis is
> fine. What is not fine is that if any issue gets referred to a higher
> process for a resolution, it is often the same people grouping of people
> previously involved in disputes on the same topic who come to the
> resolution forum to issue a decision. However, it is always the
> 'outsider'
> that loses. He gets acused of everything under the sun, and gets 'good
> advice' from supposedly neutral editors, urging him to calm down, to
> temper
> his language etc. It is like trying to point out that the earth is round
> at
> a monthly meetng of the fat-earthers. That is not healthy and is making
> the
> WP processes look like a kangaroo court run by a cabal.
>
> And I expect pretty much the same reaction to this email.
>
> I pointed out in an ealier email to this list the difficulty that one
> encounters when you include something negative about certain big
> corporations. I was stoned and made to feel that I was wrong and everbody
> else was right. The reaction was tantamount to a chorus of "yes, we know
> there are problems, but don't say it out loud, someone might hear you!".
>
> Let's for argument's say that I was wrong. But - more importantantly -
> was
> anything done to investigate what I was saying? What if there are legions
> out there paid to sanitise the pages of big corporations? And we know
> that
> they exist, and that WP has taken up the issue as in here,
> http://nick-xomba-ceo.xomba.com/microsoft_accused_of_paying_blogger_to_alter_wikipedia_articles
>
> I made a silly remark on a Talk page about the choice of the word
> "downgrade" to refer to people using Windows 8 who wanted to go back to
> XP.
> For a failed product, by Microsoft's own admission, going back to XP is
> an
> upgrade, going back to sanity, not a downgrade.
>
> I was first accused of trolling, then something else, then of offending
> the
> entire community of users of Windows 8. The editor who is adamant - not
> the
> first time - to purge ant-MS from the talkpage violated the 3RR, but
> nothing gets done about it. I reported the 3RR, and it was immediately
> closed, labelled as being relatiatory. There is a backlog of issues on
> that
> page, but my entry was closed within minutes.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Edit_warring#User:Codename_Lisa_reported_by_User:Rui_Gabriel_Correia_.28Result:_Closed.29
>
> It was closed, claiming that it was already being addressed elsewhere.
>
> So, I too will consider my stay here. Like I said right at the top, I
> don't
> do much here, so I am certain I will not even be missed. I edit in eight
> languages, small little bits here and there. I participated in a number
> of
> initiaves on the development of Chapters in Africa and am happy to see
> that
> things are moving. I had the honour and privilege to meet Jimmy Wales in
> South Africa and to discuss a few things relating to WP in Africa.
>
> So, it is time to wind down anr retire into a corner. I am busy with a
> novel, I am sure that is where I should invest my time and energy.
>
> Sincere regards to all, happy editing
>
> Rui Correia
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> _________________________
> Rui Correia
> Advocacy, Human Rights, Media and Language Work Consultant
> Bridge to Angola - Angola Liaison Consultant
>
> Mobile Number in South Africa +27 74 425 4186
> Número de Telemóvel na África do Sul +27 74 425 4186
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