•Wikipedia founder on site changes
BBC News, UK -37 minutes ago
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales talks to BBC Radio 5 live's Richard Bacon about the proposed changes for how the information site is updated. ...

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Partial and selective transcript:



Did I miss the actual proposal that Wales was going to be putting out, uh, a little while ago? It sounds to me like the idea that's being floated here is not inclusive of all BLPs and applies only to IPs and new accounts. I don't think that's what people were voting for when they supported a trial of flagged revisions, but maybe I'm wrong.

Sometimes the Φlagpole is too high to see the Φlag.

Goodness gracious, you'd expect the BBC interviewers could at least read their own archives from last year … and the year before … and the year before … and …

Jon

This is good.

I maintain that the focus needs to be exclusively on Biographies of Living People. Not that there aren't major issues elsewhere, but the symbolism of a radical change to the way Wikipedia handles BLPs is huge.

When Jimbo got involved in this push, I hoped that the media would catch on. And they seem to be getting there eventually.

In this interview Richard Bacon explicitly notes on air that the software changes are going to be on Biographies of Living People. And that was transmitted clearly and succinctly.

I'd like to see journalists push the matter of why these changes would take place on bios and not other articles. I'd like to see them properly explore the real-life consequences of a Wikipedia biography, and all its negative elements, that go way beyond the realm of Wikipedia itself. Most of all, I'd like a clear message to go to the "Biography" start-ups - those sites that have appeared in Wikipedia's wake, which aim to carry anonymously penned biographies on literally anyone - that their plans are passe, don't work and are a danger to society.

Dream on …

The same thing will happen this time as happened the last three times this came up:

1. Wiki-Prefect Wales will get several months of Silly Season Press about his Oh-So-Good-Intentions.
2. Something of Pressing Importance will happen in The Real World, and the Press will Fughettobotit.
3. Wiki-Prefect Wales with throw up his freshly-washed hands, lamenting how «The Community Made Me Do It!»™
4. Rinse (Your Brain) And Repeat.

Jon

There might be a different up side here. This may cause a larger number of Wikipedians to seriously question all decision making processes. Do not think that Mr. Wales is "on the right side." There are no right sides on Wikipedia. There are only players in a MMORPG that demands that they take positions in order to measure influence and test alliances. If Wales or David Gerard or SlimVirgin or any of them side with the right side on any passing issue it means nothing. In fact given the nature of the game it is impossible for anyone to ever succeed and be consistent, right or wrong.

What this does demonstrates is that while the world looks on horrified and fully knowing what is the right thing to do Wikipedia is incapable of moving forward even with the support of it's sole flounder and god-king. This might convince many Wikipedians that this is no way to run the project.