User:Masem/RFC

Pixelface is one of Wikipedia's most vocal members on fictional elements and has a strong stance against the apparent removal and reduction of the coverage of fiction on Wikipedia. This is not considered to be an issue - everyone is entitled to opinions and thus can argue for whatever position they feel Wikipedia should be at. However, of late, Pixelface's contributions towards discussion has become edging on disruptive instead of helping to create a constructive debate, including toeing the line of WP:3RR violations for not adhering to the Bold, Revert, Discuss policy at policy and guideline pages. Please note that this RFC/U is not an attempt to resolve policy matters despite the inclusion of such policy-related issues, only how Pixelface behaves in discussions of these. Nor does this RFC/U attempt to prevent Pixelface from editing in mainspace, as their edits there are well within expected standards and very beneficial to the project.

Editwarring on the removal of WP:PLOT and other policy/guideline pages

Pixelface has made it clear that they believe WP:PLOT harms the encyclopedia. While discussion has taken place on WT:NOT for nearly a year now (about one refreshed discussion a month), most initiated by Pixelface, all these discussions generally end with the consensus that WP:PLOT may be worded inappropriate but its intent is valid. (Example discussions include: March 2008: [1], April: [2], May: [3], June: [4], November: [5], [6], December: [7]) To this, Pixelface has repeatedly edited out the section of WP:NOT that contains WP:PLOT or references to Wikia (see below), which has usually been reverted, and repeats this to the edge of the WP:3RR editing restriction, but not completing the fourth edit to merit the warning. (Example instances include: Instance one: [8], [9] — Instance two: [10], [11], [12] — Instance three: [13], [14], [15] — Instance four: [16], [[17], [18], [19]) In the most recent set of edits of this type, Pixelface claims that removal of WP:PLOT is because it gets in the way of improving Wikipedia, they can remove it per Ignore All Rules. ([20])

Citing historical "problems" in policy creation to consider policy null and void

One of Pixelface's methods to state that a policy is no longer valid is to seek out the original discussion on the creation of the policy and the status of the editors, and attempt to show through this that the policy should not be part of Wikipedia despite being on policy pages left undisputed for several months. For example, Pixelface will try to invalidate policy by pointing out the original author has since left Wikipedia, that the original author has since changed their stance believing the policy section to be inappropriate, that a policy was only proposed for a few days before being added to policy, or that only a small handful of editors showed support for the proposed addition.([21][22]) While the historical creation of policy is useful to understand what the intent was, when a piece of policy has sat undisputed for several months or years from its creation, the issues that revolve around its creation become insignificant over the weight of its long-standing consensus.

Claiming Conflict of Interest issues with Wikia

Pixelface believes that because Jimmy Wales has a financial stake in Wikia that any mention of Wikia on Wikipedia in policy pages, particularly on those points of relocating material not appropriate for Wikipedia, is a conflict of interest as it serves to better Jimmy Wales.([23]) This point has been discussed in other forums before, and most agree that there is no conflict of interest though we should avoid specifically calling out one service over another when describing how to transwiki material. ([24]) However, Pixelface strongly believes this COI exists despite being pointed out these previous discussions.

Discussion style

Pixelface's debate method is generally along the lines of providing a long, long response to previous users statements, augmented with numerous examples of either historical precedent or counterexamples or the like. In general, providing these examples once in an important discussion is useful, but Pixelface tends to reiterate these every other response, and this can become very spammy. (Examples: [25], [26], [27] (though when suggested, they did move the list of examples to a subpage), [28]) They also take a very accusative tone in their responses that nearly beg for the previous commenter to respond back, and generally border the edge of being civil. I think at all major policy pages where Pixelface operates, the regular groups of editors are well aware of Pixelface's general objections, so while a short comment from Pixelface is appreciated and considered in the discussion, a complete reiteration of Pixelface's stance bogs it down and yet begs some type of response to it. I had previously opened a Wikiquette Alert on Pixelface's contributions to the WP:FICT RFC regarding their discussion tone, which was resolved then (around June 2008) but obviously has made little impact on the user's contributions since then. ([29]).

Attacking the editor, not the behavior

It is clear that there are certain editors that Pixelface cannot work well with due to differences in opinion: TTN and User:Jack Merridew quickly comes to mind.([30]) While such conflict cannot be avoided, it is still generally inappropriate to attack editors for who they are not and not specifically at their behavior. In the recent Arbcom election, besides other questions "loaded" to points addressed before, Pixelface clearly tries to determine where the nominees stand in response to TTN's editing approach, which, if Pixelface does have an issue with TTN, should be raised at the ArbCom board itself. (Example: [31]) In Sgeureka's admin candidacy, Pixelface posted a very large opposition explanation as to why Sgeureka should not be an admin, but this primary focused on his stance on fiction-related articles and not anything to do with how Sgeureka would operate as an admin. ([32]) Pixelface is strongly opposed to Jack Merridew's return to Wikipedia based on past actions and not assuming good faith for work moving forward. ([33]) In Pixelface's latest changes to WP:NOT, when re-reverting the changes made by Jack Merridew, they refer to the editor as "David", a name that may obviously be known from Jack's past sockpuppetry, but is an aspect of the past and should be dropped. ([34], [35]).

Pixelface should be well aware, as a named party in the Episodes and Characters 2 ArbCom case, that the second remedy, The parties are instructed to cease engaging in editorial conflict and to work collaboratively to develop a generally accepted and applicable approach to the articles in question. They are warned that the Committee will look very unfavorably on anyone attempting to further spread or inflame this dispute, applies to themselves in addition to TTN and other editors they have conflict with. The above behavior, which has persisted since the closure of the ArbCom case, shows borderline adherence to the ArbCom's case, toeing the line yet avoiding administrative action. This type of behavior is not conductive towards trying to resolve the entire issue of how fiction is handled on Wikipedia. We are close to presenting a version of fiction notability that has input from all sides of the inclusionists/deletionsists debate, as well as resolving other issues relating to fiction that are based on the general notability guideline, and thus seek as much constructive criticism as possible. Myself, as one of the discussions drivers in this area, appreciate Pixelface's input, but of late there has been little to no new arguments presented by Pixelface, instead rehashes of their past complaints, and the above editing disruptions. This RFC/U seeks to find some means to help Pixelface contribute in a healthy manner to debates in order to resolve the issue of fiction on Wikipedia so that we can all get back to our regular volunteer editing duties of mainspace articles.