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[[Image:Jimbo_sleepy.jpg|right|thumb|214px|The man, the legend, Jimmy Wales]][[Wikipedia]] co-founder '''Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales has often been criticized''' for his sometimes authoritarian, sometimes unaccountable, and sometimes inept style in his direction of the online encyclopedia community and for his mismanagement of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] that is responsible for running it.  

[[Image:Jimbo_sleepy.jpg|right|thumb|214px|The man, the legend, Jimmy Wales]][[Wikipedia]] co-founder '''Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales has often been criticized''' for his sometimes authoritarian, sometimes unaccountable, and sometimes inept style in his direction of the online encyclopedia community and for his mismanagement of the [[Directory:Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia Foundation]] that is responsible for running it.  

As a [[Directory:The New York Times|New York Times]] writer commented in a column once:

As a [[Directory:The New York Times|New York Times]] writer commented in a column once:

:''"As long as he is involved with Wikipedia, however, Mr. Wales will continue to be a guiding light for its many contributors — as well as a lightning rod for its critics."'' UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000004D-QINU

:''"As long as he is involved with Wikipedia, however, Mr. Wales will continue to be a guiding light for its many contributors — as well as a lightning rod for its critics."'' <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/technology/17wikipedia.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1205899200&en=e0949ec94f152e85&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin |title="Open-Source Troubles in Wiki World" |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/technology/17wikipedia.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1205899200&en=e0949ec94f152e85&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin |archivedate=2012-09-21}}, Noam Cohen, March 17, 2008.</ref>

As a [http://toolserver.org/~soxred93/pcount/index.php?name=Everyking&lang=en&wiki=wikipedia Wikipedia administrator] with over 125,000 edits on the project has said:

As a [http://toolserver.org/~soxred93/pcount/index.php?name=Everyking&lang=en&wiki=wikipedia Wikipedia administrator] with over 125,000 edits on the project has said:

:''It is a sad, sad statement on the Wikipedia community that it has never gotten rid of Jimbo Wales. It's remarkable to me that now, in 2010, Jimbo is still around, while the project itself is stagnating quite badly. I thought at one time that such a vibrant project with so much potential would surely jettison Jimbo -- who is so obviously a useless and unprincipled opportunist -- in relatively short order, once it matured to a certain point. Instead I'm starting to wonder if the project will sink and Jimbo will still be sitting there when it does.'' UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000004E-QINU

:''It is a sad, sad statement on the Wikipedia community that it has never gotten rid of Jimbo Wales. It's remarkable to me that now, in 2010, Jimbo is still around, while the project itself is stagnating quite badly. I thought at one time that such a vibrant project with so much potential would surely jettison Jimbo -- who is so obviously a useless and unprincipled opportunist -- in relatively short order, once it matured to a certain point. Instead I'm starting to wonder if the project will sink and Jimbo will still be sitting there when it does.'' <ref>{{cite web |url=http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=30616&view=findpost&p=250652 |title=User:Everyking |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=30616&view=findpost&p=250652 |archivedate=2012-09-21}}, August 31, 2010.</ref>

 

Jimmy Wales isn’t paid to actually figure things out. He’s paid approximately $10,000 to $40,000 per speech (by organizations like Alfresco Summit, IP Expo, and the government of the United Arab Emirates) to stand up in front of large audiences and utter things that he believes to be true.  He often re-uses and re-purposes previous PowerPoint decks that he's presented before.  Because he had a small role in co-founding Wikipedia (which he then aggrandized into a much larger role, after the fact), he earns a certain mystique as the idea-man behind "the sum of human knowledge".  But when you get down to watching Jimmy Wales actually trying to figure things out, such as with a business, the landscape is littered with his failures. Bomis didn’t work out, even though it was an Internet leader in its time. Openserving failed. Wikia Search had the plug pulled on it without warning. CiviliNation was a failure, as was Impossible.com – two “do good” ventures that Wales backed, only to watch them run into the ground financially. As of late 2014, he’s doing the most serious business of his career, with a £20 million IPO on wireless phone company, The People’s Operator (now called TPO Mobile). He has already burned through most of that company’s IPO cash, and the firm is losing £7.22 for every £1.00 of revenue taken in.  Its stock price has depreciated an astounding 87%.

