Ottava leaves Wikipedia Options

[Coffee]

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=...oldid=324205438

[A Horse With No Name]

"I am gone. I don't know when I will be back..." -- Ottava

Pity he didn't say he was leaving on a jet plane -- it would've been a fitting tribute to the late Mary Travers. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/ermm.gif)

[everyking]

I recommend a technical measure to ensure that he doesn't cut his vacation short.

[Anonymous editor]

I recommend a technical measure to ensure that he doesn't cut his vacation short.

I concur, especially after skimming this:

Malleus, chin up. Sandy, you always do a great job. Karanacs, thank God you are about to help Sandy. Moni3, you are cute, haha. Ironholds, you better fix the law pages. Juliancolton, you are a fool for ever thinking about dodging this place. Peter Symonds, I don't have anything to say to you cause you know everything (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Casliber, I finally passed you. Kim Bruning, I hate you but I love you. Durova, you are annoying but only because you tend to be right about stuff that isn't pleasant. Awadewit, cheers on finishing up your doctorate - I hope I beat you of course (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Raul, you are a decent fellow and hopefully there will be many pleasant caturdays. Coincidentally, Lara, you are amusing although cruel (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Giano, continue to produce some nice articles. YellowMonkey, I never knew there could be so many cricket articles haha, but you did it (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Ceranthor, don't stop working as everything you touch seems to be well. GaryKing, keep to the sources but not too close and there will be many more beautiful pages. Ed17, safe sailing! Ceoil, may your beer never go flat and your potato never get cold. Jake, don't let the complainers get you down. Dave souza, you sure know how to make a fine article on classical science. Lar, I hate you but you are still a decent fellow (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Mrathel, sorry if I don't get about to finish the article, but you have my contact info and I can always sent you copy and paste of the texts so I hope the Odes will get finished in some way, or I could come back if I can manage not to be as upset. NW, you are a fun person as with NocturneNoir, and it was nice meeting you two. iMatthew and Garden, the cup was fun and you two were great to talk to. Luna, I doubt you'll ever see this but I think you'd make a fine Arb if you ever ran. Jdelanoy, you would also make a great Arb. Cary Bass, you have to be the most amusing WMF person I've ever talked to, but I've only talked to four of them (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). RyanPost, you have a good head on your shoulders. DGG, you always have an interesting viewpoint and I can always trust you to have something reasonable to say. Fritzpol, make sure to run for ArbCom sometime because you have a good sense of fairness. Casliber, I finally beat you (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif). Wizardman, keep up the work even if it is about baseball haha. Prodego, you are so rigid but it is endearing. Nancy, always keep the faith. John Carter, you always were a great guy.

[cyofee]

Let's start a betting pool about Ottava's date of return to Wikipedia.

My preliminary guess would be around two weeks from now.

[Somey]

Let's start a betting pool about Ottava's date of return to Wikipedia.

My preliminary guess would be around two weeks from now.

Hasn't he done this sort of thing before? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

If you can manage to get through the whole entry, you'll see that he doesn't say anything particularly nasty about anyone. That's unusual, and while it seems logical to assume it means he'll be back in more like two days, I'm not so sure. Ottava is extremely stubborn and uncompromising, so something like that could very well mean that he's going to make a real effort to beat the psychological withdrawal and get off the drug.

Baah, what am I saying? Four days.

[SB_Johnny]

Let's start a betting pool about Ottava's date of return to Wikipedia.

My preliminary guess would be around two weeks from now.

Considering that it looks like the Arbcom was actually going to accept the case this time, I predict his return will be a rough one. Not a good play at brinksmanship.

[Eva Destruction]

Let's start a betting pool about Ottava's date of return to Wikipedia.

My preliminary guess would be around two weeks from now.

Four days. The Arbcom elections start on 10 November, and I don't believe Ottava will let the chance pass to share his opinions. Upper limit of 21 days, assuming Malleus still runs for RFA on 27 Nov, since there's no way Ottava won't wade into that particular argument.

[Kelly Martin]

My money is on the theory that he's already returned under a new username.

[A Horse With No Name]

If you can manage to get through the whole entry, you'll see that he doesn't say anything particularly nasty about anyone.

I am surprised he didn't channel Terry Jacks and start singing "Goodbye to you, my trusted friend /we knew each other since we were nine or ten..." (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/dry.gif)

You will also notice that he talks to a good percentage of the same 150-200 people who inevitably migrate to RfA, RfArb, ANI, AfD or various talk pages and "projects" that set off our radars. For a project that supposedly encompasses 10.5 million registered users, it always seems fishy that the exact same people keep turning up over and over and over again in these discussions/farewells/smackdowns/non-vote !votes/trivia. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/bored.gif)

He will be back by this time next week. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/unsure.gif)

This post has been edited by A Horse With No Name:

[Jon Awbrey]

For a project that supposedly encompasses 10.5 million registered users …

But of course, most of them are me.

