Wikipedia talk:Personal user awards/Wiffle

Legality of "Wiffle"
Let me start by saying that i absolutely love your image and great "Wiki Wiffle Bat" award. However, as long as the award is for logic, and rationality I feel it makes logical sense to point out that "Wiffle" is a registered trademark of The Wiffleball, Inc, and its use in this "wiki wiffle" context is not technically Kosher. Might i suggest renaming the award to a slightly-different name which would then qualify as parody, such as the "Wiki Wiffel Bat" or the "Wiki Wifle Bat" or some such? Again, not to be a whiner, but I do think its inappropriate for wikipedia awards to break the laws themselves. I made this comment on your awards discussion page as well. -Lanoitarus 07:01, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

A note on the original inspiration behind the award
This coming from the creator...On a borrowed computer, as I lack internet for the time being.

The point is bluntness, which is why harsher language was used in the original description of the award (which I notice was objected to and changed; I won't contest it). Thus far the recipients have received this are excellent...but I would like it to be kept in mind, at the very least, that the award isn't for people who have conveyed their points while managing to avoid offending much of anyone; there are other awards for this. At the time of creation, there were just some people who got fed up and spoke their mind with, yes, admittedly harsh language and a lack of consideration for the feelings of others...and got results (good and bad, certainly!) in return for their trouble. This is for them!

Now I realize the award belongs to the project now, and my original intent and desires are all but entirely irrelevant now. I'm not trying to change that with all of this, really. But I feel it is worth stating here, even after acknowledging that this may be an excercise in futility, who this award was meant for. Look at RickK. Look at what Mackensen received his award for, even. That's who I want to commemorate and honor.

The bureaucratic, pseudo-political nonsense pervading much of Wikipedia now has been the biggest roadblock we've hit when it comes to achieving our goal of creating an encyclopedia. It was why I quit being an 'official' editor (for lact of a better word), and maybe some of you saw a bit of the bitterness I have regarding it in a recent article I was interviewed for on USA Today. For many, it really has stopped being about creating an encyclopedia; it's become personal, it's become about agendas, it's become about everything but the actual encyclopedia. The inevitable formation of a community is fine; cliques, factions, 'sides' or whatever the hell you want to call them are not. But I feel as though that too was inevitable.

I admit I'm guilty of this. I admit I've taken things personally and sometimes abandoned the premise of Wikipedia in favor of seeking retribution against wrongs (perceived and actual). I admit that's also part of why I left. I probably don't deserve the very award that I created! Certainly I have the bluntness and honesty down...many people have noted this with varying degrees of both admiration and contempt. But I was tainted. I developed grudges (which I apologise for, honestly; I hold you no ill will now, and you know who you are). In combating the behaviors I felt contempt for I kind of got lost in it myself. But I digress...

So, if you read this (and I commend you if you've gotten this far) please keep in mind what sort of award this was supposed to be, and what sort of person it was supposed to be given to; it is a great big thumbs up to the men and women wielding the scissors that cut through red tape and the degrees of political correctness that do more harm than good.

You may interpret that all as you will. :)

&mdash; Reene Sylverwind - rsylverwind@gmail.com


 * I commend you for creating this award. :p It's sad to see that it hasn't been used much due to its obscurity -- after Cwolfsheep awarded it to Ombudsman in July 2005, it didn't see the light of day again till I gave it to Mackensen this past March. (I knew there was an award for making a brilliant point besides Raul's brick, and I just stumbled upon this.) It's sad to see you've left, but I understand how you feel. These days, I avoid the petty fights and keep mostly to the sidelines. It's not the same as the old days, but hey, I get work done on the encyclopaedia. Johnleemk | Talk 09:12, 7 May 2006 (UTC)