 

==Not a pornographer?==

==Not a pornographer?==

While the Wikipedia project consistently released statements to the press in its earliest years describing Larry Sanger as the "co-founder" of the encyclopedia, Jimmy Wales later took it upon himself to reframe the description of Sanger as an "employee" of Wales'. Wales has stated that he appreciates Sanger's contributions, but he seems unwilling to accept Sanger as a pioneer of Wikipedia's construction.

While the Wikipedia project consistently released statements to the press in its earliest years describing Larry Sanger as the "co-founder" of the encyclopedia, Jimmy Wales later took it upon himself to reframe the description of Sanger as an "employee" of Wales'. Wales has stated that he appreciates Sanger's contributions, but he seems unwilling to accept Sanger as a pioneer of Wikipedia's construction.

Dr. Sanger has [http://www.larrysanger.org/roleinwp.html taken the time] to elaborate on the factual evidence that supports his identification as "co-founder" of Wikipedia.  Jimmy Wales has done very little such work to compile evidence that he is the "sole founder".UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000004F-QINU

Dr. Sanger has [http://www.larrysanger.org/roleinwp.html taken the time] to elaborate on the factual evidence that supports his identification as "co-founder" of Wikipedia.  Jimmy Wales has done very little such work to compile evidence that he is the "sole founder".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.larrysanger.org/roleinwp.html |title=My role in Wikipedia (links) |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120912/http://www.larrysanger.org/roleinwp.html |archivedate=2012-09-12}}, Dr. Larry Sanger, 2007, ''LarrySanger.org''.</ref>

More recently, Sanger has called out Wales via an "open letter",UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000050-QINU where the displeased creator of the Wikipedia name and architecture accuses Wales of "lies and distortions", being "transparently self-serving", and issuing "particularly outrageous" claims.

More recently, Sanger has called out Wales via an "open letter",<ref>[http://blog.citizendium.org/2009/04/08/an-open-letter-to-jimmy-wales-copy/ An open letter to Jimmy Wales], Dr. Larry Sanger, 2009, ''Citizendium.org''. {{deadlink |url=http://blog.citizendium.org/2009/04/08/an-open-letter-to-jimmy-wales-copy/}}</ref> where the displeased creator of the Wikipedia name and architecture accuses Wales of "lies and distortions", being "transparently self-serving", and issuing "particularly outrageous" claims.

Clearly, the facts remain:

Clearly, the facts remain:

*Sanger issued the first invitation for the public to come help build Wikipedia.  

*Sanger issued the first invitation for the public to come help build Wikipedia.  

*Sanger, not Wales, crafted most of the key guidelines and policies that still govern Wikipedia today.

*Sanger, not Wales, crafted most of the key guidelines and policies that still govern Wikipedia today.

==Flip-flopping on paid editing of Wikipedia==

==Flip-flopping on paid editing of Wikipedia==

In August 2006, Wales [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html crafted a compromise] with a paid-editing firm to create and serve GFDL content on their own website about paying entities not currently featured in Wikipedia.  Other unpaid, independent editors could determine whether the material was worth scraping into Wikipedia.  

In August 2006, Wales [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2006-August/051897.html crafted a compromise] with a paid-editing firm to create and serve freely-licensed (GFDL) content on their own website about paying entities not currently featured in Wikipedia.  Other unpaid, independent editors could determine whether the material was worth scraping into Wikipedia.  

However, just a couple of months later in October 2006, Wales would renege on this agreement and, in fact, chastised anyone in the public relations industry as "[http://blog.bitepr.com/2006/08/jimmy_wales_on_.html deeply unethical]" if they attempt to create or influence GFDL content of an encyclopedic nature.  Of course, the GFDL specifically bars licensees from restricting content to either commercial or non-commercial parties, so Wales really had no clue here.

However, just a couple of months later in October 2006, Wales would renege on this agreement and, in fact, chastised anyone in the public relations industry as "[http://blog.bitepr.com/2006/08/jimmy_wales_on_.html deeply unethical]" if they attempt to create or influence GFDL content of an encyclopedic nature.  Of course, the GFDL specifically bars licensees from restricting content to either commercial or non-commercial parties, so Wales really had no clue here.