Ja Ja (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/boing.gif)

[EricBarbour]

Agreed--the Arbcom election is irresistible to him.

And supposedly he already has at least 20 socks set up. (A little birdy told me. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/sick.gif) )

[Wiki Witch of the West]

Let's start a betting pool about Ottava's date of return to Wikipedia.

My preliminary guess would be around two weeks from now.

Hasn't he done this sort of thing before? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

If you can manage to get through the whole entry, you'll see that he doesn't say anything particularly nasty about anyone. That's unusual, and while it seems logical to assume it means he'll be back in more like two days, I'm not so sure. Ottava is extremely stubborn and uncompromising, so something like that could very well mean that he's going to make a real effort to beat the psychological withdrawal and get off the drug.

Baah, what am I saying? Four days.

If he ever did this before I don't remember it. Since August he's contributed 7 featured articles and nearly 30 good articles on scholarly topics. Fantastic content writer; here's wishing he were better with people. Let's give him a little breathing room.

[Jon Awbrey]

breathing room

Godwin strikes again …

Jon (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/hrmph.gif)

[Wiki Witch of the West]

breathing room

Godwin strikes again …

Jon (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/hrmph.gif)

Just because you're such a sweet person, Jon, here's the midafternoon weather report. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif)

Luv ya!

[SB_Johnny]

Just curious Durova: when did I become a steward?

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=...oldid=323931669

(And, uh, that was aimed at the people shooting the spitballs actually, more than at your buddy.)

[Wiki Witch of the West]

Just curious Durova: when did I become a steward?

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=...oldid=323931669

(And, uh, that was aimed at the people shooting the spitballs actually, more than at your buddy.)

Sometimes I go by memory, which can be faulty. Apologies if the recollection was faulty. Must've been too much blood in my caffeine system.

Thought you'd appreciate the visuals for "whiskey, tango, foxtrot". But on a more serious note the criticism is well intentioned and serious.

It's hard to relate unless you've ever found yourself at the eye of a gale force wikistorm. But really, there were expletives tossed around at that discussion that stand out like sore thumbs to the person who's in sharpest focus. In that sort of situation it is very tempting to point to the inconsistency--he's being grilled for incivility while people with a much more obvious level of incivility go without a polite reminder. One of the hardest things to do in that situation is to make a realistic assessment of one's own shortcomings. A quiet and calm response really is better.

This post has been edited by Wiki Witch of the West:

[Text]

If Ottava is a decent page maker he should just go to Wikipedia Review or Everything2, or something equivalent. No point in having your pages smashed by casual ip addresses, since the governors of the site have no interest in implementing better software.

[Coffee]

My money is on the theory that he's already returned under a new username.

Oooh me too... put me down for... 1,000 WikiDollars please! (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/popcorn.gif)

[everyking]

If he ever did this before I don't remember it. Since August he's contributed 7 featured articles and nearly 30 good articles on scholarly topics. Fantastic content writer; here's wishing he were better with people. Let's give him a little breathing room.

How persistent and severe would Ottava have to be in his attacks on other editors before his conduct would be deemed intolerable? Do you think it's possible that Ottava has been doing all that constructive editing because he realizes that he'd otherwise be quickly banned? If he was restricted in some way that prevented him from trolling, he'd probably lose interest in editing altogether, which may in fact be essentially what happened this time.

[Malleus]

If he ever did this before I don't remember it. Since August he's contributed 7 featured articles and nearly 30 good articles on scholarly topics. Fantastic content writer; here's wishing he were better with people. Let's give him a little breathing room.

How persistent and severe would Ottava have to be in his attacks on other editors before his conduct would be deemed intolerable? Do you think it's possible that Ottava has been doing all that constructive editing because he realizes that he'd otherwise be quickly banned? If he was restricted in some way that prevented him from trolling, he'd probably lose interest in editing altogether, which may in fact be essentially what happened this time.

How "persistent and severe" do your own attacks have to be before your conduct is deemed "intolerable"? Are you seriously proposing that anyone would work on 7 featured articles and 30 GAs just to avoid being banned?

You're way beyond crazy everyking.

[A Horse With No Name]

If Ottava is a decent page maker he should just go to Wikipedia Review or Everything2, or something equivalent. No point in having your pages smashed by casual ip addresses, since the governors of the site have no interest in implementing better software.

Or, even better, he can write for a professional media outlet. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/ermm.gif)

[Kelly Martin]

How "persistent and severe" do your own attacks have to be before your conduct is deemed "intolerable"? Are you seriously proposing that anyone would work on 7 featured articles and 30 GAs just to avoid being banned?

