User talk:ToBeFree

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Coming back to an old block - been busy

I would like to appeal a topic block, but want first to interact with you. The topic block is, IMHO (and I believe I can demonstrate it) based on NOT READING THE SOURCES and assuming bad faith. There are, in my edits, only sources. So, will you consider the sources? Twasonasummersmorn (talk) 16:50, 8 July 2024 (UTC)

Hi Twasonasummersmorn, it's been almost two years and things have changed a bit. Your ban is no longer something special; it may be removed by any administrator, for example in response to a normal unblock request. Not all administrators will be aware of this, so you should ideally point to this edit here somewhere in your request. Alternatively, you can appeal your topic ban at WP:AN, and the usual form requirements for such an appeal do not strictly apply anymore. You can go to WP:AN and point to this edit here (based on Wikipedia:Contentious_topics#Appeals_and_amendments's "more than a year ago" clause), explaining to the readers that you are appealing a topic ban that was set over a year ago and thus can be revoked by any administrator, and that it's fine with me if this happens.

For me personally to undo the ban, I personally would like to see an understanding of what led to it, which is edit warring and incivility (Special:Permalink/1131405903, block log). This is about your behavior and not the sources, and the misunderstanding displayed in Special:Diff/1130308434 appears to be still present, so I currently lack the hope I'd need to undo the ban. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 23:00, 8 July 2024 (UTC)

You'll have to point to incivility rather than accurate and polite description. And - again - the edit warring was where other people serially reverted accurate sources, acting in concert. If you're interested in the edits and the sources, they're there. If you're not, then there is indeed no point. Twasonasummersmorn (talk) 13:47, 11 July 2024 (UTC)

I'm going to presume there's no point and that you're not interested in the actual sources. And the fact that others are serially, in concert, reverting the articles to say that a source says A when the source actually says not-A. Plus, undoing edits when new sources are offered that they don't like. If wikipedia admins don't care about what the sources actually say, then it's become as reliable as twitter. Twasonasummersmorn (talk) 12:03, 13 July 2024 (UTC)

I have read your messages, but there's nothing convincing to me personally in them, and I have already explained why. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 12:05, 13 July 2024 (UTC)

I did not, actually.

But it's super cool. I left mentorship a long time ago. Having left, I assume there's not an easy way to check the list without rejoining, which I might do, once/if I fully return (I've been away for a while). From back then, I only remember DanCherek, whom I am proud of too, almost as much as of you I wonder who else is on there. — Usedtobecool ☎️ 17:48, 13 July 2024 (UTC)

Well, Usedtobecool, "rejoining" just means opening Special:EnrollAsMentor and selecting "Number of mentees assigned to me: None". This enables the mentor dashboard without making you the mentor of anyone. However, as you are still internally listed as mentor for some users, I'm not sure what you'll see. Perhaps a list of mentees, perhaps not. If you see a list of mentees, please do take the opportunity to remove the assignment so they're automatically re-assigned to someone actively mentoring. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 23:45, 13 July 2024 (UTC)

Interestingly, it currently doesn't even seem to be possible to remove mentees from oneself. Or I haven't found the option yet. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 23:51, 13 July 2024 (UTC)

I am not aware of a way to remove one's mentees other than by them being claimed by another. But I have not kept up with developments that closely either. It does not matter. My mentees still see me as their mentor and get told to contact me. Most mentees ask one question on their first day and never return, not even to Wikipedia editing, at all. Of the few who stay around and could contact me, none have, but that's not because they know I've quit. They have no reason to know, and I've turned none away. All the quitting does and did is, it doesn't assign me new mentees. Yeah, I could rejoin as an inactive mentor but I don't have a good justification to do so, and *they* recommend being an inactive mentor only for known short breaks, not long or indefinite ones, for whatever reason. Best, — Usedtobecool ☎️ 09:04, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

I could've sworn it was possible from the mentor dashboard, but again, haven't seen it in a long time, so I could be mistaken, or it could have changed. I have vague recollections of removing blocked spammers and vandals from my list of mentees, which could be from a real memory or just a visualised wish — Usedtobecool ☎️ 09:11, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

Usedtobecool, there's a way. If a mentor is administratively removed, all mentees get re-assigned. However, a non-mentor apparently can't be removed. So a workaround would be me adding you to MediaWiki:GrowthMentors.json (as there seems to be no interface for doing so) and then removing you from the list through Special:ManageMentors. Also, the bug that allowed you to stop being a mentor without unassigning mentees might simply have been fixed in the meantime.

If you would like to try this, please let me know! ~ ToBeFree (talk) 13:02, 14 July 2024 (UTC)

I suspect you're simply mistaken in your belief that all mentees need to be assigned to active mentors at all times. The program is not even fully launched because of a lack of volunteers. I doubt it would be the most efficient use of resources to keep reassigning people who've already got an opportunity and are no longer new accounts even, to new mentors. An administrative removal perhaps happens for cause, making unassignment desirable, which would not be the case with mentors who stop editing with or without quitting the program. — Usedtobecool ☎️ 00:46, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

Oh. Usedtobecool, sorry, I've read my message again and it sounds as if I were about to do as proposed. I'm not! This was just an idea in case you didn't want to be a mentor anymore and in case the messages were undesired. You wrote My mentees still see me as their mentor and get told to contact me, and I wanted to point out that there is probably a way to fix this. I agree that administrative removal is a different use case than mentor inactivity or mentor quitting, and that reassignment may be completely unnecessary. ~ ToBeFree (talk) 01:22, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

Ah, I see. You were considering my convinience (thank you)! — Usedtobecool ☎️ 09:54, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

Precious anniversary

Precious

Six years!

--Gerda Arendt (talk) 06:51, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

Thank you very much, Gerda Arendt! ~ ToBeFree (talk) 08:23, 15 July 2024 (UTC)