Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 09:25, 4 March 2007

My comments here will be short and to the point: I'm no longer taking part here. I have received an astounding amount of support, especially by email, but it's time to go. I tried to walk away in August, and managed to do so for quite a while, but I eventually came back, because of the many requests I received urging me to return. Many of you have written to ask me to not leave, to not give up what I have here, but I'm afraid it's time to make a clean break.

I ask that the first steward to see this message please remove my various flags from this wiki, as well as from Meta, Commons, and Wikiquote, and remove the bot flags from my bots, which of course will no longer be running. My tools will be taken down shortly. I had planned to delete my user-space myself, but I don't want anyone to think I was going on a rampage, so instead, I ask that one or more administrators who are friends please delete the 288 pages that form my userspace (leaving only my userpage and this talk page).

I've enjoyed my time here, and done much good work; my time, however, is over, and leaving is the best thing for me and for Misplaced Pages. I walk away happy to be free to go about other things. I hope others will refocus the energy they have spent the past few days in defending and denouncing me to make something here at Misplaced Pages better.

With love to all who have been my friends here, Essjay (Talk) 03:17, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

The GoodBye

The GoodBye, from our friends at Meatball Wiki Mak (talk) 04:00, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

No!

Essjay...please, please, please don't leave!! You're one of the most valuable contributors to Misplaced Pages, and it would just be horrible if you left. I completely understand why you would want to get away from here for now, and you have every right to do that, but I really hope you come back someday. This must be very stressful for you right now, with all this happening, but just please don't retire! –Llama man_contribs 03:17, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I wrote this before your statement on this page, by the way. I guess if you have to go, then do, but you will be missed...a lot. –Llama man_contribs 03:19, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Retired

Essjay Retired because of all the Dilema and its so sad that we are losing a very dedicated Editor...--Cometstyles 03:18, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

As requested

# 03:23, 4 March 2007 Jon Harald Søby (Talk | contribs | block) changed group membership for User:Essjay@metawiki from boardvote, sysop to boardvote
# 03:23, 4 March 2007 Jon Harald Søby (Talk | contribs | block) changed group membership for User:Essjay@enwikiquote from sysop to (none)
# 03:23, 4 March 2007 Drini (Talk | contribs | block) changed group membership for User:Essjay@commonswiki from sysop to (none)
# 03:22, 4 March 2007 Drini (Talk | contribs | block) changed group membership for User:Essjay@enwiki from boardvote to boardvote
# 03:21, 4 March 2007 Jon Harald Søby (Talk | contribs | block) changed group membership for User:Essjay@enwiki from boardvote, bureaucrat, checkuser, oversight, sysop to boardvote

-- Drini 03:26, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

# 2007-03-04T03:44:30 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "Essjaybot (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:56 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot X (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:49 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot VIII (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:43 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot VII (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:33 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot VI (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:19 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot V (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:39:10 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot IX (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:27:42 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot IV (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:27:41 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot III (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:27:41 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot II (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:27:40 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "EssjayBot (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request)
# 2007-03-04T03:27:39 Xaosflux (Talk | contribs | block) blocked "MediationBot (contribs)" (anon. only, noautoblock) with an expiry time of indefinite (Operator has resigned per  may be unblocked at operator request) 

Your bots have been blocked as having no operator. These blocks are immediatley reversable by any admin upon your return. — xaosflux 03:45, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

• WP:BAG removal processed. — xaosflux 03:48, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Don't you guys think banning Essjay's bots and destrying his userpage is a bit overkill? – Lantoka (talk) 07:19, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Thank you Essjay

Thanks for all of the service you did for Misplaced Pages in the various roles you have played. It is a great shame that you had to retire in such a less than ideal way. (→Netscott) 03:29, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

You will be missed. Best wishes for your new beginnings. ≈ jossi ≈ (talk) 03:31, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

• So long and thanks for all the fish. — xaosflux 03:33, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Why didn't I think of that? Eh. –Llama man_contribs 03:34, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Greatly missed

Thank you for your service. I was debating retirement less than an hour ago because of a melting pot of issues, but they are nothing compared to the hell you've been through. You will be missed by those who rightfully see the service outweighs the scandal. — Deckiller 03:33, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

The sky cries for you

I guess it would be selfish to ask you to stay, and you will probably be happiest if you move on. But I'd like you to know that you will be missed.