I've seen stranger behavior in the context of cults (Scientology, the Family, stuff like that). It's not incomprehensible.

[Viridae]

If he ever did this before I don't remember it. Since August he's contributed 7 featured articles and nearly 30 good articles on scholarly topics. Fantastic content writer; here's wishing he were better with people. Let's give him a little breathing room.

How persistent and severe would Ottava have to be in his attacks on other editors before his conduct would be deemed intolerable? Do you think it's possible that Ottava has been doing all that constructive editing because he realizes that he'd otherwise be quickly banned? If he was restricted in some way that prevented him from trolling, he'd probably lose interest in editing altogether, which may in fact be essentially what happened this time.

I think you are being way too cynical, I certainly wouldn't put the effort into contributing all that he does just so he can troll with impunity - of course, he might have realised he can be a troll as a side project in addition to the content which he seems to enjoy contributing. That said, I don't think he is particuarly trollish, just has a filthy temper and has discovered he can (up till now) make people back down by screaming harrasment. Frankly is you want to troll with impunity, either edit ED, go play on/b/ or become an admin, all of which are easier options that doing what he is doing.

[everyking]

I think you are being way too cynical, I certainly wouldn't put the effort into contributing all that he does just so he can troll with impunity - of course, he might have realised he can be a troll as a side project in addition to the content which he seems to enjoy contributing. That said, I don't think he is particuarly trollish, just has a filthy temper and has discovered he can (up till now) make people back down by screaming harrasment. Frankly is you want to troll with impunity, either edit ED, go play on/b/ or become an admin, all of which are easier options that doing what he is doing.

It's more likely that the constructive editing is the side project and the trolling is the main event. After all, when confronted with the imminent likelihood of sanctions that would limit his ability to troll, he chose to leave and not write articles anymore. Doesn't that speak volumes about his priorities? Also, considering that he's a religious fanatic, I don't think playing around with a bunch of vulgar children would have much troll appeal for him.

This post has been edited by everyking:

[GlassBeadGame]

I think you are being way too cynical, I certainly wouldn't put the effort into contributing all that he does just so he can troll with impunity - of course, he might have realised he can be a troll as a side project in addition to the content which he seems to enjoy contributing. That said, I don't think he is particuarly trollish, just has a filthy temper and has discovered he can (up till now) make people back down by screaming harrasment. Frankly is you want to troll with impunity, either edit ED, go play on/b/ or become an admin, all of which are easier options that doing what he is doing.

It's more likely that the constructive editing is the side project and the trolling is the main event. After all, when confronted with the imminent likelihood of sanctions that would limit his ability to troll, he chose to leave and not write articles anymore. Doesn't that speak volumes about his priorities?

But Everyking, his fingers pressed keys that the magic wiki spun into gold, so you miss him sorely, right?

[Malleus]

How "persistent and severe" do your own attacks have to be before your conduct is deemed "intolerable"? Are you seriously proposing that anyone would work on 7 featured articles and 30 GAs just to avoid being banned?

I've seen stranger behavior in the context of cults (Scientology, the Family, stuff like that). It's not incomprehensible.

It is to me.

[Kelly Martin]

How "persistent and severe" do your own attacks have to be before your conduct is deemed "intolerable"? Are you seriously proposing that anyone would work on 7 featured articles and 30 GAs just to avoid being banned?

I've seen stranger behavior in the context of cults (Scientology, the Family, stuff like that). It's not incomprehensible.

It is to me.

Perhaps you should change your name to Horatio, then.

[Malleus]

How "persistent and severe" do your own attacks have to be before your conduct is deemed "intolerable"? Are you seriously proposing that anyone would work on 7 featured articles and 30 GAs just to avoid being banned?

I've seen stranger behavior in the context of cults (Scientology, the Family, stuff like that). It's not incomprehensible.

It is to me.

Perhaps you should change your name to Horatio, then.

Perhaps. Oh, what I'd give to be omniscient like you. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/laugh.gif)

[Tower]

Anyway to come back to topic, I see Ottava is back on WP now. Posting on Malleus's talk page. Even talking about us over here. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/rolleyes.gif)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Malleus_Fatuorum#Hmm

Hi Ottava. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/happy.gif)

[A Horse With No Name]

Anyway to come back to topic, I see Ottava is back on WP now. Posting on Malleus's talk page. Even talking about us over here. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/rolleyes.gif)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Malleus_Fatuorum#Hmm

Hi Ottava. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/happy.gif)

Daddy's home! Daddy's home! (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/boing.gif)

[Cedric]

Anyway to come back to topic, I see Ottava is back on WP now. Posting on Malleus's talk page. Even talking about us over here. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/rolleyes.gif)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Malleus_Fatuorum#Hmm

Hi Ottava. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/happy.gif)

Back?? He never even left.

