Blog:Late retirement blog

I couldn't help but get on the retirement blog train, but I promise to be succinct.

I stopped by Miraheze to explore a (still unfinished) gaming community project. I only became involved because Miraheze interested me and I was fascinated in the daily disaster of reception wikis spilling out onto the Stewards' noticeboard. Let it be clear: Miraheze is far more than the reception wikis ever were. They are misleadingly large because a good number of users do only use Miraheze for the reception wikis and the drama of the reception wikis overtakes publicity. Most projects on Miraheze are rather calm and mind their own business. But I'm a sucker for trainwrecks: I became a critic over on the old New Reception Wiki. I've always struggled between being a critic wanting nothing to do with the wikis and wanting to take a stab at fixing them. As history knows I took the stab, which quickly became 'supervise so the Stewards don't have to worry about them much'. Then I became a Steward, but my role was much the same: try to bring a little order to the place and keep the nonsense from spilling into Meta.

I think I did okay at those goals, the only thing I failed badly to do was actually fix either the structure or community of the wikis. To be fair that's not something you can ask of any one person. The average age is likely low teens for the community, mixed with an unusual amount of mental disorders and social outcasts (or, people who aren't good socially in general). If I had a competent wingman I might have gotten farther here but I've never been a good one man army, so here we are. Likewise I've lost interest in Miraheze in general, and so I am no longer a Steward.

Funny how it takes QP being on the chopping block for people to seriously volunteer - but even then among those who want to keep it, there are few who put themselves forward or do anything to demonstrate they are competent for the job. I expect collapse regardless if the wikis close or not, and the wikis are not capable of managing themselves independently (hosting + proper leadership). So I'd be surprised to see QP thrive in the future, either as individual wikis or as a network. If they do not close I hope the network will survive, if only because it's the only chance the wikis will have at being consistently managed. I hope people like Fatburn and Bluba find healthier outlets for their reception wiki passions and that everyone here will move on to better things. Likewise if you don't like the wikis I hope you will simply move on with your life instead of let them suck you back in, be it through vandalism, continued criticism or trying to get them shut down. Just let it go. I hope to do that myself as well. I joined in a difficult chapter in my life and over my time in Miraheze that has slowly improved. It means I will probably be leaving Miraheze behind for good after this blog, barring the occasional read or rare response. For that reason, don't expect me to comment much in this blog.

I'll be around Discord and other projects I've been involved in, or will take a shot at in the future. It's an end of this chapter in a (hopefully) longer book. So see you later, maybe in another chapter. Good luck.