Best of happiness in the future,
Armed Blowfish (talk|mail) 03:36, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

P.S. Please don't do this.

Thanks

I, as well as the community, owe you so much for everything you have done. I have known you as a friend, an acquaintance, and a Wikipedian acting both as an editor, a bureaucrat, a checkuser, an administrator, chair of the Mediation Committee, and an Arbitrator.

Irrespective of what has happened recently, I hold your actions here in the highest regard. RFCU is still above ground because of you, as is CHU, as is the MC, as is a variety of other things that I probably am not aware of.

I find it an injustice that your work here for over more than two years, your 21,000+ edits, your one and a half years of service as an administrator, one year (nearly) as a checkuser and bureaucrat, is treated so poorly.

Regardless of what mistakes you may have made - and whether they are mistakes - I believe that this fiasco is not befitting of your service. As I said above, I have collaborated with you at RFCU and CHU, and put frankly, without you they struggle to keep their head above the water.

I wish you all the best, Essjay, in whatever you do. If another user contributes half as much to Misplaced Pages, who spends half as much time here, as you do, they are great. That alone speaks loads for my opinion on you.

Best of luck, and I hope you are proud of everything you have given to Misplaced Pages over the last 25 months. I, personally, am much appreciative of your work and your friendship through the good times and the bad; only four days ago, you probably saved my Wikipedianship with that email you sent.

We as a community have lost one of the best. People who haven't seen you work as much as I will only realise how much you will be missed when you are gone. It is sad that this is the case.

Cheers, Daniel Bryant 03:37, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I have been trying hard to find the words to express my feelings, but I think Daniel has just done it for me. So I will say that I concur with everything he just wrote, and that will be my first, last, and only public statement on the subject. Raul654 03:39, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

As Raul says, I cannot put my thoughts better than Daniel has done. It is a big loss for wikipedia. I really wish you well in your real life. - Aksi_great (talk) 07:49, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

An open door

Essjay, if you wish to return to the project at some future date I would be glad to have you back. I could consider supporting you in a bid for readminship. Farewell, and best wishes. Durova 03:37, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Ditto Durova, anyways I deleted many of your subpages. Ja 03:48, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Please do return when you are ready. Your work here has been valuable to the project and we welcome you back. You will be missed if you don't come back. --Aude (talk) 03:52, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Don't leave.

I don't think you should leave. It's true that you fabricated your identity, and you know you didn't need to do it (hell, if you weren't comfortable with giving out personal info, you didn't need to give out anything at all and you know that), so how about working to regain our trust instead?

Misplaced Pages will be hard to leave. You poured your heart and soul into the place and you did a lot to benefit the project. So why not stay and do the needful? You made mistakes, face the music..isn't leaving a bit cowardly (read: I am not violating WP:NPA)? So you screwed up and you were exposed..just do what you need to do to regain our trust.

I would advise: Lie low for a while, file an RfA (*NOT* RfB) and ask the community if they're willing to accept you back. Be honest and you might find a majority will accept you.

Granted, there are a lot of people calling for your head. I disagree with you leaving though. That is not the solution. I do agree with resigning all of your powers and starting from scratch - though some may agree with me, some may disagree with me, and you've already made your decision. Regards, Skult of Caro (talk) 03:38, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I believe leaving entirely is an overreaction, no one was seriously calling for that. Consider creating a new, unrelated user ID. Whatever you choose, thank you for the good work that you did. --AnonEMouse 03:59, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Farewell

You will be sorely missed my friend. While you probably won't get this, my best wishes go with you wherever you are. Good luck with Wikia, and to Mia :) it is a shame the trolls won the battle..they won't win the war.

Aeternum vale

anthonycfc 03:38, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

What I think

"Stand up, Miss Jean. Your father's passing." RyanGerbil10(Упражнение В!) 03:38, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

What an amazing quote, from an amazing book. Truly fitting. anthonycfc 03:41, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

May I add another? My favorite quote from all of literature:

Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself. I have been as sincere a worshipper of Aurora as the Greeks. I got up early and bathed in the pond; that was a religious exercise, and one of the best things which I did. They say that characters were engraven on the bathing tub of King Tching Thang to this effect: "Renew thyself completely each day; do it again, and again, and forever again."

