I am retired and live in Crestone, Colorado. I am the founder of Wikinfo, a fork of Wikipedia. I began editing Wikipedia as Fredbauder (talk · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · edit filter log · block user · block log) in February, 2002 and remain involved, do some editing and administrative chores and served as one of the Wikipedia:Arbitrators until January 1, 2008. I have oversight and checkuser access. If you are interested in water resources and related issues, please see WaterWiki on Wikicities. If you are interested in MUDS, please see MUD Wiki.
Crestone Free Radio
The Tyranny of Structurelessness, a posting by Jo Freeman
http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2009/06/21/a_toxic_paradox.html
A statue of an English WikiDragon in
London. Many WikiDragons prefer shadows due to the widespread persecution, though when one is as grand and bold as a WikiDragon, subtlety and a low-profile are virtually impossible to achieve.
The highly evolved species is a “sophisticated combined-arsenal editing apparatus”, while less evolved forms roam with fewer powers, as if their "philosophy begins in wonder".[1] WikiDragons may have many magical wiki-powers not shared by other creatures such as:
- Apprehension — With claws that can hold together or separate relative and absolute truths at will for their purpose. A caught creature may hurt themselves while fighting to be logically free from their powerful talons.
- Bite — WikiDragons may habitually utilize their razor sharp serrated teeth for causing massive wounds, although this trait has been observed only in certain breeds. Spreading WikiLove with a puff a smoke is often preferred. When researchers performed an MRI of a WikiDragon, they found the most structurally complex venom gland known. It has openings between the teeth and releases either magical or deadly chemicals. Truth serum is produced by some rare breeds. Administrators have noticed this effect in their reviews on WikiDragon prey submitted to them. Survivors may gain a new lease on life with appreciation for Wikipedia's principles.
- Breathing Fire — Like any other dragons, WikiDragons breathe fire naturally. This can unfortunately lead to people assuming that they are making personal attacks or acting particularly aggressively when, in point of fact, the WikiDragon merely is stating facts in a direct, apolitical manner, and fire on the breath still accompanies the words without the WikiDragon's intent to flame anyone.
- Creativity — This trait varies widely, from graph-producing to metaphorical connection-making to writing; this power confounds other creatures.
- Expertise — Having an elusive ability called "expertise", though many users (of all types) debate as to whether or not this actually exists.
- Flight — Ordinary flight and the dance-like energetic movement between the real, imaginary and unknown mysteries of space and time. Makes for a hypnotic show to the foe: "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".[2] Only a sick dragon would dispose themselves to user puppetry. There is usually one chink in their feathered scales that would prevent them from direct confrontation. This they only show to those they trust. Although preferring eldrich locations, WikiDragons rarely approach articles that have become cyber-cesspools.
- Justification — Such a fierce creature may dispense with civility or charm, which is not their obvious strength. As a result, countless "bull in the china shop" effects may grace WikiDragons with the magical powers of apology as key to their survival. The defensive may be objectively reasonable in believing his or her lethal actions were necessary for survival. The persecuted may have put themselves ahead of WikiPedia's interests. The lost didn't take this project to heart or may have been fooled into believing fraudulent tricks are real magic. The rest are careless.
- Limited treasures — While fairy tales and folklore often portray WikiDragons as cunning thieves, this is untrue. WikiDragons were early adopters of the general public use license. Many WikiDragons have few or no awards due to their hiding in the realm of smaller articles or the lack of recognition from non-WikiDragons. Theorists believe that WikiDragons also do not typically give out such awards because they consider WikiDraconic behavior the norm, thus accounting for the lack of awards to WikiDragons from other WikiDragons. It has been prophesied, however, that there will come a day when WikiDragons will reward each other and make a comeback, although the exact meaning of the prophesy is unknown:
When WikiDragons award Dragon Tears with Compassion to their Kind, then they may rule Wikipedia again.
—ZuluPapa5
- Rejuvenation — Long hours of condensing research into relevant text can take a toll on a WikiDragon, particularly when emotionally committed to defend a harmless NPOV. The species has the amazing power to flee and retire from activity for rest and relaxation. After shedding their skin in a safe place with physical activity, they can return renewed and may even grow a lost appendage.
- Sapience — Ability to instinctively sense and discern other wikipedian's intentions with a simple whiff from their forked tongue.
- Tail — WikiDragon tails are quite unique due to their reptilian heritage. Slayers pursue and highly pride them. The tail can direct thunder and lighting to their target. Preliminary studies indicate they curl to follow a monomyth adventure model. Other species have left edits on cave walls in attempts to record them. Based on Dungeons and Dragons observations, the current thesis is that WikiDragons prefer non-persistent chat and would rather edit articles with reliable sources, then chase their own tail.
- Transmutation — Ability to create entire articles from thin air.
The best WikiDragons hone their powers through veracious editing and abundant clicks of What Links Here. Mentoring and apprenticeships are unheard of in Wikipedia. Some aspiring young WikiDragons have matriculated Hogwarts as extracurricular activity, most commonly in Slytherin but not always.
There is a conspiracy theory that wiki genetic engineers are conducting experiments to harness WikiDragons into beasts of burden toward producing beatific poetic responses from users in discussions, by manipulated means, thus curing Wikipedia of edit war plagues. This would seem to exploit a WikiDragon's magical chemistry powers as it is suspected, contrary to normal impressions, that they may be able to create editing aphrodisiacs in prose, like perfume to transform a writer's tone (or subliminal code in alliteration and consonance). Although reasonable and possible considering Puff, The Magic Dragon's rumored collaboration with the Barney "I love You" song, no factual evidence has been found. True believers cite this as a cause for WikiDragon removal. Skeptics have no faith in ending edit wars.
