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Author Topic: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?  (Read 4901 times)

BlueManedHawk

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Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« on: November 16, 2022, 03:57:50 pm »

The wiki hasn't been stolen from the community, has it?
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Nordlicht

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2022, 04:10:12 pm »

I've read it's ad-free now. So I guess they paid for it.
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Emi

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2022, 05:23:55 pm »

It says that because the wiki is now sponsored by Kitfox. It has not been stolen from the community, the same set of people as before still control the wiki. It just is no longer paid for by ads.

Well we’d love to continue to have your contributions to the wiki, I’d ask that you stop making a fuss over Kitfox in wiki related spaces.
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Locriani

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2022, 05:36:02 pm »

The wiki hasn't been stolen from the community, has it?

... How would it have been stolen? I'm struggling to understand how that could possibly work. Did they go through and steal our hosting accounts? Did they commit a heist against the domain name?

Kitfox generously offered to pay for the hosting costs of the wiki, in exchange for the wiki dropping advertisements.
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Strik3r

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2022, 06:18:02 pm »

Might as well say "moderated(censored) by Kitfox Games" instead. More honest at least.

The wiki hasn't been stolen from the community, has it?

... How would it have been stolen? I'm struggling to understand how that could possibly work. Did they go through and steal our hosting accounts? Did they commit a heist against the domain name?

Kitfox generously offered to pay for the hosting costs of the wiki, in exchange for the wiki dropping advertisements.

Well then it's already fucked by the sheer virtue letting a company with an agenda have influence over an information source. Doubly fucked, by relying solely on the goodwill of a single company with an agenda for your financial needs. It works by this company with an agenda having the entirety of the wiki by it's non-existent balls. They just have to squeeze, and the wiki fucks will sing them whatever tune they want, if the wiki wants to keep the lights on, that is.
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Locriani

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2022, 06:25:14 pm »

They have no influence on moderation or content policy. Thanks for trying to troll, though!

And you've been relying on mine and Emi's goodwill for hosting of the wiki for more than a decade now; it's not like we can't just switch it back if they decide to stop supporting the wiki for any reason.
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delphonso

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2022, 11:36:33 pm »

I'll just add that this is nice and I'm glad to hear it! No ads is a nice service for Kitfox to provide.

bloop_bleep

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2022, 12:48:13 am »

Many games have developer/publisher-managed wikis, no? There is always the option of starting a new user wiki if it becomes a problem. As it stands I don't see any significant conflicts of interest here.
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Emi

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2022, 01:56:20 pm »

Many games have developer/publisher-managed wikis, no? There is always the option of starting a new user wiki if it becomes a problem. As it stands I don't see any significant conflicts of interest here.

And just to be super clear here: Kitfox doesn’t manage the wiki. They simply pay for the costs. If they ever stop paying for the costs, we’ll most likely go back to ads.
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Salmeuk

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2022, 08:59:18 pm »

I mean.... I think the point is fair, the possibility for censorship exists right? but it has always existed seeing as the wiki was already moderated (if lightly)

I would worry that there might become some kind of new expectation of professional tone or editing, or a removal of the various idiosyncratic "D for Dwarf Mode" sections which I have come to love.

But then again - DF is about to gain a immense wave of newcomers who will no doubt want to edit and control the wiki space. And things that worked when the community was small may not work anymore.

I did not think that the wiki space was ever going to be 'owned' by someone other than the community, and i would hope that continues to be the case. Which I imagine it will, despite whatever influence or whatever is claimed here, as long as Tarn continues to listen to the community en masse.

the reaction seems oddly personal as though one had a large investment of time and / or  ego in the creation or maintenance of the wiki. it would be a better use of your energy to specify how this conspiracy will operate.

like. . . what exactly is going to be censored? edgy humor is probably best left for the chans and forums. god knows DF could spawn all kinds of terrible fantasies that are probably better left to obscurity. (see the recent introduction of child pawns in Rimworld, another game with an arguably comparable level of sociopathic indifference to the game's characters).

the wiki is nice but could be improved, and this seems like a straight up improvement. its not like anyone using adblockers saw those ads, so this way the burden of hosting (only due to increase post-release) can be given to the current "owner" of the game's legacy.
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BlueManedHawk

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2022, 01:16:58 am »

Alright, i'm tentatively willing to accept this, since it's clear to me that if Kitfox tries to abuse their power the wiki administration will go back to using ads.  It's good to know that the wiki hasn't been stolen.  Thanks for the replies, y'all.

<snip />

Well we’d love to continue to have your contributions to the wiki, I’d ask that you stop making a fuss over Kitfox in wiki related spaces.

No.

<snip />

[​I]t's already fucked by the sheer virtue letting a company with an agenda have influence over an information source. Doubly fucked, by relying solely on the goodwill of a single company with an agenda for your financial needs. It works by this company with an agenda having the entirety of the wiki by it's non-existent balls. They just have to squeeze, and the wiki fucks will sing them whatever tune they want, if the wiki wants to keep the lights on, that is.

Well, okay, that seems a little hostile and a bit pessimistic.

I'll just add that this is nice and I'm glad to hear it! No ads is a nice service for Kitfox to provide.

Mindless optimism can distract us from problems.

They have no influence on moderation or content policy. Thanks for trying to troll, though!

<snip />

Trolling can never be proven.
« Last Edit: December 19, 2022, 01:21:59 am by BlueManedHawk »
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Locriani

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Re: Why does the wiki now say "sponsored by Kitfox Games"?
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2023, 03:37:05 pm »

Locking this.
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