==Essjay scandal==

==Essjay scandal==

==Rachel Marsden affair==

==Rachel Marsden affair==

His alleged attempts to "clean up" a Wikipedia entry for a woman with whom he had a relationship has also [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Rachel+Marsden%22+Wales&btnG=Search&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8 generated headlines]. Wales was accused of intervening to sanitize the Wikipedia article of a news commentator with whom he was having a romantic online relationship, which was about to culminate in a sexual romp in a [[Directory:Hilton_Hotels/Doubletree/Washington_DC|Doubletree Hotel in the nation's capital]].  

His alleged attempts to "clean up" a Wikipedia entry for a woman with whom he had a relationship has also [http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Rachel+Marsden%22+Wales&btnG=Search&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8 generated headlines]. Wales was accused of intervening to sanitize the Wikipedia article of a news commentator with whom he was having a romantic online relationship, which was about to culminate in a sexual romp in a [[Directory:Hilton_Hotels/Doubletree/Washington_DC|Doubletree Hotel in the nation's capital]].  Were this romp to be likened to a race, the race turned out to be his last.  

The Wikipedia article regarding controversial [[Directory:Canada|Canadian]] radio commentator [[Directory:Rachel Marsden|Rachel Marsden]] had been the subject of controversy on Wikipedia for some years.  According to Marsden, she had asked [[Directory:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]] to delete her [[biography]]. Her concerns led her to contact Wikipedia co-founder [[Directory:Jimmy Wales|Jimmy Wales]], claiming that it was incorrect and libelous. Wales reviewed her biography and, deeming that it was not up to standard, helped to clean up the entry by quietly requesting that a closely allied administrator [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rachel_Marsden&diff=189784135&oldid=185926385 do the work], literally hours before Wales would meet Marsden in person at the hotel.

The Wikipedia article regarding controversial [[Directory:Canada|Canadian]] radio commentator [[Directory:Rachel Marsden|Rachel Marsden]] had been the subject of controversy on Wikipedia for some years.  According to Marsden, she had asked [[Directory:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]] to delete her [[biography]]. Her concerns led her to contact Wikipedia co-founder [[Directory:Jimmy Wales|Jimmy Wales]], claiming that it was incorrect and libelous. Wales reviewed her biography and, deeming that it was not up to standard, helped to clean up the entry by quietly requesting that a closely allied administrator [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rachel_Marsden&diff=189784135&oldid=185926385 do the work], literally hours before Wales would meet Marsden in person at the hotel.

Wales announced in a statement on Wikipedia "My involvement in cases like this is completely routine, and I am proud of it."UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000051-QINU On [[February 29]], [[2008]], the technology gossip blog [[Valleywag]] claimed that they had entered into a relationship, and published instant messaging chats that they had allegedly exchanged. On the following day Wales announced on his Wikipedia user page that he was no longer involved with Marsden. In return, Marsden, who claimed to have learned about the breakup by reading about it on the Internet, turned to [[eBay]] and put up for auction a [[t-shirt]] and sweater that she claimed to be Wales'.UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000052-QINUUNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000053-QINUUNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000054-QINUUNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000055-QINUUNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000056-QINU

Wales announced in a statement on Wikipedia "My involvement in cases like this is completely routine, and I am proud of it."<ref name=smh/> On [[February 29]], [[2008]], the technology gossip blog [[Valleywag]] claimed that they had entered into a relationship, and published instant messaging chats that they had allegedly exchanged. On the following day Wales announced on his Wikipedia user page that he was no longer involved with Marsden. In return, Marsden, who claimed to have learned about the breakup by reading about it on the Internet, turned to [[eBay]] and put up for auction a [[t-shirt]] and sweater that she claimed to be Wales'.<ref>{{cite news

UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000057-QINUUNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000058-QINU

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120723/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/03/02/marsden-breakup.html |archivedate=2012-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news

| title = Ms. Marsden's cyberspace breakup: tit-for-tat-for-T-shirt

}} {{deadlink |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080304.wlbreakup04/BNStory/lifeMain/home}}</ref><ref>{{cite news

| date = [[2008-03-03]]

| accessdate = 2008-03-05

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,334652,00.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news

| date = [[2008-03-04]]

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120714/http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3475722.ece |archivedate=2012-07-14}}</ref><ref name=smh>{{cite news

| url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/ex-takes-her-revenge-on-mr-wiki/2008/03/04/1204402405901.html

