Jayjg, Crum375, and Wikiquote, fun for all the cabal! Options

Jayjg makes his ninth ever edit to Wikiquote, using it to castigate Dan Tobias (making his first and only edit) for carrying the "cabal" war into that hitherto serene realm.

For the uninformed, SlimVirgin and Jayjg's meatpuppet Crum375 got all upset because someone had poached his username there (it's incredibly clever, after all). Crum complained to someone, who complained to someone, and -- lo and behond! -- Quaddel blocks the guy (totally out of process) for choosing this username (WP:BADTASTE, perhaps?)

It gets better, though -- our once-but-not-anymore very own Poetlister arrives to unblock the not-really-Crum375, and wonders out loud what roused Quadell from his seven-month snooze to take this action.

The whole thing is documented on Wikiquote's Admin page (a diff-link for when it goes away), and is really a good source of hilarity, especialy as it involves several Review regulars as well. In general, the Wikimedia-project-wide single-signon stuff has raised lots of interesting hackles.

Jayjg makes his ninth ever edit to Wikiquote, using it to castigate Dan Tobias (making his first and only edit) for carrying the "cabal" war into that hitherto serene realm.

For the uninformed, SlimVirgin and Jayjg's meatpuppet Crum375 got all upset because someone had poached his username there (it's incredibly clever, after all). Crum complained to someone, who complained to someone, and -- lo and behond! -- Quaddel blocks the guy (totally out of process) for choosing this username (WP:BADTASTE, perhaps?)

It gets better, though -- our once-but-not-anymore very own Poetlister arrives to unblock the not-really-Crum375, and wonders out loud what roused Quadell from his seven-month snooze to take this action.

The whole thing is documented on Wikiquote's Admin page (a diff-link for when it goes away), as is really a good source of hilarity, especialy as it involves several Review regulars as well. In general, the Wikimedia-project-wide single-signon stuff has raised lots of interesting hackles.

My favorite part of this scrum:
Behold as a hapless Crum is roundly chastised on his WP talk page for attempting to throw his, er, weight around on a project where he has very little weight.

It has been a rough couple months for this fellow.

Jayjg makes his ninth ever edit to Wikiquote, using it to castigate Dan Tobias (making his first and only edit) for carrying the "cabal" war into that hitherto serene realm.

For the uninformed, SlimVirgin and Jayjg's meatpuppet Crum375 got all upset because someone had poached his username there (it's incredibly clever, after all). Crum complained to someone, who complained to someone, and -- lo and behond! -- Quaddel blocks the guy (totally out of process) for choosing this username (WP:BADTASTE, perhaps?)

It gets better, though -- our once-but-not-anymore very own Poetlister arrives to unblock the not-really-Crum375, and wonders out loud what roused Quadell from his seven-month snooze to take this action.

The whole thing is documented on Wikiquote's Admin page (a diff-link for when it goes away), as is really a good source of hilarity, especialy as it involves several Review regulars as well. In general, the Wikimedia-project-wide single-signon stuff has raised lots of interesting hackles.

My favorite part of this scrum:
Behold as a hapless Crum is roundly chastised on his WP talk page for attempting to throw his, er, weight around on a project where he has very little weight.

It has been a rough couple months for this fellow.

I'm aware that the idea that Crum375 is a sock of a certain other prominent en.Wikipedia admin has been discredited, but, that arrogant sense of entitlement, repeated claim of harassment, and polite but pointedly condescending and patronizing manner of expression Crum displays on his talk page looks amazingly familiar.

This post has been edited by Cla68:

I'm aware that the idea that Crum375 is a sock of a certain other prominent en.Wikipedia admin has been discredited, but, that arrogant sense of entitlement, repeated claim of harassment, and polite but pointedly condescending and patronizing manner of expression Crum displays on his talk page looks amazingly familiar.

Yes. Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden they are. So sweet. No wonder Jimbo loves them. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/wub.gif)

This post has been edited by Milton Roe:

According to Crum375:

For me this identify theft amounts to harassment, bordering on stalking. Do I now need to watch everything this lunatic says or does...

I rather like Jayjg's amusing ranting on the WQ page, showing his usual talent for utterly missing the point.

SV's and crew's lexicon:

Harassment n.: Anything that goes against what we think, regardless of the merits of it.

Getting noticed at the highest level - someone has been whining to the bosses while Crum375 still is not editing (but has activated accounts on several other wikis in the meantime). Posted by Cary Bass on Foundation-l

People know my interest lies with the well being of the volunteers of our projects and our projects in general. It's because of that interest that when I am sent issues about a dispute involving members of the community I have to look to the well-being of the projects themselves and see how this is being impacted. Sometimes the issue involves the interests of one project over another. Often, the issues are only resolved by bringing the light of day to the matter and allow the broader community at large to discuss the issues.

Scenario 1:
An active user with an unusual username on the English Wikipedia has, for whatever reason, never taken advantage of SUL. An account opens up on a much project which is, given the name, implausibly anything other than an impostor of the English Wikipedia account. It does, however, have apparently useful contributions (no difficult matter on this wiki if one is familiar with it); and the local community, while believing that the account is an impostor account seems to be unwilling to resolve the situation without demanding that the user come to the smaller project and ask for usurpation. Obviously, we wouldn't want to force the issue with an autonomous project.

How should this be addressed?

Does the user have any other option than editing the smaller wiki and adding the Username Change request, which basically subjects the user to his/her IP information being revealed to additional individuals, not of his/her own wiki?

The debate continues....

