User:Chancemill

Status

Everything below this paragraph is grossly outdated. I used to be an active contributor till July, 2004, after which I drifted apart for unknown reasons - but I prefer offering work pressure as an excuse. I became an admin here sometime in May, 2004 but I don't remember using my adminship ever. 9 months is a long time here, and I will have to admit that I am ignorant of any changes to Wikipedian policies in this period and hence, I am hesitant to do anything with my admin powers.

In another couple of months, I will re-enter the academic world, and possibly that could mean that I will become active here again. Chancemill 14:27, Apr 22, 2005 (UTC)

Me

Hi,

I am Chancemill, a 22 year old Software consultant from India. I have been a wikipedian since November 4, 2003. I am fairly proficient in India related subjects and Hindu mythology, and my other interests include military and political history, philosophy, computer science, languages and literature. I love Wikipedia for being a standing testimony to the innate orderliness in humanity - and for proving the universality of bazaar model.

I am a Hinduism inspired pantheist and a centrist with slight leftist, liberal leanings. I like picking up languages. I am fluent in English, Hindi and Tamil. I can stutter manageably in French - the langue exquise and have a basic structural knowledge of the ocean that is Sanskrit. My long-term ambition is to perfect my French (more specifically - to read Camus in original). I can also manage a bit by myself in Kannada and Malayalam (more comfortable with the written script than with the spoken tongue). I am an avid reader of postmodernist and contemporary English literature. I like Folk-rock and Classical music. If you would like to know a bit more about my interests, check out the list of my favourites in literature, music and movies. I am turned off by jingoism and racism and to a lesser extent by vandalism and Americentrism. I am an incorrigible procrastinator. I can be a little more productive here - but unfortunately, there is life outside Wikipedia.

As of May 7,2004, I am a sysop, though I am still learning the trade. I am currently engaged in bringing a few random articles to featured article status, answering questions on Wikipedia:Reference desk and sometimes editing the main page. If you would like me to be of any help to you in this capacity, please feel free to message me. My 1000th edit here came on May 20.

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Wisdom

If you are a newcomer here, you may want to read up a little here, to familiarize yourself with the Wikipedian philosophy. The following are a few outstanding tips from Wiki-wisdom and from personal experience, which I find worth mentioning:

• Allow others to work on your article
  • Allow conflicting opinions. You can deny a POV, but not its existence. Work together for a balance.
  • You would be amazed by how much more some people know than you do or what you thought they would.
  • In case of conflicts, make a sincere attempt for an amicable resolution. It gets difficult at times, but try to assume good faith
  • Be conscious of your own POVs. It's alright to have them, but know them when you have them - and understand that everything you think is not what everybody wants to know.
  • It is wiser to understand that the project is so much bigger than you. Learn to let go of things you cannot handle. There's a fair chance that somebody would - in the near future. It may well be you, in better times.

• Being polite at all times is your best bet to having a great time here.
  • Your next best is being sensible .... but not everybody can be sensible at all times.
  • Be bold, but there is a significant difference in meaning between boldness (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=boldness) and bravado (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bravado)

• Be wary of quasi-arguments
  • You may want to read this (http://www.rinkworks.com/persuasive/). Sometimes, such tactics are taken a bit too seriously. When party to such arguments, be on the right side.
  • Make sure you don't fall prey to elusive ad hominems. In discussions, focus on the point in question and wisely ignore other insinuations.
  • Be extra-polite to rude people. Sense and polity prevails here.

• Preview your edits multiple times, before you save them
  • Make full use of the preview button. Anything you save can never be truly erased.

• Don't hesitate to showcase your work
  • The best quirky way to ensure that an article is complete, is to ensure it is exposed to the widest possible audience.
  • Try as much to do a peer review, and try to generate consensus from people to feature it. (Getting featured on the main page, is probably the very best thing that can happen to an article.)

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