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/ex-takes-her-revenge-on-mr-wiki/2008/03/04/1204402405901.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref>

<ref>{{cite news

| date = [[2008-03-05]]

| accessdate = 2008-03-05

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2008-03-04-wikipedia-wales_N.htm?csp=34 |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news

| date = [[2008-03-17]]

| accessdate = 2008-03-17

|archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004286879_btwikipedia17.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref>

There is curiously only a brief mention of this episode in the anonymous-edit-protected Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales article about Jimmy Wales], even though it was the [http://www.google.com/search?pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&tbm=nws&gl=us&as_epq=Rachel%20Marsden&as_oq=Wales&as_occt=any&as_drrb=a&tbs=ar%3A1&authuser=0 talk of mainstream media] for the better part of March 2008.  Compare, there is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Gibson_DUI_incident an entire article] about Mel Gibson's DUI incident; an article which any anonymous IP address can edit and malign.  Not so, Jimmy Wales' article.  He merits special protective editorial favors, it would appear.

There is curiously only a brief mention of this episode in the anonymous-edit-protected Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales article about Jimmy Wales], even though it was the [http://www.google.com/search?pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&tbm=nws&gl=us&as_epq=Rachel%20Marsden&as_oq=Wales&as_occt=any&as_drrb=a&tbs=ar%3A1&authuser=0 talk of mainstream media] for the better part of March 2008.  Compare, there is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Gibson_DUI_incident an entire article] about Mel Gibson's DUI incident; an article which any anonymous IP address can edit and malign.  Not so, Jimmy Wales' article.  He merits special protective editorial favors, it would appear.

In filing for [http://mywikibiz.com/File:Wales_divorce_compressed.pdf divorce] from Jimmy, his second wife Christine A. Wales was represented by attorney [http://zacurgrahm.com/Firm%20Info/Lawyers/2444756.aspx Sean A. Costis].  Mr. Wales was represented by [http://thackerlawgroup.com/profiles.htm#john John Thacker].  The case brought before the court in Pinellas County, Florida in October 2010, and was ruled on by Circuit Judge Jack Helinger in April 2011.

In filing for [http://mywikibiz.com/File:Wales_divorce_compressed.pdf divorce] from Jimmy, his second wife Christine A. Wales was represented by attorney [http://www.zacurgraham.com/sean-a-costis/ Sean A. Costis].  Mr. Wales was represented by [http://www.thackerlawgroup.com/profiles.html John Thacker].  The case brought before the court in Pinellas County, Florida in October 2010 was ruled on by Circuit Judge Jack Helinger in April 2011.

==Misspending Foundation funds==

==Misspending Foundation funds==

[[Image:Jimbo_in_Vogue.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Jimbo playing dress-up]]In March 2008, Wales was accused by former Wikimedia Foundation employee Danny Wool of subsidizing personal expenditures with foundation funds.  These included rebuffed attempts to have reimbursed a $1200 dinner for four, a $650 wine tab, and even a visit to a Moscow massage parlor that Wales submitted ''twice'' for payback from the Foundation. Wool also stated that Wales had his Wikimedia credit card taken away in part because of his spending habits, though Wales denied this claim.UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-00000059-QINU Foundation Chair Florence Devouard and former foundation interim Executive Director Brad Patrick denied any wrongdoing by Wales or the foundation, saying that Wales accounted for every expense and that for items he did not have receipts for, he paid out of his own pocket.UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000005A-QINU Executive Director Sue Gardner would later defend Wales on CNET video, saying, "Jimmy has never done anything wrong."UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000005B-QINU

[[Image:Jimbo_in_Vogue.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Jimbo playing dress-up]]In March 2008, Wales was accused by former Wikimedia Foundation employee Danny Wool of subsidizing personal expenditures with foundation funds.  These included rebuffed attempts to have reimbursed a $1200 dinner for four, a $650 wine tab, and even a visit to a Moscow massage parlor that Wales submitted ''twice'' for payback from the Foundation. Wool also stated that Wales had his Wikimedia credit card taken away in part because of his spending habits, though Wales denied this claim.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://smh.com.au/news/biztech/wikipedia-head-accused-of-expenses-rort/2008/03/05/1204402516874.html |title=Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales accused of expenses rort |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://smh.com.au/news/biztech/wikipedia-head-accused-of-expenses-rort/2008/03/05/1204402516874.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}, Asher Moses, March 5, 2008, ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]''</ref> Foundation Chair Florence Devouard and former foundation interim Executive Director Brad Patrick denied any wrongdoing by Wales or the foundation, saying that Wales accounted for every expense and that for items he did not have receipts for, he paid out of his own pocket.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BUVFVDM3H.DTL |title=San Francisco Chronicle |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120912/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BUVFVDM3H.DTL |archivedate=2012-09-12}}</ref> Executive Director Sue Gardner would later defend Wales on CNET video, saying, "Jimmy has never done anything wrong."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/1606-2-6233396.html |title=CNET video of an extremely uncomfortable Sue Gardner |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://news.cnet.com/1606-2-6233396.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref>