-Walden

By his own volition, there will be no more renewal for Essjay. Let not the same be said about Ryan Jordan. Gracenotes § 03:52, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Life is such a wheel that a man can not stand upon it for long. And as always, at the end, we end up back where we started. (Final sentence of The Stand) Essjay has done the honorable thing and did what he knew had to be done. PTO 03:55, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Another great one to mourn the passing of a close one. anthonycfc 04:14, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

How Could It Be

One mistake and possibly the biggest discussion on Misplaced Pages ever starts. One of the most valuable users, now gone. WP:CHU will pile-up, and there will be even more bureaucrat backlog. How could we let this happen? Thanks for your time, Essjay. --TeckWiz Contribs_@ 03:52, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

What a shame

This is truly a sad, sad day. I wish you luck for the rest of your life. PTO 03:54, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

KM

Before you write something here, please think about the following:

This entire episode has raised serious concerns about the role of pseudonymity within Misplaced Pages, and especially claims of expertise from people whose identity is not known, and whether pseudonymous persons should be permitted to hold positions of exceptional responsibility. Rather than making those comments here, please instead make them in a more appropriate community discussion area, such as WP:VP or WP:CN.

Also, please consider reading this and this before composing any comments that you may have for Essjay.

Regards,
Kelly Martin (talk) 04:06, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

My thoughts

I completely respect your decision to leave. I am regretful that future generations of Wikipedians will not know the greatness that was Essjay. I hope you enjoy your time away from Misplaced Pages and try to think about the users you know before many of them turned on you. (I for one, am still very upset that many of them turned their backs on you and criticized you when you were one of the greatest things that have happened to this project and probably ever will.) I have to say though, that I am very proud of the users that stood by you until the end and continue to stand by you (Pshemp, Daniel, and I among them, off the top of my head). I do hope that you return one day, but realize the very unlikeliness of that. So, I only wish you the best, in whatever you may chose to do. Cbrown1023 talk 04:09, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I am also upset to report that your entire userspace (sans your user tak and user page) have been deleted. Cbrown1023 talk 04:10, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

He requested it. -- Drini 04:12, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I know, I was one of the users who carried out the request. I was just saying how sad it is that we deleted it all. Cbrown1023 talk 04:29, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Futher update, your userspaces on Meta and Wikiquote have been deleted as well. You also only have editor privileges Wikimedia wide, per your request. Cbrown1023 talk 04:55, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Bye

Thank you

Thank you for the work you've done here as an admin, bureaucrat, and valued contributor. Best wishes. – Chacor 04:12, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Ditto; fly on littlewing. ~ Arjun 04:14, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, and good luck!

Thanks for everything you have done here. Be seeing you! -- ReyBrujo 04:15, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Thanks so much for helping to enhance this project as well as helping me with the MKF incident, as well as others. Feel free to contact me via e-mail. Real96 04:16, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Barnstar

		The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
		Hi Essjay, I am saddened by your departure, but I would like to let you know that you are one in a billion wikipedians. You have filled so many roles to serve the community, as well as you help to me about voting for the board. You are the only user to have the role of administrator, Bureaucrat, Election Official, CheckUser, and oversight. I award you the Tireless Contributor Barnstar. You were one of the most dedicated wikipedians to the project, and that will not be forgotten by me, and I'm sure it won't by the community, and I hope you don't forget that. Best of wishes to where your future takes you.--Wikipedier (talk • contribs) 04:21, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I second this barnster. Well written. You deserve it. --TeckWiz Contribs_@ 04:24, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Adios

I thank you for all your great contributions to Misplaced Pages. Hopefully, you will find success elsewhere in life. S h a r k f a c e 2 1 7 04:21, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Good-Bye

It is really sad to see you leave Misplaced Pages. You've been great admin, bureaucrat etc... I'll miss you so much, and also wish you luck for rest of your life. Daniel5127 | Talk 04:24, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Oh My...

