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Revision as of 17:43, 19 November 2008

SilkTork

Voice your opinion (talk page) (31/1/1); Scheduled to end 16:16, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

SilkTork (talk · contribs) – I am proud to nominate SilkTork for adminship. He has been editing for almost three years, with over 20,000 edits (13,000 in the main namespace), and--more importantly--helped promote GAs, write DYKs, and create, after several labourious iterations, the current optimized Beer category system.

SilkTork's experience as a teacher comes in handy in his dispute resolution activities, where he comes across as level headed and mature. He was active in the Association of Members' Advocates until it was disbanded, and helps with the work of the Mediation Cabal. He's an active member of Editor assistance, and lends a hand with Third opinion whenever he can. He also did some non-admin closing of undisputed AfDs, but his main focus has always been writing and improving articles.

SilkTork had one previous RfA a year ago. It failed primarily due to a misunderstanding he had just prior to the RfA with User:Lar regarding the checkuser process. SilkTork subsequently withdrew his request, but in a later discussion between the two of them, those differences have been resolved amicably and to the satisfaction of both sides. Lar has recently assured me that he no longer sees a reason to oppose SilkTork's adminship.

I have been working with SilkTork for quite a while, essentially carrying out the admin functions that he needs for his editing: housekeeping actions like deleting to make way for move, history merge, and so on. I have seen enough to convince me that he is more than ready to have the tools for himself. Owen× ☎ 15:07, 18 November 2008 (UTC)

Thank you Owen. I accept. SilkTork * 16:01, 18 November 2008 (UTC)

Questions for the candidate

Dear candidate, thank you for offering to serve Misplaced Pages as an administrator. It is recommended that you answer these optional questions to provide guidance for participants:

1. What administrative work do you intend to take part in?

I have asked others to move pages quite a few times, so I would be happy to help out at Misplaced Pages:Requested moves. I have an interest in AfD so would be happy to get more involved in closures, and to also pay attention to discussions at Misplaced Pages:Deletion review. When helping out at disputes or Misplaced Pages:Editor assistance I have sometimes needed to ask an admin to protect or unprotect a page, so I would take my turn at Misplaced Pages:Requests for page protection. It's worth pointing out that, in line with our founding principles, I am in favour of keeping a page open for editing as much as possible, but there are times when edit warring makes a page unstable, and while a page is still open, some editors don't fully engage in resolution discussion.

2. What are your best contributions to Misplaced Pages, and why?

I feel that my general involvement in the whole project is my best contribution. Being here, adding some information or a reference to an article, correcting some spelling, taking part in discussions, building guidelines, working on categories to aid navigating, taking part in AfD discussions - the whole thing gives me a sense of pride. I can get as much pride from uploading a photo I have taken, as from cleaning up an article, or building one from nothing, or turning round an AfD discussion, or helping people out in a dispute. One of the things I have taken most pride in is perhaps the reorganisation of the beer categories I did back in 2006. It was a significant tidy up of the whole system, and toward the end of the process involved a discussion with most members of the Beer Project to finalise details and get some of the bigger changes approved - an involvement that has not been matched since.

3. Have you been in any conflicts over editing in the past or have other users caused you stress? How have you dealt with it and how will you deal with it in the future?

I deal with conflict and the stress of others during my involvement in various Misplaced Pages:Dispute resolution, and have some understanding of the causes and feelings. I can remain calm during these disputes because I am not involved. I know, however, what it feels like when someone is working against you in a topic you know quite well. However, I feel I can turn these disputes into good use. Disagreements are good. They are, in a sense, at the heart of our project. When an article has been through the crucible of dispute it often emerges harder and more brilliant, and more balanced. When every sentence and word has been fought over to ensure it reflects fairly the views of all sides in a topic, then we know that we are making progress. The actual disputes can sometimes be painful, but as long as we can keep a clear head, and there is someone there to lend assistance when things get heated, the project benefits. The Gluten-free beer article is what resulted from a dispute with User talk:Wikwobble. I found that very stressful, but I am pleased with the end result

Optional question from Guest9999

4. When closing an AfD discussion how would you take into consideration the following factors:

1. Your personal preference.
2. The arguments put forward in the discussion.
3. The proportion of contributors to the discussion who thought the article should be kept/deleted.
4. Consensus formed policies and guidelines.

