User talk:Smallbones/ACE2015

Any registered editor should feel free to comment here, about any issue in the election. I'll moderate only if necessary, e.g. remove personal attacks or comments by anons. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 22:23, 17 November 2015 (UTC)

Stategy A is sane technical advice. Tony (talk) 11:14, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

While it appears that I hold similar opinions to your own, it would be nice if you gave your rationale for voting preferences so I could see if we had similar reasons for supporting or opposing candidates. I ask this because I learn something new about the candidates by reading each voter's guide along with their candidate statements and their answers to questions posed. But according to your note, maybe you will post your reasons before voting begins (I hope!). Liz ^{Read! Talk!} 17:03, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

I'm a bit concerned by the information overload that voters get by reading these voters' guides, so I've decided to keep it as simple as possible. But there will be some more info. It has been, so far, decided by the candidates answer to my question on the candidate question pages:

2. Wikipedia is starting to have a reputation for bullying and misogyny, see, e.g the recent article in The Atlantic by Emma Paling, "Wikipedia's Hostility to Women”.
   Are you willing to take serious steps to stop bullying of editors on Wikipedia? especially bullying directed toward women editors? Is this one of your top 2 priorities? What would you consider to be a more important priority than stopping the bullying? Smallbones_(smalltalk)

   Answer

You'd think with such a direct question that it would be difficult to side-step, but it's amazing how folks can get around the question.

If they answered that yes there was a bullying problem and it affects women, and that they take it seriously and think they can do something about it, then I am supporting them.

If they had some variant of the above, but conclude that they can't do much about it, I lean toward oppose.

And there were some clear "opposes"

It all depends on how much they made me believe their answers.

There is an adjustment for actual actions they've taken, or extreme lack of experience. Some folks I actually did not ask, because I know them and that they will be agaisnt bullying.

But there will be some more info given. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 02:01, 21 November 2015 (UTC)

While I don't think a support or oppose should be based on a solitary question, Smallbones, I appreciate you providing an explanation for your system of deciding whom to vote for. Liz ^{Read! Talk!} 11:49, 21 November 2015 (UTC)

Yes, I do think it is a one issue election - with other voters' guides I kind of wonder what they think the issues are and how they weigh the issues. But no, it is not a "one question" election. See, e.g. below.

To those candidates I don't "Strongly support"

@Hawkeye7 and MarkBernstein:

Please review my recommendations and "Notes on the candidates" on the user page. Let me know if I'm wrong or give me a reason to strongly support you. You may give your reasons on this page or e-mail me. Thanks for any help and good luck. Smallbones_(smalltalk)

@Kirill Lokshin: - email me if you'd like. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 19:40, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

To those candidates I oppose

@Drmies, Kudpung, LFaraone, Mahensingha, NE Ent, Rich Farmbrough, and Thryduulf: @Wildthing61476: Please review my recommendations and "Notes on the candidates" on the user page. Let me know if I'm wrong or give me a reason to support you. You may give your reasons on this page or e-mail me. All the best, Smallbones_(smalltalk)

I don't mind if you support me or not. But I want to be perfectly clear that I consider bullying and harassment to be very serious, and it's something I work against Real Life[TM]. All the best: Rich Farmbrough, 01:06, 23 November 2015 (UTC).

Thanks for the note. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 02:24, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

I gave a more in-depth answer to SageRad's followup question. I certainly support enforcement of our civility policies, and would welcome stricter ones. But the most vicious harassment and bullying often occurs outside the reach of ArbCom, unfortunately. I would feel unauthentic if I claimed that the committee could solve the problem on its own; we need the support of the community and (for the terrible cases) the WMF. I've been advocating for the latter in my conversations with them. We have seen positive movement on this front, such as the hiring of Kalliope, formerly Couchsurfing trust & safety, as well as other behind-the-scenes actions. LFaraone 18:58, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

@LFaraone: Thanks for the response. "Oppose" sounds quite serious in many contexts. I think I understand your position, and I hope you don't view my position as a personal opposition. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 21:24, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

Voting system

First off I'm not a regular user of English Wikipedia so I'm not familiar with the candidates and the complicated gender problems that afflict English Wikipedia but I'm delving deeply into these issues. I completely understand and support your concern about a fair share for women in the pool of arbs. Your third strategy (C) about wasting votes attracted my attention. I suggest you and other members of meta:WikiWomen's User Group consider seeking electoral reform, to change the voting system from this nonsense status quo to something more representative for minorities. PR systems give women a better representation (just compare the Swedish and American legislatures. Sweden uses a proportional system and about 50% of the seats are allocated won by women whereas the United States uses a primitive plurality system and only 15% of the House seats are won by women).

I suggest Meek STV myself which is considered the best voting system to elect multiple winners. I have posted a request to incorporate this system in the SecurePoll extension. Even if the tech team refuses my proposal, we got talented users in Persian Wikipedia to develop the SecurePoll extension ourselves. There will be a Meek STV option in SecurePoll by ACE2016. I suggest you and your colleagues to build a consensus for electoral reform at English Wikipedia. Feel free to ping me if you had any questions. I have decent information about various voting systems. 4nn1l2 (talk) 00:38, 24 November 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for the info. I'll look into it. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 04:30, 24 November 2015 (UTC)

While I would need more research to comment on the proposed methods above, I do concur that there are several issues with the system currently used; which should be examined after the current election closes. - Ryk72 ^'c.s.n.s.' 20:09, 27 November 2015 (UTC)

One missing

@Smallbones: Looks like Kelapstick is missing from your voter guide. Kaldari (talk) 04:13, 24 November 2015 (UTC)

Whoops! Quite an oversite - he's in the strong support group. Smallbones_(smalltalk) 04:27, 24 November 2015 (UTC)

NE Ent statement

"NE Ent - 2 sentence candidate statement." Seems you have missed User:NE Ent/Candidate Statement. 4nn1l2 (talk) 23:52, 24 November 2015 (UTC)