tuppence more from the naughty step

okey dokey - so I've finally remembered how to delete my cookies and this has restored my access to wikback.com - and I was a bit surprised to see that I have access to the 'Wikback Itself' forum (for some reason I thought access to that, and to 'Cage Match' was restricted, but I guess it's only 'The Mirror' which is - not sure why, but ours is not to question!).

There's a thread about my recent ban there, which is interesting to me (well it would be, wouldn't it!). Thanks to all the commentators there, who have seen fit to draw a little bit of attention to the situation - it is appreciated, and here's what I see happening;

Well first I'd better refute a bit of stuff that's been asserted - somewhat intemperately I find, but hey, your temper is your business, I guess.

"I have had many conversations with PM privately about the importance of this to me. I've provided examples, and guidelines, and have moved his posts to the mirror (which I've set up as lightning rod for this sort of thing). The other hosts have discussed this with him as well. And he has continued, most recently by again complaining that no one will tell him who ran checkuser on him at what times in the course of events that led up to his ban (the post at issue has been deleted)."

um... nope, not really. Leaving aside the fact that I've been trying to discuss some moderately complicated 'checkuser' issues in general terms, and am more than happy to leave 'my case' out of it; UC and I have communicated, and a few messages have bounced back and forth - but I haven't had any messages from other hosts and moderators excepting CComMack, who's been kind enough to say that he thought my posts were quite helpful on occasion... I really don't believe UC has any reason to be righteously exasperated, which is afraid how it comes across to me - in fact it's kinda misrepresentative to be honest... if I were to paint the situation as one party being calm and polite, and the other being unreasonable, we'd pick the roles differently, I think. However, if anyone is at all interested, I'm happy for UC to release all messages on this matter, because I think they tell the story pretty well.... (ping me if you want a copy of the messages I've sent... they generally go along the lines of 'thanks heaps for running the forum, and I'm afraid I still don't understand x, is y allowed? once again, thanks, PM.'

It's heartening to see that on this matter, I might not be entirely crazy (other folk seem confused too) - and hopefully I'll be unbanned soon, and allowed to comment within the rules / guidelines - I'd like that!

more chit chats, and a month on the naughty step

well we've had some pretty interesting chats over at 'NotTheWikipediaWeekly' in the last little while - and over the weekend I joined the folk at 'Wikipedia Weekly' for my first conversation there! - It was very similar to the 'NotThe' experience, but with the addition of the extra polish which editing (and taking a more technical approach to sound quality etc.) gives - I chatted a bit (not recorded - just friendly chat before the 'show' started....) about the possibilities of how the two projects can combine effort in the long term - and I mentioned that a kind of 'any questions' and 'any answers' approach might be interesting (check out BBC Radio 4 for more info. on these UK Political discussion shows) - time will tell.....

We're having another regular conversation this week - hopefully with some new editors popping along (which is great!) - and behind the scenes, I think we might have a pretty interesting 'special' conversation later in the week......

(oh, and I got a month's ban from wikback for posting inappropriately - I'm utterly befuddled once more, and would like to return to commenting there - do feel free to poke me about it if you're interested - I'm just confused, to be honest!)

oh the injustice of it all... and a peek behind the curtain

(yet) another PM rant to kick off... my trusty readers will know that a silly comment can get you a one week ban over at wikback.com - but only in some contexts, of course... sometimes silly is allowed!! - I'm sure it's no surprise that I'm totally with Doc on this one, that a bit of admittedly self indulgent humour is a good thing... I'm not sure I'd go as far as asking people to lighten up if they find it trolling, essentially because I've already been banned for one week, and poking the boss in the tummy as he puts you on probation probably isn't a good idea!

The conclusion is obvious....


...well it is on first glance anyways - I'm currently working on a 'what's really going on' post which encapsulates my views about the truthful dynamics at play behind this, and more interestingly other major wiki currents swirling at the mo... I'm too busy / lazy / inarticulate to finish it yet - but having begun it a few days ago, I saw this post and wanted to say that that echoes with me quite strongly.... more to come, folks!

real life chats, and another ban......

the path to my updating this blog is so beautifully paved, that I thought I'd take a short stroll down it again.....

Since getting back 'on-wiki' I've enjoyed starting a 'real life chat' project, which I've called 'NotTheWikipediaWeekly' as a tip of the hat to the team who gave me the idea (thanks chaps!).

Click through if you're interested in hearing what I sound like, and join in with ideas / topic suggestons or anything really at the wiki page - that's what it's there for!

In other news, UC has been kind enough to help me with my ban withdrawal symptoms by booting me from wikback.com for a week for this post. If your plus is as nonned as mine, I'm sure the ban relates solely to UC's sincere intentions to ensure the smooth running of the board through his firmness, although I did once refer to him as a marble free arbitrator - or to use the expression I'm happy to support in gaining traction - arbonaught.

back once again....

...and gosh these are interesting times!

No doubt inspired by these erudite scribblings, both Danny Wool and Larry Pieniazek (who is the user 'Lar' on wikipedia) have started blogs. They're both pretty involved wiki folk - Danny having worked at the Foundation Office, and Lar having a number of senior roles across various wikimedia projects. What's interesting is that they both use their blogs to offer criticism of wikimedia / wikipedia which I would consider constructive... if perhaps controversial.

Danny's blog pips Lar's at the moment for sheer fun value, because we get to read about Jimbo being somewhat of a lothario!! The whole situation makes me giggle at the absurdity - and the fact that he's pissed off his ex girlfriend / mistress to the point where she's selling his sweater on ebay is the icing on the cake!

Less absurd, though obfuscated by the titilation, is Danny's concern that foundation money may have been inappropriately spent by 'Jimbeau' (nice one, Danny!). I'd say it should be no big deal to quickly answer danny's points openly and honestly to assuage any concern - no big deal, right?

If you, like me, happen to have known a few friends and colleagues in the past who have preferred quantity over quality in their relationships, perhaps the obvious question to ask at this point is have there been any expenses at all picked up by the foundation which are more to do with Jimbo's lurve machine than the benefit of the project? Danny clearly intimates this is so... and I guess it'll come out in the wash soon enough.....

I was going to mention something about Lar's discussion of how wikimedia has some issues that need fixing from the inside, but now I can't get 'Jimbo's lurve machine' out of my head.... I'll leave you with that thought, and the sounds of Barry White......