Blackmail

[Mason]

Is is apparently now considered blackmail to threaten to stop donating to the WMF:

Anybody who pulls the "shut up or I take my money" card should be immedately blocked as being WP:NOTHERE. It's blackmail, and anybody who thinks blackmail is an acceptable tactic in any walk of life is somebody who should not be editing here. "unjustified threats to...cause loss to another unless a demand is met" sums it up pretty nicely. Either way it falls under the category of "general tomfoolery that doesn't belong 'round these parts".

Presumably if they agreed to resume donating they would then be allowed to edit again?

[DanMurphy]

That little piece of idiocy (it gets even worse if you read the thread) came from one of their senior editors (an administrator) who calls himself The Bushranger (T-C-L).

[charliemouse]

I don't intend to contribute. They can block me at any time.

[Moonage Daydream]

First they get you to work for free, then they tell you that you can't do the work unless you pay them. Nice.

[Malik Shabazz]

I don't intend to contribute. They can block me at any time.

Me too.

I work for free. That's enough of a contribution.

[EricBarbour]

That little piece of idiocy (it gets even worse if you read the thread) came from one of their senior editors (an administrator) who calls himself The Bushranger (T-C-L).

Who is quite the Wiki-freak Wiki-mutant. More on him later.

[Volunteer Marek]

Personally I think they should just go ahead and demand a credit card receipt for donations before you're allowed to edit. 10 bucks buys you 1000 edits. Just whatever you do, do not prohibit anonymous IPs from editing!!!! since that would drive down editor count.

[The Joy]

Personally I think they should just go ahead and demand a credit card receipt for donations before you're allowed to edit. 10 bucks buys you 1000 edits. Just whatever you do, do not prohibit anonymous IPs from editing!!!! since that would drive down editor count.

There's also the Free-to-play (T-H-L) model. You can edit like a regular editor, but rollback, Twinkle, reviewer rights, etc. would require paying a fee. Instead of serving a block or ban, you could pay a substantial fine. The poor Wikipedians would complain of unfairness, but the WMF would satisfy them with financial loans with high interest rates and heavy late fees. Of course, that would mean putting up collateral and mean that the WMF would legally be able to take your (or your parent's) house along as well as other property.

[Poetlister]

There's also the Free-to-play (T-H-L) model. You can edit like a regular editor, but rollback, Twinkle, reviewer rights, etc. would require paying a fee. Instead of serving a block or ban, you could pay a substantial fine. The poor Wikipedians would complain of unfairness, but the WMF would satisfy them with financial loans with high interest rates and heavy late fees. Of course, that would mean putting up collateral and mean that the WMF would legally be able to take your (or your parent's) house along as well as other property.

But then you might be able to sue the WMF, or individual admins or Arbcom, for example if you are blocked unfairly.

[Mason]

There's also the Free-to-play (T-H-L) model. You can edit like a regular editor, but rollback, Twinkle, reviewer rights, etc. would require paying a fee. Instead of serving a block or ban, you could pay a substantial fine. The poor Wikipedians would complain of unfairness, but the WMF would satisfy them with financial loans with high interest rates and heavy late fees. Of course, that would mean putting up collateral and mean that the WMF would legally be able to take your (or your parent's) house along as well as other property.

But then you might be able to sue the WMF, or individual admins or Arbcom, for example if you are blocked unfairly.

Nah, just handle it like Linden Dollars (T-H-L) or Angry Birds Bucks or Itchy & Scratchy Money or whatever. Games companies are quite expert at permanently separating you from actual money in favor of non-redeemable tokens and credits... I'm sure the WMF could pick that technique up pretty quickly.