Getting noticed at the highest level - someone has been whining to the bosses while Crum375 still is not editing (but has activated accounts on several other wikis in the meantime). Posted by Cary Bass on Foundation-l

No opinion on the right/wrong of the accusation in general, but since SUL the new MediaWiki software automatically sets up an account in your name on any other wiki you visit if you visit it whilst logged on to en-wiki – it's not a case of deliberately setting up accounts. I was startled to notice that I was a registered user of Anglo-Saxon-wikipedia, Letzeburgish-wikipedia, and the ever-amusing Scottish-dialect-wikipedia.

Of course, Cary should really be thinking "do the complaints of one person on one wiki trump that wiki's otherwise working standards." the answer is of course not, and the fact that Crum is a bit of a douche doesn't matter.

. . . and the ever-amusing Scottish-dialect-wikipedia.

. . . ooh me Goot, its Pieperdoonpeedia!!

EDEET: After reading this awhile, I found little difficulty understanding it. That's either rather scary or comforting, depending on how you look at it (as my ancestors left Scotland about 350 years ago).

According to Crum375:

For me this identify theft amounts to harassment, bordering on stalking. Do I now need to watch everything this lunatic says or does...

GROAN (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/wacko.gif)

He makes it sound like the wikiquote Crum375 stole his credit cards.

Aside from en-Crum375 over-dramatizing the situation, though, what are the odds that the q-Crum375 picked that name out of the blue? Probably did it to tweak en-Crum's nose. But as long as q-Crum keeps making useful edits, there's really not much en-Crum can do about it, is there?

Or maybe its Crum from a parallel dimension, like Crisis on Infinite Earths or something...

For me this identify theft amounts to harassment, bordering on stalking. Do I now need to watch everything this lunatic says or does...

Won't it be easier for him to watch the guy when he knows what his username is, anyway?

Of course, Cary should really be thinking "do the complaints of one person on one wiki trump that wiki's otherwise working standards." the answer is of course not, and the fact that Crum is a bit of a douche doesn't matter.

What if Crum375 were some well-known poster at some other site, for example, Wikipedia Review? If I ran a website, I'd be inclined to disallow obvious impersonation of pen names regardless of whether I felt obliged to the other site. For example, I'd hope we wouldn't allow anyone here to register as "Mantanmoreland" unless he really were Gary Weiss - and best, it's just confusing. Here it's more like power trolling. I hear the point being made that Wikiquote is independent of en.WP, and doesn't have to bow to the dictates of the cabal. Great point, wrong case.

I'm aware that the idea that Crum375 is a sock of a certain other prominent en.Wikipedia admin has been discredited, but, that arrogant sense of entitlement, repeated claim of harassment, and polite but pointedly condescending and patronizing manner of expression Crum displays on his talk page looks amazingly familiar.

Yes. Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden they are.

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/smile.gif)

Of course, Cary should really be thinking "do the complaints of one person on one wiki trump that wiki's otherwise working standards." the answer is of course not, and the fact that Crum is a bit of a douche doesn't matter.

What if Crum375 were some well-known poster at some other site, for example, Wikipedia Review? If I ran a website, I'd be inclined to disallow obvious impersonation of pen names regardless of whether I felt obliged to the other site. For example, I'd hope we wouldn't allow anyone here to register as "Mantanmoreland" unless he really were Gary Weiss - and best, it's just confusing. Here it's more like power trolling. I hear the point being made that Wikiquote is independent of en.WP, and doesn't have to bow to the dictates of the cabal. Great point, wrong case.

Much as it pains me, I have to agree. However, the great point, right case is to refuse to bow to the wicked ways of the cabal. Being the cabal, Crum375 just could not follow process, he had to call in favours before even starting and the favours started with bans even when there is no urgency. Pretty much modus operandi for the cabal.

No opinion on the right/wrong of the accusation in general, but since SUL the new MediaWiki software automatically sets up an account in your name on any other wiki you visit if you visit it whilst logged on to en-wiki – it's not a case of deliberately setting up accounts.

For sure, but it is a little strange that although not editing, Crum is wandering around these other Wikis. Withdrawal?

No opinion on the right/wrong of the accusation in general, but since SUL the new MediaWiki software automatically sets up an account in your name on any other wiki you visit if you visit it whilst logged on to en-wiki – it's not a case of deliberately setting up accounts.

For sure, but it is a little strange that although not editing, Crum is wandering around these other Wikis. Withdrawal?

It's not all that strange. When the English Wikipedia gets too much - too overwhelming, and it does, many people just take off to more peaceful wikis. I do the same myself & it wouldn't really surprise me if Crum does the same. In fact, just not having the sysop bit and all it entails can be a blessed relief (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/tongue.gif)

According to Crum375:

For me this identify theft amounts to harassment, bordering on stalking. Do I now need to watch everything this lunatic says or does...

I promised Lar I wouldn't bag on Slimvirgin again today (by inference) but here it is.

Could there *be* any better evidence SV is Crum?

I mean, gawd. Is there a person named "Crum375" who is going to be defamed by this, and whose life is altered by the constant net-stalking of this one name? Puleeze.

Just ask for the name back. Hold the mustard - and the hystrionics. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/cool.gif)

Does the user have any other option than editing the smaller wiki and adding the Username Change request, which basically subjects the user to his/her IP information being revealed to additional individuals, not of his/her own wiki?

Is Cary saying that he doesn't trust the WQ Checkusers? That's a very, very serious accusation.

Presumably Jayjg does trust them, since he's posted there (though of course he may be using an open proxy, since we've got very few of them blocked yet).

Is Cary saying that he doesn't trust the WQ Checkusers? That's a very, very serious accusation.

Why should he trust them? They're generally not members of the Cabal.