Nothing more here than a lot of attention-whoring whining of a type we have seen hundreds of times before. Honestly, people! (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/bored.gif)

[SB_Johnny]

Anyway to come back to topic, I see Ottava is back on WP now. Posting on Malleus's talk page. Even talking about us over here. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/rolleyes.gif)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Malleus_Fatuorum#Hmm

Hi Ottava. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/happy.gif)

I'm under the impression he's an avid WR reader... actually the wikibreak might have gone on a little longer if he was free to post here.

Back?? He never even left.

Nothing more here than a lot of attention-whoring whining of a type we have seen hundreds of times before. Honestly, people! (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/bored.gif)

Aw, c'mon now. He took over 36 hours off! (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/rolleyes.gif)

[Casliber]

If Ottava is a decent page maker he should just go to Wikipedia Review or Everything2, or something equivalent. No point in having your pages smashed by casual ip addresses, since the governors of the site have no interest in implementing better software.

Writing Featured Articles is an antidote to that, as a consensus flagged-stable-revision-thingy, and was my prime motivation for writing Featured content in the first place (as an anchor once the articles start to erode like sandcastles at the beach...) (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/biggrin.gif)

[everyking]

Since Ottava isn't really gone, the ArbCom should hurry up and accept the case and do something about him. Antandrus sums it up perfectly: "When not editing content, Ottava Rima is the single most disruptive, time-wasting, drama-creating, wikilawyering unsanctioned editor I have encountered in almost six years editing. Please accept this case to look closely at his conduct. There is no way to measure how much of the time of otherwise-productive Wikipedians he siphons off into his dramas."

[Eva Destruction]

Since Ottava isn't really gone, the ArbCom should hurry up and accept the case and do something about him. Antandrus sums it up perfectly: "When not editing content, Ottava Rima is the single most disruptive, time-wasting, drama-creating, wikilawyering unsanctioned editor I have encountered in almost six years editing. Please accept this case to look closely at his conduct. There is no way to measure how much of the time of otherwise-productive Wikipedians he siphons off into his dramas."

Case now open. An absolute humdinger of a piece of craziness, even by Wikipedia standards as the first post, too: "Please can Arbcom reject this case, because I think Ottava's crazy".

[everyking]

Case now open. An absolute humdinger of a piece of craziness, even by Wikipedia standards as the first post, too: "Please can Arbcom reject this case, because I think Ottava's crazy".

I remember admins used to say "Wiki is not therapy" when banning crazy people.

[Malleus]

Case now open. An absolute humdinger of a piece of craziness, even by Wikipedia standards as the first post, too: "Please can Arbcom reject this case, because I think Ottava's crazy".

I remember admins used to say "Wiki is not therapy" when banning crazy people.

Most people are certified "crazy" by a qualified psychiatrist though, not some wikipedian on a mission to improve the world's grammar.

This post has been edited by Malleus:

[Somey]

Most people are certified "crazy" by a qualified psychiatrist though, not some wikipedian on a mission to improve the world's grammar.

Nobody is suggesting he be certified in any way, Mr. Malleus - only that he be removed from the stress-inducing factor. The fact is, Fowler&fowler (T-C-L-K-R-D) is right, and some of the entries on Ottava's talk page do indicate severe WP-induced mental stress, which many of us have seen before and none of us want to see again. An immediate indefinite ban would actually be the best way to help him, whereas an ArbCom case would be the best way to make his mental state even worse.

None of this is meant to suggest that I've changed my mind about Ottava's behavior here on WR, which I still believe to have been an experiment in how far a person like him can go to annoy us here before getting his account suspended. Nevertheless, the mere fact that he would even do that at all should have been a strong indication to ArbCom and the admins that Ottava was, and is, a nervous breakdown waiting to happen. The further away he can get from Wikipedia, the better off he'll be.

[Malleus]

Most people are certified "crazy" by a qualified psychiatrist though, not some wikipedian on a mission to improve the world's grammar.

Nobody is suggesting he be certified in any way, Mr. Malleus - only that he be removed from the stress-inducing factor. The fact is, Fowler&fowler (T-C-L-K-R-D) is right, and some of the entries on Ottava's talk page do indicate severe WP-induced mental stress, which many of us have seen before and none of us want to see again. An immediate indefinite ban would actually be the best way to help him, whereas an ArbCom case would be the best way to make his mental state even worse.

None of this is meant to suggest that I've changed my mind about Ottava's behavior here on WR, which I still believe to have been an experiment in how far a person like him can go to annoy us here before getting his account suspended. Nevertheless, the mere fact that he would even do that at all should have been a strong indication to ArbCom and the admins that Ottava was, and is, a nervous breakdown waiting to happen. The further away he can get from Wikipedia, the better off he'll be.

So you're a qualified psychiatrist too. Fair enough.