Book on Wikipedia, no discussion allowed on foundation-l Options

[Peter Damian]

I have now started serious work on the book. Interviewing Richard Stallman early next month, already had contributions from people who know Jimbo well. Not forgetting Larry, of course, who has been really helpful.

I thought I would pop in to foundation-l to see if anyone interested in talking to me. I used the email 'Peter Damian' so it would be clear exactly who I was (I have a few others that would not have connected me with the infamous Damian troll).

Result, once they figure out who it is, all sorts of accusations of bad faith.

http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/found...ber/069935.html
http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/found...ber/069981.html

And when I sent a polite reply, I get an automated reply saying I am now 'on moderation'.

What is it with Wikipedians?

(a) Can't they see that anyone writing a book is likely to mention the fact they were banned from a mailing list simply because they might be writing a 'critical' appraisal of Wikipedia

(b) Don't they want their side of the story?

© Isn't their ideology something to do with making everything public, as far as possible?

It defies belief.

[communicat]

Who needs a book in order to appreciate the glaring contradiction that is at the heart of WP "ideology"? Specifically: every collaborative project inevitably requires a leadership hierarchy — even a project like WP that claims (in Jimbo's wellknown statement of "principles") it has no hierarchy yet whose goal simultaneously is to reinforce the very concept of hierarchy itself. The contradiction drives a wedge between the leadership and many of the project's most astute collaborators, and the "community" falls apart. There you are: no book necessary; all sewn up in just two sentences.

[thekohser]

There you are: no book necessary; all sewn up in just two sentences.

Why have so many books been written about the French Revolution, then?

[Ottava]

There you are: no book necessary; all sewn up in just two sentences.

Why have so many books been written about the French Revolution, then?

I'm sure you mean the Reign of Terror, as that would be more apt when describing the Wiki.

[thekohser]

There you are: no book necessary; all sewn up in just two sentences.

Why have so many books been written about the French Revolution, then?

I'm sure you mean the Reign of Terror, as that would be more apt when describing the Wiki.

I'm glad you got it, Ottava. Others here are too dim. I do like some good raisin bran, though, admittedly. (It's a pretty big market, too -- more money is spent on raisin bran in a year than the Wikimedia Foundation has cumulatively raised since 2003.)

This post has been edited by thekohser: Wed 26th October 2011, 4:16am