If these facts are not enough to convince you that money makes its way through the back door to Wales' wallet, then perhaps a look [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049340.html at the front door] is in order.  The Wikimedia Foundation announced in January 2009 that it was to begin paying rent to Jimmy Wales' company, Wikia, Inc., on a monthly basis.  They would use the tax-advantaged funds granted by the Ruth and Frank Stanton Fund.  Did Wikia offer the lowest-priced rent solution to the Wikimedia Foundation?  Not at all!  After a [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049345.html frantic] back-and-forth [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049354.html attempt] by different [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049360.html agents] of the Wikimedia Foundation to [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049411.html explain] how this [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049389.html level] of [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049391.html self-dealing] was [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049393.html allowed to happen], Wikia's CEO Gil Penchina finally revealed (a year later, January 4, 2010) in a personal e-mail:

If these facts are not enough to convince you that money makes its way through the back door to Wales' wallet, then perhaps a look [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049340.html at the front door] is in order.  The Wikimedia Foundation announced in January 2009 that it was to begin paying rent to Jimmy Wales' company, Wikia, Inc., on a monthly basis.  They would use the tax-advantaged funds granted by the Ruth and Frank Stanton Fund.  Did Wikia offer the lowest-priced rent solution to the Wikimedia Foundation?  Not at all!  After a [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049345.html frantic] back-and-forth [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049354.html attempt] by different [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049360.html agents] of the Wikimedia Foundation to [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049411.html explain] how this [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049389.html level] of [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049391.html self-dealing] was [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-January/049393.html allowed to happen], Wikia's CEO Gil Penchina finally revealed (a year later, January 4, 2010) in a personal e-mail:

<blockquote>''They UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-nowiki-0000005C-QINU approached us and asked if they could rent space on a temporary basis.. and I think it ended up being 4-6 months give or take.  I thought about giving it to them for free and I wasn't sure which was worse... getting accused of bribing a non-profit for giving it away, or getting accused of stealing for a non-profit for charging... so we ended up asking them to get competitng (sic) quotes from other landlords so that THEY could feel comfortable with the decision.''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''They <nowiki>[the Wikimedia Foundation]</nowiki> approached us and asked if they could rent space on a temporary basis.. and I think it ended up being 4-6 months give or take.  I thought about giving it to them for free and I wasn't sure which was worse... getting accused of bribing a non-profit for giving it away, or getting accused of stealing for a non-profit for charging... so we ended up asking them to get competitng (sic) quotes from other landlords so that THEY could feel comfortable with the decision.''</blockquote>

First there is a request to rent space from a hand-picked bidder, and only ''then'' a suggestion to get competing bids from other landlords?  It sounds like someone at the Wikimedia Foundation wanted to make sure that Jimmy Wales' for-profit company had the inside track on that bid, worth many thousands of dollars.

First there is a request to rent space from a hand-picked bidder, and only ''then'' a suggestion to get competing bids from other landlords?  It sounds like someone at the Wikimedia Foundation wanted to make sure that Jimmy Wales' for-profit company had the inside track on that bid, worth many thousands of dollars.