IMO, a temporary "break", rather than "leaving for good", probably would've sufficed. Despite the recent affair surrounding you, I have no reason to believe that your contributor status would have deteriorated in any way. After all, this is supposed to be an open project, where anyone could contribute information as long as it can be adequately sourced. Should you ever feel better again, I strongly urge you to rejoin us, using an alternate identity if you must. :'( Scobell302 04:29, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Honestly, Essjay did a lot for us. I don't think it is fair to make him return as a contributor, when he, like many of his type of admin, do not do much in the way of article writing, but rather help administrate the project. Prodego 04:37, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Editing negative comments

I have to admit that I am surprised that everything but the gushing 'oh my, I am so sorry that you are leaving' comments have been edited. While plainly offensive remarks should be removed, critical comments should be allowed to stay. So again: leaving is an honourable decision. Off with you. Dpilat 04:43, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

There is a difference between reasonable criticism and dancing on someone's grave. Essjay has enough friends that comments of the second type are not likely to last long. Further discussion of the issue of pseudonymity of editors in positions of authority belongs elsewhere. Thatcher131 04:45, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Well, that doesn't bode well for the way that wikipedians accept criticism, does it?Dpilat 04:49, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

How is he going to accept criticism as a Wikipedian if he has left? (rhetorical question, note) Also, feel free to leave constructive criticism of Misplaced Pages in the appropriate venue, such as WP:VP. Gracenotes § 04:50, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I second that; if you are happy we've lost an editor of great standing, then each to his own. Unfortunately, we don't want to hear it here. Village Pump does. anthonycfc 05:27, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Best wishes

It's a shame that you're leaving Misplaced Pages. You've contributed quite a lot to the project and you've done great work as an admin and bureaucrat. Regardless, I bid you farewell, best wishes, and good luck.--TBCΦtalk? 05:26, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Seconded. I'll remember you Essjay. You've made a huge impression on Misplaced Pages, and the better far, far outweighs the worse. Cheers, Dfrg.msc 05:34, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Essjay may be gone...

but the work Essjay did for the many many projects he touched will not soon be forgotten. Be safe and happy, wherever life may take you, Essjay. ++Lar: t/c 05:43, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Good luck. - NYC JD (make a motion) 05:52, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Sickening

One of Misplaced Pages's most valuable contributors... brought down at the height of his achievements and success. Ruthlessly. After uncoutable tens of thousands of hours of work.

I'm still in complete and utter shock. This is a travesty of unparalleled proportions.

Essjay was a good guy who did unmeasurable good work here for a period of years. He really didn't deserve this. Many of us severely overreacted, and it's costing us now.

Dwell on that, people. Essjay is gone, and I highly doubt he'll be coming back. – Lantoka (talk) 07:13, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

The tales he told were very tall. Gwen Gale 07:45, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Yet, in my opinion, pale in comparison to the good he has done for Misplaced Pages. My point is, had we reacted better to this incident, Essjay would still be around to edit today. I'm sure Essjay would have apologized and resigned from at least ArbCom on his own. He was a good guy, and we were too harsh. And now we've lost an extremely dedicated contributor. Misplaced Pages is left with a void that will be very hard to fill. – Lantoka (talk) 07:55, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I don't think the last chapter has been written on Essjay's participation here. Gwen Gale 08:08, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Censorship Discussion

Nor do I... especially as all his admin friends are censoring discussion about this. That's what's really sickening about all this. -- SwissCelt 08:19, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I honestly don't see the connection. And I don't know why you've fought so rabidly to have that troll's comment kept. It was trolling, plain and simple, and absolutely no productive discussion stemmed from it. – Lantoka (talk) 08:28, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

You don't? Funny, you said yourself, in the resulting (and deleted) commentary, "That's disturbing news. Stuff like this can't really be swept under the carpet, and trying to do so before it's all out of our system is probably just going to make it worse." Anyway, and as I said before, this isn't about Essjay. Those who flounce off aren't supposed to be back reading what people say about them, and I'm not about to disguise the truth in an effort to get him back. That only furthers the dishonesty. -- SwissCelt 08:33, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Essjay has run off without saying much, not too startling and yeah, this isn't even about Essjay. Gwen Gale 08:40, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

(triple edit conflict) You misquoted me. I crossed out that comment after I realized that you were the one who reverted an admin's removal of WAS's trolling. My opinion is that WAS's comment was unarguably trolling and was not productive, yet you chose to revert it anyway, which brings your comments about admin over-censorship into question because I don't believe that reverting trolling is over-censorship.