--Guest9999 (talk) 00:15, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

I firmly believe that the strength of the project is that as a community we discuss and debate the best ways forward and then write down our solutions as guidelines, so my personal preference is to follow community consensus and guidelines. As we grow and develop so some of our earlier guidelines get modified - and an AfD discussion can be the place where notability guidelines are modified, so we listen carefully to the arguments raised there. An overview needs to be taken on the proportion of views for keeping/deleting against a well structured and convincing argument, and that will depend on the circumstances. An argument using existing guidelines will stand up well against a hoard of !votes assserting I like it!. While an intelligent and convincing argument that goes against existing consensus and guidelines will be listened to and referred to in closing comments, but will not fare well against a stack of !votes that cite appropriate nobility guidelines. SilkTork * 08:19, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

General comments

• See SilkTork's edit summary usage with mathbot's tool. For the edit count, see the talk page.

• Requests for adminship/SilkTork
• Requests for adminship/SilkTork 2

• Links for SilkTork: SilkTork (talk · contribs · deleted · count · AfD · logs · block log · lu · rfar · spi)

Please keep discussion constructive and civil. If you are unfamiliar with the nominee, please thoroughly review Special:Contributions/SilkTork before commenting.

Discussion

• What the heck is newpage patrol? Mackensen (talk) 02:03, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

  It is watching this log and tagging articles for deletion when necessary. I will also move this thread to the discussion section. Useight (talk) 02:06, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

  It's also tagging articles as "approved", and there's a HUGE backlog because not enough people realize how important it is. DS (talk) 03:39, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

