User:Wormulon/SporeWiki blogs

SporeWiki - A serious matter
Okay, this is more than just a rant blog, it is an update - a change, which has been decided by some senior users, and concerns this wiki. My opinion is strong, but to be honest, I have been here for over two years (and visited/edited long before my account, long before Spore's release), so I know what I'm talking about, and so will you.

Its the general attitude of this wiki, it is appalling, in fact, it is an outrage. This year, I, and other long-term users have watched it descend into the rotting dirt that is wikideath. Its hard to find the source of the problem, and combating it with solutions already proposed only makes more. There are many. Namespace is one, off-topic blogs another, then there is fiction, and general lack of interest in most. There are arguments, flame wars, conspiracies, fall outs, the list goes on. We have all argued, even me.

But I believe, I've found the source of our troubles. Its the community. We (I too), have let our user relations get too important, we, have in fact, made it more important to ourselves than our wiki, forgetting that is why we even came here in the first place. Another big thing this year, was that there was really only one admin active for most of it, Morgoth left, Timemaster left, Oluapplayer couldn't edit, Ose couldn't edit, and almost I didn't during the Summer (now imagine an admin-less wiki, scary thought). Other, veterans and experienced users left, some for good. We got an influx of new users, who only know wiki's now for blogs and fiction, and had no encouragement to edit namespace. Basically, lack of discipline. For the users who have now returned, or the few that stayed, there just wasn't enough of us. Then, issues like the namespace, offtopic blogs, superlong signatures, arguments, perverseness (!), and much else all began. I'm not blaming any single person, so please don't jump on users, how does that help anything? No, its groups of users.

Luckily, I hope things will improve, it seems as if some users have returned again. We also have some very logical users here. But for us, more experienced users, it feels bad. The wiki we knew for years has become wrecked, mainly because there was no-one to teach newer users this year, due to sequences of unfortunate events (I can't lead an entire wiki). But I want to change that, in fact, this has been discussed by a few of us. These arguments are highly selfish, and I fear that soon, users will leave a lot more, and when that happens, well, its doomed.

Its time to take a smackdown. Its no-ones fault, no one is to blame specifically, its also not a particular issue, but its now time for users who are experienced enough to educate the newer users a bit more (and I mean more than just complaining about n00bish fiction). Being a user on a wiki is not the same as being some forum member, we have a wiki to take responsibility of. Finally, if the problems persist, then a blog can expect to be closed or even deleted, and if users continue to argue, I or another administrator may even block them for a short time (about 1 to 2 hours, about the time it shuld take to cool off). When I first came on this wiki, it was much stricter, if I did something wrong, someone would tell me about it very soon. That is how I learned.

I hope you understand the severity of the problem, and how upseting it is for more experienced users, so don't call us facists or mean. Boo hoo, they will receive warnings. I'm all for community stuff and all, but this is a wiki after all, they tend to be much stricter than even what I'm proposing. Go to Wikipedia (even I am not a good editor there its so strict), or another big wiki, you'll see. But its also up to us more experienced users as well, as I explained what we should do more above. Once we have a bit more dicipline, then we can tackle things like the namespace. If this fails, then users will just leave, and we don't want that happen, trust me!

Finally, this starts now. I don't want arguments here, I don't want this blog to be used either, to the benefit of someone. And finally, it isn't forum, but if I know this wiki, if it was a forum, only few would even visit.

Which WikiBeast are you?
I think I am a WikiGryphon a creature that collects knowledge and explores far way lands (other wiki's) and while patient with new users, will not tolerate vandalism, hunting trolls and vandals until they are blocked.

''Read Wiki fauna! I have written this as if SporeWiki was a mythical land.''


 * Ose - Already identified himself as a WikiElf who works behind the scenes.
 * Morgoth 1145 - Already identified himself as a WikiOgre, a creature which leaves the wiki to his cave for a long time, but comes back for some serious editing.
 * The Valader - A WikiWizard who keeps the universe in order.
 * Sporesauce 95 - A WikiGnome who makes important edits without being attention seeking. Also a WikiSloth who edits out of interest.
 * Maxi6 - A WikiCat frantically edits often for a personel goal.
 * TyrannoFan - A WikiFairy who maintains harmony, organises and beautifies pages. Also part WikiOgre.
 * Humanfight22 - A WikiCyclops, a user who concentates his wiki powers one page at a time.
 * Lucario of the Gods - A WikiPuppy, such creatures enjoy the social side of wikiland. Usually found at the local tavern communing with other WikiFay.
 * The Randomness - This being is both a WikiWizard and a WikiSloth.
 * FalcoPunch - A WikiMercenary looking for work, although he may have found his job, as a WikiOtter who will fiercly defend newcomers.
 * MushrumKing - A WikiPlatypus who is a real mixture of beasts. A very varied personality indeed.
 * Richardson72 - A mixture of a WikiWizard and a WikiOtter.
 * Xhodocto3546 - A WikiDragon who makes large noticable edits.
 * Technobliterator - A WikiCat who edits for a personel goal, one page at a time (WikiCyclops). Although, Techno is now more of a WikiGryphon like me.
 * Um2k9 - A WikiWizard, who reads the many documents and pages of the Wikilibrary, organising and keeping them in check. Occasionally, he goes to the village fire, to tell tales of a reptillian civilization that exists in the skies.
 * Liquid Ink - One of the many wikiCats?
 * Jovar1 - Wikiland is almost ruled by WikiCats!
 * Nanapoo - A WikiZombie who prefers tradition, but sadly the old knowledge in Wikiland is changing, as it becomes more community based. this is great for WikiPuppies.
 * CaptainTybusen - A WikiCat who spent to long in the water and became a WikiOtter!

I have an awesome idea, we could create userboxes with Spore versions of these creatures!

Stepping up on IRC rules
Everyday on IRC, everyone is generally in good spirits. But occasionally, I and other admins have had to sort out social problems on IRC. I won't mention names, but in the last few months at least, there has been some cases of people trying to side up with each other against another user, and there has been talking behind users backs. Sometimes this can demoralise and upset the targetted users.

And while SporeWiki is a lot more civil now, IRC is more relaxed, and sometimes these conflicts end up there. Please note that there are actually IRC rules that are the same as the ones on the SporeWiki for the most part. There is some in addition:
 * Private chats: Sometimes venting rage maybe a good thing. If you wish to do so, take it the private chat, most other users probably don't give a damn and you'll end up embarrised and ruining their fun.
 * Although harrassment on private chats if reported will result in a ban.
 * Debates are okay, but if they turn into full blown rages or become aggressive the ops on IRC will ban you for a certain amount of time as they see fit. They are obliged to do so.

I'm pretty much saying what you already know, but the main point of this blog is to make it clear that anyone on IRC should be respected, and not harrassed. This blog is to make clear that the admins are ready to ban or kick anyone (or even deop abusive admins) should they need to. It is fair that they give you this warning, those who do not heed to them only achieve in kicking every user in the face who strives to create a peaceful and collaborative wiki.