==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

==Jeffrey Merkey favors-for-payment allegations==

[[Image:Jimmy Wales on Washington Post interview.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Napping on the job.]]Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000005D-QINU UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000005E-QINU Nonetheless, Merkey made a very clear and very deliberate statement to the Associated Press that attested: <blockquote>''Wales agreed that in exchange for a substantial donation and other financial support of the Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wales would use his influence to make Merkey's article adhere to Wikipedia's stated policies with regard to internet libel "as a courtesty" and place Merkey under his "special protection" as an editor.''UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-ref-0000005F-QINU</blockquote>

[[Image:Jimmy Wales on Washington Post interview.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Napping on the job.]]Later in March 2008, it was alleged by [[Jeff V. Merkey|Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]] that Wales had edited Merkey's entry in Wikipedia to make it more "favourable" in return for donations to the Wikimedia Foundation. In May 2006 Wales had erased Merkey's article "because of the unpleasantness of it" and stated "we are nearing a resolution of this longstanding conflict," referring to a dispute between the Wikipedia community and Merkey over the content of the biography. Wales called the allegation that the Wikimedia Foundation had received donations in exchange for this "nonsense."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html |title=Cash for kindness |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/cashforkindness-scandal-rattles-wikipedia/2008/03/11/1205125911471.html |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref> <ref name="bbcpaidediting">{{citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm|title=Wiki boss 'edited for donation'|accessdate=2008-03-12 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/20120921/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291382.stm |archivedate=2012-09-21}}</ref> Nonetheless, Merkey made a very clear and very deliberate statement to the Associated Press that attested: <blockquote>''Wales agreed that in exchange for a substantial donation and other financial support of the Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wales would use his influence to make Merkey's article adhere to Wikipedia's stated policies with regard to internet libel "as a courtesty" and place Merkey under his "special protection" as an editor.''<ref>[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2008-March/039545.html [Foundation-l] Statement to the Associated Press], Jeffrey Merkey, March 9, 2008.</ref></blockquote>

A few news sources that reported the story [http://pages.citebite.com/w1n0s3r6h3bmk provided the link to the article's history to show Jimbo edited the article], except if one is to hit "edit history" he will see nothing. The page was deleted from Wikipedia in May 2010. Still [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=Jeff+V.+Merkey the page's log from  October 2006 "(investigating new edits for possible violations of WP:NOR, WP:RS, and WP:BIO [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed)"] shows that Jimbo Wales protected the page just as Merkey said he did. The page reminded protected for almost two years. It is very unusual for an article of little importance. Also unusual is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jimbo_Wales/Archive_30#Question_about_Merkey this exchange]: Jimbo was asked about the article:  

A few news sources that reported the story [http://pages.citebite.com/w1n0s3r6h3bmk provided the link to the article's history to show Jimbo edited the article], except if one is to hit "edit history" he will see nothing. The page was deleted from Wikipedia in May 2010. Still [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=Jeff+V.+Merkey the page's log from  October 2006 "(investigating new edits for possible violations of WP:NOR, WP:RS, and WP:BIO [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed)"] shows that Jimbo Wales protected the page just as Merkey said he did. The page reminded protected for almost two years. It is very unusual for an article of little importance. Also unusual is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Jimbo_Wales/Archive_30#Question_about_Merkey this exchange]: Jimbo was asked about the article:  

The original version of any wiki-formatted article about the Arch Coal company was authored in September 2006 by [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory Kohs]] and released under the terms of the GFDL on this website, [[Directory:MyWikiBiz|MyWikiBiz.com]].  It was then scraped by an independent editor into Wikipedia.  In October 2006, erroneously thinking that the article was paid for by Arch Coal, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales acted to delete the article from Wikipedia, but the Wikipedia community determined that Wales' action had been unjustified.  The article was revised, largely by "User:JzG" (Guy Chapman), who would [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=15321 later claim] that he wrote his version of the article ''ab initio'', "from the ground up".  However, in January 2008, Kohs demonstrated to Chapman that the article as modified by User:JzG actually plagiarized many aspects of the original.  Faced with that evidence, Chapman elected to cover up his misdeed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=Arch_Coal deleting the original edits] on the Wikipedia site, thus making the provenance of the article appear to have come from Chapman, and not from MyWikiBiz.  When Jimmy Wales was notified about this violation of professional ethics and proper GFDL attribution of the edit history, Wales '''very reluctantly''' restored the original edit history, with the childish edit summary, "''might as well restore all of it I suppose''".

