Scottonsocks

I have two degrees and have spent a lot of my time working in offices, hospitals, and universities. I seem to know almost anything to do with computers, the Internet, science and engineering. I have even written two scientific papers which have been published and presented at international conferences. In my spare time I am great sound engineer and play in a band. My native language is English and my French is pretty good.

I am not a wikipedia expert because I don't have the time for that but, I use it almost every day for both work and play. When I notice mistakes or something missing I will try to add something or fix it. Some topics interest me a great deal so I watch those pages and when I have time I will fix them and improve them over a long period of time.

My speedy deletion rant

When I see or learn something new I go onto wikipedia to find out more about it. If I have discovered something new and interesting that is not listed I want to add it. Millions of others want to do the same. Most people don't have the time to create a perfect article. They just want to get something started and let others to run with it. This is the aim of wikipedia. Most of us have a life outside of wikipedia and we don't spend every minute of every day chatting to other editors or learning how this stuff functions or works. We want to add our contribution and move on - to cook the dinner or to finish our home work, or to get back quickly to our job because we are adding something at work while we are being paid to work. We don't have the time to spend half a week working on the perfect article and neither do we have the time to read huge rule books and guides. Wikipedia needs to encourage new editors and contributors and educate them and help them. There needs to be a wide variety of material and as wide a variety of contributors as possible.

However, I frequently find wikipedia a frustrating place. There are some people who have no concern for others, and it seems like they really don't want to see new content appear. This annoys me. Simply deleting content that has been added and tagging with inappropriate reasons so the page is deleted and so they can gain points and awards in some crazy score system as they compete with their mats is ridiculous. Wikipedia needs to be a home for everyone not just geeks, nerds and despots seeking to create and maintain their own little kingdom. If you are on your high horse having a go at someone, get down, remember that once upon a time you were a noob and didn't have a clue what you were doing and also perhaps you will remember that you used to have a life outside of wikipedia.

I am getting fed up with having to post "hang on" against almost every new page I create cos of some idiot who wants to get high on twinkle points - especially so when it is obvious that what I have added is far better than stuff that is already included in wikipedia - and hey at least give people the chance to finish or fix the article we have started (before we forget stuff) so we can finish it when we have some time at the weekend please! If editors don't change the way they work then wikipedia will become a geek clique with barriers of entry so high that nobody will want to join or contribute. I am constantly thinking what is the point and if I am feeling that I know that many others will walk away in frustration and will never bother adding anything ever again because it is too much effort and what is the point if it is going to be deleted anyway.