No fair and public hearings on Wikimedia
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 16:36
Subject: Appeal concerning the arbitration committee of the Portuguese Wikipedia
From: "Virgilio A. P. Machado" <vam@fct.unl.pt>
To: sgardner@wikimedia.org
Sue,
I sent a couple of messages that have remained unanswered to this date. They are transcribed below. If you find in them anything that might concern you and the Wikimedia Foundation of which you are the Executive Director, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
--
Prof. Virgilio A. P. Machado
Engenharia Industrial
DEMI/FCT/UNL
Universidade de Portugal
2829-516 Caparica
PORTUGAL
vam@fct.unl.pt
http://web.archive.org/web/20070824105539/www.ipei.pt/GDEI/
Fax: 351-21-294-8546 or 21-294-8531
or 351-21-295-4461
Tel.: 351-21-294-8542 or 21-294-8567
or 351-21-294-8300 or 21 294-8500
Ext.112-32
[96-577-3726]
Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia/UNL (FCT/UNL)
(Dr. Machado is Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at the
School of Sciences and Engineering/UNL of the University of Portugal)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:11
Subject: Appeal
From: "Virgilio A. P. Machado" <vam@fct.unl.pt>
To: kat@wikimedia.org
Kat,
I regret to have to bring this matter to your attention. Based on the information available on this page "Princípios fundadores" (I believe a localization of this "Founding principles") I wrote the message below to Jimmy Wales. Until now I have not learned of any feedback to that message. The deadline to file an appeal is long past (Dec. 12, at 19:35 UTC) and all my requests to do so (described in the message to Jimmy) have been ignored.
As Executive Secretary of the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees I believe that not only you should be directly informed of this situation but are also best qualified to advise on this matter.
I'm currently State side, and can be reached by e-mail (through Wikipedia or directly to the above e-mail address), by phone (254-289-5524), or by IM & video (vam@fct.unl.pt or vapmachado).
Looking forward to hearing from you, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Virgilio A. P. Machado
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:44
To: jwales@wikia.com
From: "Virgilio A. P. Machado" <vam@fct.unl.pt>
Subject: Appeal concerning the arbitration committee of the Portuguese Wikipedia
User: Vapmachado
Case: 2009-09-01 Virgílio A. P. Machado
Jimmy,
I'm at this very awkward position of having to appeal to you in a matter concerning a decision by the arbitration committee (AC) of the Portuguese Wikipedia (one of the eight that has reached more than a half million articles).
Besides the filing party, I am the only one involved in a controversial arbitration case that dragged on for more than three months. During that time I posted 53 irregularities in the discussion page of the case. The case was closed this past Dec. 9, at 19:13 UTC. According to the AC By-Laws, I have three days, after the case closing, to file an appeal to the Portuguese Wikipedia community. That same evening I considered and drafted an appeal, but could not post it, because the AC final decision blocks me from doing it.
I have been asking to be unblocked in order to file my appeal, since later, that same evening, Dec. 10, at 00:49 UTC, when I posted a request on my own talk page. Without an answer, unable to post on any other user's talk page, or file my appeal, I e-mailed, through Wikipedia, [10] administrators(1-10), that appeared on-line, and the AC mail list (11 ), between 21:01, Dec. 10, and 03:03, Dec. 11. Members of the AC have been on-line, including the arbitrator that presented, signed, and notified me of the final decision(3).
With barely more than 24 hours before the deadline to file my appeal, I see no other alternative but write to you, taking your valuable time, and beg as a special favor something that should be handled through the appropriate channels in the Portuguese Wikipedia.
1) Please ask the AC to unblock me so that I may file my appeal.
2) Please ask the AC to stop the clock and extend the deadline to file my appeal, until I (or you, preferably) have the opportunity to inform the community of these developments, and post my appeal.
3) Once my appeal is posted, the clock will be set in motion again, for 24 hours of discussion in which I will be allowed to participate, and five days of voting. Although my appeal is based on this blatant breach of policy by the AC final decision, preventing me from posting it, according to the AC By-Laws, my appeal needs to obtain at least 20 favorable votes and a 2/3 majority.
If both of these requirements sound to you as easy to obtain in an environment of encyclopedians, think again. I know very little about the Wikipedias in other languages, but besides abysmal problems in its By-Laws, as the present situation illustrates, there is very little coincidence between what is written and what is done in the Portuguese Wikipedia. Don't let the language barrier fool you. There are plenty of people and users that speak both languages. It is your choice to pursue a hands off approach or to foster an environment where the principles in which you believe and should bind how the Portuguese Wikipedia is run, can thrive and be a source of inspiration for many of younger generations. If I can ever be of service to those principles, please let me know.
Please let me know if you need any other further information.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
| Prof. Virgilio A. P. Machado | vam@fct.unl.pt |
| Engenharia Industrial | http://web.archive.org/web/20070824105539/www.ipei.pt/GDEI/ |
| DEMI/FCT/UNL | Fax: 351-21-294-8546 or 21-294-8531 |
| Universidade de Portugal | or 351-21-295-4461 |
| 2829-516 Caparica | Tel.: 351-21-294-8542 or 21-294-8567 |
| PORTUGAL | or 351-21-294-8300 or 21 294-8500 |
| Ext.112-32 | |
| [96-577-3726] | |
| Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia/UNL | (FCT/UNL) |
(Dr. Machado is Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at the
School of Sciences and Engineering/UNL of the University of Portugal)
(1) ChristianH Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:01:45
(2) Dédi's Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:07:17
(3) Ruy Pugliesi Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:08:48
(4) Jo Lorib Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:22:49
(5) FSogumo Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:43:24
(6) Davemustaine Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:44:47
(7) João Carvalho Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:56:25
(8) Mschlindwein Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:20:01
(9) Bisbis Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:28:45
(10) Teles Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:03:34
(11) To: ca-ptwikipedia@lists.wikimedia.org Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:55:43
