The pace of discussions about this incident appear to be slowing, both
here and on ENWP. Discussions on ENWP seems to be turning towards longer
term topics.
I think that some of these discussions could instead have happened in
better circumstances. I do not envision any likely outcome where the
benefits that are associated with this incident will outweigh the harms.
Below I share some comments that I selected from the lists of resignations
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_response_to_the_Wikimedia_Foundation%27s_ban_of_Fram/Summary#Resignations>,
retirements
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_response_to_the_Wikimedia_Foundation%27s_ban_of_Fram/Summary#Retirements>,
and strikes
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_response_to_the_Wikimedia_Foundation%27s_ban_of_Fram/Summary#Editors_on_strike>.
Some of the people who made these comments may return to activity or
reclaim their permissions, but my guess is that some of them will not.
A minority of the statements protested the community's actions.
* "I cannot support a community that undermines T&S."
* "...the enwiki community is like the world's largest dysfunctional
family, and I no longer wish to hold a position of responsibility here"
* "... no interest in helping a project that willfully allows and condones
harassment, intimidation and stalking."
The majority protested WMF's actions.
* "the whole WMF ban mess was the straw that broke the camel's back"
* "in protest of the Wikimedia Foundation's inconsistent, opaque, oblivious
and inadequate handling of user conduct issues"
* "dispirited by the recent action of T&S, and even more so by their
refusal to explain their action in any meaningful way, to provide any
mechanism for an appeal, or to negotiate on a compromise"
* "I am not willing to serve Jan and the T&S team … under undisclosed new
rules and under threat of unappealable sanctions should I (or those I
interact with) violate those undisclosed rules, rather than serving the
Wikipedia Community under its imperfect but transparent and accountable
rules."
* "We are not subjects of the WMF ... you have to give us the same respect
you demand for yourselves."
* "Yeah....I handed in my bit too; somehow I can feel a change in the
wind....community seems to matter less and less."
* "There's not much to say that hasn't already been said better by others,
so I'll spare everyone my own manifesto except to say there are a lot of
good people who edit here, and I will miss working with you all very much"
* "I have thought long and hard about this, but do not feel able to
continue to contribute in the current environment. I had hoped it would be
resolved satisfactorily by now, but this is looking increasingly unlikely.
Please accept my resignation and remove the admin tools. Thank you and best
wishes"
* "I am resigning my adminship to protest the contempt the WMF organization
and CEO have for WP's volunteers"
* "I would like to express my disappointment at the way the WMF has handled
this matter so far"
* "I'm out unless and until the foundation repairs it's relationship with
this community."
* "...an utterly empty shell statement. ... When (if?) this resolves I will
consider to ask it back, but currently it is of no use for me. WMF can do
it by themselves in the meantime."
* "I found the Board's response to the Fram affair disappointing to put it
mildly..."
* "enough. Email me when the WMF takes steps to actually fix this place
instead of destroy it."
* "retiring until WMF provide suitable explanation for their behaviour"
* "One of the great things about volunteering is that when an organisation
supposedly devoted to supporting you shows itself incapable of providing a
level of support that you consider adequate, there are no adverse
consequence from simply withdrawing your labour, which is what I am now
doing"
* "I have decided to not edit in content for a period commensurate with
Fram's ban, . .not out of solidarity with F. Out of outrage for the WMF's
kangaroo court encroachment."
* "I am 100% OUT on doing another site maintenance task of any type until
this is resolved properly. This includes for me particularly New Page
Patrolling, Articles for Deletion, RFA commentary, vandal revision (of
which I do very, very little anyway), and notice board participation. I am
not your unpaid intern, WMF."
* "I learned about this late, but I don't work for bullies. I'll not be
editing mainspace until this is satisfactorily resolved."
Personally, I think that the community's ideals are amazing, and the fact
that English Wikipedia works as well as it does reminds me of an eternal
flame <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_flame>. But that flame
operates with a complex web of trust, and if its highly privileged
caretakers attack it or handle it carelessly, then I think that its future
is in doubt.
Hopefully this will give the WMF Board something to contemplate.
Pine
(
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine )