Gee, with all that crap about Noleander, nobody noticed that the infamous Promethean got into a pissing match
with premium nerds like OrangeMike and Sarek, for trying to delete an article about science-fiction conventions.
And so, he went Poof.

(Some previous stuff about him. Promethean was one of Greg's most demented opponents on wiki in past years.)

a) why did they tolerate that little bastard for four years? Was it because he harassed Kohs?

and

b) any bets on how many days before he returns?

Favorite comment:

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



This made Promethean go off on a tirade about Raul violating CIVIL and NPA. However, Raul didn't call him an asshole or a moron. He simply charged him with nasty and social-climbing nature of his editing on WP. By (much needed) definition, charging somebody with WP editing-sins doesn't count as a violation of NPA or CIVIL, or else nothing would ever get done there about bad editors (okay, no jokes please).

Of course Promethean, being ever the prickly sci-fi dweeb, could not help but take it personally and go all legalistic on them-- then flounce out, tossing his curls.

Hey, Promethean! If you want some actual snarky personal comments about your lack of a life, you can scratch the stains on your official line-officer-gold Star Fleet pullover T-shirt and waddle your wide load down to WR. No need to provoke Raul at ANI. On an absolute scale of things, Raul really doesn't give that good insult-service.

He used to be. IIRC Somey booted him for being underage (although I may be confusing him with someone else).

I think it's a good example of the overall sickness of the wiki's high priests.
They'll take any wiki-loving cheerleader editor, even if he comes in a very toxic package.

You want proof that Orange Mike is a massive dweeb, and that WP is run by dweebs?
Try this:

COI! COI!!!

Ummm.... was there ever any doubt? :-)

People who belong to subcultures are easy targets; my true concern is behavior directed towards others - so in my mind, the question to consider is:
Is Wikipedia run by douchebags?

I direct you to a critical axiom that I found whilst browsing that most respected of internet research institutions, Penny Arcade. It has proven invaluable to me and, although you've probably seen it before, I hope it is of some service to other readers.
John Gabriel Internet Theory

Oh, I'm familiar with the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory - anonymity and its regrettable consequences... but that theory applies to the masses under the authority, not the sponsors or administrators or sysops themselves.

It's easy enough when the site is ED, where the site owners and admins were gigantic fuckwads and proud of it, but Wikipedia has a veneer of respectability and trots out all sorts of 'rules' and 'policies' that it supposedly adheres to.

I was really addressing Sarek Of Vulcan, named after Spock's dad, so obviously a dweeb (as I am on any number of hobbies/obsessions) - and desiring him to look inward and ask himself, "Could I, Garrett, a man I hope is reasonable most of the time, family man, musician, devotee of a number of popular entertainments, could I have fallen, dragged down by the plaints and desires of this online collection of loose data, fallen so far as to be behaving... like a douchebag?"

Of course I don't expect him to share his insights with us, it's a spiritual journey.

He might even, after enough fasting and privation, be visited by his spirit animal, the tribble.

You may indeed be confusing him with someone else - Mr. Prom3th3an's account is not currently suspended or restricted in any way, though of course it would have been extremely tempting for me (and I dare say, all of us on the moderating team).

I suspect his WR inactivity is due almost entirely to the usual reason Wikipedia fanboys don't participate here - i.e., he doesn't like associating with people who are not also WP fanboys.

Who knows, though, maybe recent events have caused him to reevaluate his life plan to some extent? I'm not sure his wanting to delete a poorly-constructed article about an Iowa science fiction convention which I (as a sci-fi fan of sorts and also an Iowa resident for several years) had never ever heard of is any indication of that... but hey, where there is life, there is hope!

It would apply to anyone who acts anonymously on any reasonably active social-networking site, wouldn't it? Including admins - just look at me, for example. Me, me, meeeeeee! Wheeee, I'm anonymous and can say anything I want! Woo-hoo! Hence, I am a f*ckwad. (And why do I put an asterisk in that word? Like little kids and little old ladies are going to be less damaged because there's an asterisk in there? This only proves that I'm a f*ckwad, doesn't it? Look, there I go again.)

In examining the works of the Great Philosophers, I am allowed my own poorly-crafted opinion:
People with responsibility are expected to exhibit some. Mods here often do. At Wikipedia they often do not.

You're right, there's more to it than just anonymity. Perhaps The Stanford Prison Experiment is a better model. Toss people into a toxic environment with little accountability and they quickly figure out how much they can get away with. Anonymity is just one of the potential shields for evading repercussions; people are more than happy to troll each face-to-face if it helps them achieve their aims and is socially acceptable.

The Stanford prison experiment may demonstrate (not prove) many things, but that isn't one of them.

Dude. "Perhaps The Stanford Prison Experiment is a better model." The section following isn't a gloss of Zimbardo; I'm making vague hand-wavy gestures while agreeing that a Penny Arcade comic may not be the best explanation for various online behaviors after putting up something that may be of interest. I'm sorry if you feel like I was misleading someone and if you have a thought on topic/would like to elaborate on the meaning of the experiment/talk about your experiences setting up a prison in your basement, I'm more than happy to hear it.

Great, now I've got images of a black-and-white striped tribble saying "Food is your gift."

But then you would never be pestered by Klingon cosplayers again.

But I doubt you'd understand it, so I won't waste my time.

And peer pressure. Ask any of the admins who post here regularly--I bet that all of them have gotten
hostile messages or abuse on an IRC channel, because they post on WR (AKA The Great Satan).


Trust me, you are missing nothing. Serious science-fiction readers gain very little from attending those
events, because they exist principally as get-togethers for the "very, very serious science fiction
readers". By which I mean: pathetic fans who dress up like Legolas and Starfleet officers and Red Dwarf
characters, and take over hotel meeting rooms in order to hold all-night AD&D marathons.

That, too, is Wikipedia.