Support

1. Support as nom. Owen× ☎ 16:17, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
2. Support. I've got a few minor "reservations" - you've virtually no expereince in the project space areas of C:CSD and WP:AIV so it's a bit tricky to see how you'd do there (not that you've stated you want to work there but still...). Also, I note your Q1 but there's not a lot of protection related activity either. However susbstantial content contribution to an area close to my heart and the associated talk / wiki projects etc. shows collaborative drive. Lots of WP:AFD stuff that looks okay. Civil user page, helpful manner, seems to have plenty of WP:CLUE. Net positive with the tools but go steady should you decide to start moving into blocking / speedy deleting would be the only thing I'd say. Pedro :  Chat  16:34, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
3. Secret 16:55, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
4. I'd like to see more RPP work if you want to help there, but another editor stupid enough willing to delve into the hell-hole that is DRV cannot be a bad thing :) Garden. 17:07, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
5. Weak Support. Like Pedro said above, you're lacking some experience in a few places, so if you do decide to branch into CSD or AIV, I implore you to take it slowly. Useight (talk) 17:24, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
6. Support Some experience in a few areas is missing as others have said, but with so many edits you've proven trustworthy and I think you'd use the tools well. Experience can be gained, my concern is whether giving you the tools is a net benefit for Misplaced Pages - and I think it is. FlyingToaster 17:42, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
7. Support. "Good Ol' Pedro" said it best. CLUEful candidate who seems very mannered and I am sure he will not delve into areas where he has not worked in before without either consulting an admin who already works the area or looking at those admins' way of doing things. For example at WP:RFPP, you can easily see a backlog of fulfilled requests to learn from and I am sure he is willing to learn whatever he does not know. I know those areas Pedro mentioned from my own experience and I think I do an acceptable job there (and I learned it this way^^). Regards SoWhy 17:49, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
8. Support. Reliable with good contributions. Axl ¤ 17:59, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
9. Support. I've seen SilkTork around on the WP:3O project from time to time during the past year or two. From what I've seen, this nominee has what it takes to be a good administrator. — Athaenara ✉ 18:00, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
10. Support. I'm a bit frightened by the number of children you have, though. How do you have time for Misplaced Pages? Good contributions, bound to do a great job as administrator. Darkspots (talk) 18:04, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
11. Support - We have a good one here. — Realist 18:25, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
12. AW HELL YEAH BOY Unyielding support - Absolutely no trust problems with this user, will not abuse the tools, massive positive contributions everywhere this user goes - what can I say. — neuro 19:04, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
13. Support Experienced, and ready to be an admin. Good Luck!! America69 (talk) 19:44, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
14. Support Per much of the above, good luck. Parsecboy (talk) 19:54, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
15. Clear support you are competent and committed in article space - that's all I require. The rest is easy in comparison, and you'll pick it up if you choose to do it.--Scott MacDonald (talk) 20:03, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
16. I have opposed SilkTork for RfA in the past. While I still have some concerns, things are different now, I think. Support ++Lar: t/c 20:54, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
17. Support although "SatinPork" would be a better username. :) iMatthew 21:17, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
18. Support I think this user would be a good admin. Sam 22:18, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
19. Master&Expert (Talk) 23:28, 18 November 2008 (UTC)
20. Support Good article building, overall trustworthy. --Banime (talk) 00:14, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
21. Weak Support. Please take it slow. I echo Pedro's concerns. Malinaccier (talk) 00:46, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
22. Support as meeting my standards, and having learned from the first RFA. Bearian (talk) 01:28, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
23. Support If you don't intend to work in CSD or AIV, then why the hell do you need experience there? Trustworthy, and won't mess things up. Erik the Red 2 ~~~~ 01:50, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
24. Support - Richard Cavell (talk) 03:16, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
25. Support - Seems like a friendly and knowledgeable editor, who has done a lot of good work here. AdjustShift (talk) 03:21, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
26. Support - Interaction with this user was pleasant. Have one on the house.--Lenticel 05:56, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
27. Weak Support No newpage patrol/WP:AIV experience, so he might not know how to deal with it at first, but I'm sure he'll manage. A very good Wikkipedian. Leujohn
28. 'Support, looks good. Wizardman 13:38, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
29. Support. I understand Pedro's concerns, but when an editor seems to be very focused on the policies and the activities they know, it reduces my concern that they will lunge into something they don't know, like WP:AIV, and start making bad decisions. Some people just have focus and maturity, and SilkTork is one of those people. I guess I'm also pushing back against the idea that the deletion and behavioral policies are what admins "ought" to know, and the other policies (which SilkTork knows well) are less important ... all Misplaced Pages policies are important, and SilkTork's broad knowledge is just what I'm looking for in an admin. - Dan Dank55 (send/receive) 13:42, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

    In fairness, other editors have called them concerns - I simply said "reservations". And they are pretty minor reservations at that, otherwise I'd be in Neutral or Oppose. If I for one moment thought SilkTork was likely to make bad blocks or poor deletions I'd not be supporting. Perhaps my support would be better couched as - "yep, you're clearly competent but please feel free to ask for input, if you feel it is needed, before working in areas you don't, on the face of it, appear to have expereince in.". Given Silk's clearly high quality edits I have no reason to believe he would be any less than capable in all areas of WP - but it's still polite to extend the courtesy of an offer of help and pragmatic (rather than condescending or something - I certainly hope it didn't sound like that!) to advise the candidate that a slow and steady approach is recommended in areas they may not be experienced in. Pedro :  Chat  14:21, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

    Lesson learned, I'll say "some of the concerns mentioned" next time ... didn't mean to single you out, and thanks for clarifying. - Dan Dank55 (send/receive) 15:03, 19 November 2008 (UTC)

30. Support Get involved with newpage patrolling and CSD! Article contributions are excellent though, think he can do great things with the mop. Mister Senseless™ (Speak - Contributions) 15:17, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
31. Weak Support After very careful consideration.User has beem around since Jan 2006 and track is good and see no misuse of tools hence supporting through considered the fact of lack of editing in AIV, and New Page patrolling.Pharaoh of the Wizards (talk) 16:34, 19 November 2008 (UTC)