Wikipedia talk:Requests for comment/Colignatus

Moved Endorsements
(moved from project page --  r speer  / ɹəəds ɹ  03:35, 15 March 2006 (UTC))

This is the most complex and convoluted dispute I have ever witnessed on wikipedia. After reading it over, it appears to me that mutual buttons (personally sensitive points) have been pushed and it has escalated out of control. It is possible for a editor to say something in such a way that it is percieved to be a personal attack when it in fact is not. I would recommend that a mutually acceptable third party between Rob Speer and Tom Cool be solicited to act as a mediator. I am confident this situation can get sorted out without an indefinte block on Colignatus.--Fahrenheit451 05:28, 13 March 2006 (UTC)

I heard about this dispute and have reviewed the situation. The most disturbing part from my perspective is Colignatus' refusal to read, acknowledge, or follow Wikipedia policies. His behavior has been totally out of line because emailing people outside of Wikipedia (who are not necessarily familiar with Wikipedia policies) does nothing to resolve the dispute and indeed only aggravates the problem. Until Colignatus suggests he is willing to follow Wikipedia policies, an indefinite block seems appropriate to me.--Brianwc 10:40, 13 March 2006 (PST)

Agreeing with the above, this gives every appearance of an external dispute brought onto Wikipedia. WP:NOT a soapbox. Just zis Guy you know? 12:33, 14 March 2006 (UTC)


 * Having been involved, it's the opposite: a dispute on wikipedia that has now extended beyond (bugging my Dean and the president of MIT). -- Joebeone (Talk) 21:50, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

Agree that these part-in Wikipedia and part-in real world disputes are the most difficult disputes. We have no control over the outside actions of users and other people. If they are substituting outside actions instead of following WP:DR then we have the ability to ask for a change. Where do we draw the line if they participate in WP:DR in good faith and take outside action? -- FloNight  talk  03:20, 15 March 2006 (UTC)


 * I'd like to clarify that Joe and I have not responded to any of Colignatus' off-Wikipedia actions (except that Joe sent an e-mail to his dean saying he should disregard Colignatus' e-mail, and the dean replied that he already had). This is not a combination of a Wikipedia dispute and an external dispute; it is a Wikipedia dispute, with one side of the dispute taking inappropriate off-Wikipedia actions (and getting blocked for it).  r speer  / ɹəəds ɹ  03:35, 15 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Sorry if I made you think that you were unclear. I understand the situation and agree that Colognatus needed a block to get his attention for a variety of inappropriate actions. My comment was mostly thinking out loud. I continue to struggle with exactly where WP should draw the line in terms of WP editors contacting the outside world regarding WP matters. -- FloNight  talk [[Image:Small_shamrock.png|18px]] 04:02, 15 March 2006 (UTC)

Further Response
I received an email from Colignatus sent to one admin@thomasralph.com and myself that asked to insert some text with this intro:


 * Dear Thomas,


 * This is the text that you could insert after the former entry. I would like you to add it, and don't replace it. Please note that you could still retract your signature from that RfC page, since you added it while not knowing my comments.


 * Since you seem to live in England or Ireland, you may be asleep already; thus I copy to Joe Hall so that he might insert the text as well - also respecting the March 20 deadline that I gave myself.

(The text he refers to is here)

-- Joebeone (Talk) 22:18, 20 March 2006 (UTC)