And also, the relationship between the two comments remains unclear. How is discussion on Essjay's return related to censorship, as you imply with the wording "Nor do I... especially as all his admin friends are censoring discussion about this"?

I think you're focusing a little too much on this whole issue of "censorship", dude. In retrospect, it seems excessive and out of place. Removing trolling isn't censorship, but rather an attempt to keep discussion productive. And in this specific case, to avoid alienating a much valued and respected editor any more than we already have. – Lantoka (talk) 08:51, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Lantoka, we didn't all wake up this weekend and decide to be mean to Essjay. With all due respect to those who've collaborated with him on articles, there is a pretty serious issue of dishonesty that prompted his resignation. This issue is one that needs to be resolved by Misplaced Pages, and quickly before we appoint another mouthpiece to go before the news media. To me, that's of far greater importance than to try to avoid alienating an editor, no matter how valued and respected he might be. -- SwissCelt 09:02, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

(edit conflict) That's the pith of it. Essjay made a big docking botch but this isn't about him. While there are many cool admins here, there are dozens of admins (and other editors with sway) on this wiki who daily pull the same codswallop and meanwhile Misplaced Pages's management referred a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist to an editor with a wholly fictional CV. That's worrisome and it's helpful to talk about it. Gwen Gale 09:07, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I've lost you dude. You're constantly changing topics on me. – Lantoka (talk) 09:04, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I didn't change the topic. That would be you, by setting this thread apart from its initial context. -- SwissCelt 09:06, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

, are some of the edits we're talking about. While I agree that the initial remarks in these were somewhat over the top in their personal attacking style, I think it is worse to make this a site which leaves the impression that all Wikipedians are apologetic and think a great unjustice has been done to Essjay, while I think quick and firm action is the only way to restore credibility of our project. Also, I would like to know otherwise which one is the one place where the Essjay matter may be discussed, because in the places mentioned I am coming across a couple of "archived - do not edit any more" flags. -- Jungletiger 09:11, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Truth be told I think there are some editors lurking about here who are a bit on edge with the notion that Essjay got nicked for doing something they do themselves. My take on that would be... chill y'all! Don't lie to reporters from the New Yorker 'n don't puff up your academic background to other editors. Gwen Gale 09:16, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Like trying to hit a moving target

I give up. As my comments here are being continuously moved and deleted, it's clear to me that trying to form a coherent argument about this event is futile. I apparently have stumbled upon the Essjay Fan Club, and I'm sorry to have intruded. On the other hand, if anyone would like to discuss how this affair has hurt Misplaced Pages, I suppose I'll find you somewhere... though probably not WP:CN, as this same kind of revisionism is occurring there. Peace. -- SwissCelt 09:13, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Impressions

I do believe that the community shall have the fragrance of your immense work for long time even after your "retirement". I wish you all the best in your real life and best of luck! I also wish to see you again here - time is dynamic my friend. All the best! --Bhadani 07:57, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Second that. This episode is unfortunate, but your contributions to Misplaced Pages will always be remembered. Good luck. utcursch | talk 09:19, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

I respect your decision

While I would have preferred that you stayed, I understand and respect your decision to leave. Unfortunately you didn't avail yourself of the opportunity to deal with your past deception with candor and honesty when you had the chance. I hope that you take from this episode some valuable life lessons in accountability—by deciding to leave, I must assume that you have. I wish you the best in your future endeavors and thank you for the good work you did in your time here. —Doug Bell  07:58, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

The Second Coming

Though Essjay will doubtless be missed, I have recieved over 9000 similar qualifications, so I expect that I will be able to fill the role of pseudo academic. As Jimbo does not have a problem with falsifying academic credentials, I suggest that everyone do the same. Brain Peppers! 09:25, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

• Former Wikipedians