The original version of any wiki-formatted article about the Arch Coal company was authored in September 2006 by [[Directory:Gregory J. Kohs|Gregory Kohs]] and released under the terms of the GFDL on this website, [[Directory:MyWikiBiz|MyWikiBiz.com]].  It was then scraped by an independent editor into Wikipedia.  In October 2006, erroneously thinking that the article was paid for by Arch Coal, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales acted to delete the article from Wikipedia, but the Wikipedia community determined that Wales' action had been unjustified.  The article was revised, largely by "User:JzG" (Guy Chapman), who would [http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=15321 later claim] that he wrote his version of the article ''ab initio'', "from the ground up".  However, in January 2008, Kohs demonstrated to Chapman that the article as modified by User:JzG actually plagiarized many aspects of the original.  Faced with that evidence, Chapman elected to cover up his misdeed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&page=Arch_Coal deleting the original edits] on the Wikipedia site, thus making the provenance of the article appear to have come from Chapman, and not from MyWikiBiz.  When Jimmy Wales was notified about this violation of professional ethics and proper GFDL attribution of the edit history, Wales '''very reluctantly''' restored the original edit history, with the childish edit summary, "''might as well restore all of it I suppose''".

When in December 2008, Kohs [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arch_Coal&diff=255480884&oldid=255154863 sought to improve] the article about Arch Coal on Wikipedia, his improvements were [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arch_Coal&diff=next&oldid=255480884 reverted back] by a mindless administrator from Belgium.  This underscores the true system of editorial control on Wikipedia -- it matters not the '''content''' of one's edits, but rather '''who''' authors the content.  (Which, of course, directly contradicts Wikipedia's supposed credo that "anyone can edit".)

When in December 2008, Kohs [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arch_Coal&diff=255480884&oldid=255154863 sought to improve] the article about Arch Coal on Wikipedia, his improvements were [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arch_Coal&diff=next&oldid=255480884 reverted back] by a mindless administrator from Belgium.  This underscores the true system of editorial control on Wikipedia -- it matters not the '''content''' of one's edits, but rather '''who''' authors the content.  (Which, of course, directly contradicts Wikipedia's supposed credo that "anyone can edit".)

After about 26 months, Wales did ultimately [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AArch_Coal&diff=258731121&oldid=224255965 apologize in a round-about way] for his mistakes in handling this situation.  Bravo!  <nowiki><golf clap></nowiki>

After about 26 months, Wales did ultimately [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3AArch_Coal&diff=258731121&oldid=224255965 apologize in a round-about way] for his mistakes in handling this situation.  Bravo!  UNIQ058e83dfae323dc8-nowiki-00000060-QINU

==Jimbo plagiarizes photography==

==Jimbo plagiarizes photography==

When delivering an important presentation in Spain in 2010, Jimmy Wales [http://www.mywikibiz.com/File:Jimbo_stealing_CC_content.jpg featured an image] that he (or his speech writer) had altered, mislabeled into the wrong decade, then presented as a "Wikia" product.  He did not properly attribute the image to the original photographer, thus violating the CC-by-SA 2.0 Generic license by which the photo was released.

When delivering an important presentation in Spain in 2010, Jimmy Wales [http://www.mywikibiz.com/File:Jimbo_stealing_CC_content.jpg featured an image] that he (or his speech writer) had altered, mislabeled into the wrong decade, then presented as a "Wikia" product.  He did not properly attribute the image to the original photographer, thus violating the CC-by-SA 2.0 Generic license by which the photo was released.

==Intolerant of criticism==

==Intolerant of criticism==

Nobody really enjoys personal criticism, but one could argue that the "spiritual leader" of a global project that touches hundreds of millions of people should be more tolerant and receptive to critique.  Not so, Jimmy Wales.  When faced with direct criticism from even the most prolific of Wikipedia volunteers, it takes super-sensitive Jimbo only a few minutes to [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Jimbo_Wales&diff=next&oldid=411584809 dismiss the concern] as "trolling and attacks".

Nobody really enjoys personal criticism, but one could argue that the "spiritual leader" of a global project that touches hundreds of millions of people should be more tolerant and receptive to critique.  Not so, Jimmy Wales.  When faced with direct criticism from even the most prolific of Wikipedia volunteers, it takes super-sensitive Jimbo only a few minutes to [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Jimbo_Wales&diff=next&oldid=411584809 dismiss the concern] as "trolling and attacks".  He does it so often, there are [http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1582 pages kept] that track the many, many times he shows intolerance for critical points of view.

== See also ==

== See also ==