User:Everyotherusernamewastaken/Retrospective

• Anton: So to begin with, how did you first discover Uncyclopedia? And which one?

• Everyotherusernamewastaken: I first discovered the Wikia Uncyclopedia (unbeknownst to me, less a year after the fork came into being) in very much the conventional way: I whimsically searched for "nyah, see" on Images, found a picture of Al Capone and was taken to this hilarious article about him. It must have been several months later that I began writing a truly terrible piece on English grammar merely because it was a red link. I didn't write anything else for months because SPIKE was so anal and inhospitable.

• A: I see. Could you tell more about your first experiences as an uncy user: what was writing your first article and making your first edits like? And what initially made you stay in spite of Spike's attitude towards you?

• E: On my first article I basically just made as many links as possible and made a few pretty vague and arcane jokes with some narrative about how English was invented when the dictionary was published. Something like that. And at first it wasn't a question of staying; it was just that I didn't enjoy cranking out my first article much, I continued to read bits and pieces on the site, and then I discovered other subjects on which there were no articles. Also I don't think SPIKE exactly has an attitude towards anyone: I don't like the guy at all but he is, on the whole, impartial.

• A: So you've spent some time writing on the Wikia uncy and then discovered the enuncy thanks to Shabidoo's inter-wiki HMC, is that right? Did anything immediately attract you there?

More generally, what do you think about the two sites and their differences?

• E: Yes, that's right. Well, excluding SPIKE's influence, depressingly the only factor that mattered to me, the differences are: en.uncy looks better and more like Wikipedia, the users there are lazier (ultimately because they don't have SPIKE messaging them every time they make an edit), and the comedy is different (because it isn't all subject to SPIKE's drab tastes). Censorship at the Wikia uncy would generally be bearable (the Wikia policy has meant that even a picture of a man's breasts can be deleted) if it were not for the fact that information regarding en.uncy is strictly censored and criticisms of other users (by which I mean SPIKE, once again) are labelled cyberbullying and get you a ban.

• A: I guess none of us are extremely optimistic about any uncy's future. Some of us don't agree on the source or nature of problems, but it seems a prevalent opinion that since some time uncy has been going downhill. What do you think about this? And if uncy has been going downhill, since when is it so?

• E: In the time I've edited, I haven't seen any particular decline (en.uncy has been up and down a lot recently), but obviously there was a lot more activity in 2005 and 2006. I think that as long as the server continues to be funded, we won't disappear. Wow, I didn't find an excuse to complain about SPIKE again!

• A: Thank you. Could you tell us more about what your experience as a user has been like all this time? What are some of your fondest, strangest, lowest memories?

• E: Well, my lowest memory is of this one time when SPIKE...

Okay, the most enjoyable thing to do is to actually write, but it is also fairly frustrating. Discussing comedy is also something I enjoy doing, but it wears away your sense of humour. It may sound corny but my fondest memory is probably the first time I went on #uncyclopedia IRC. I was amazed at how much activity there was, something that some see as a symbol of decadence but I see as harmless and furthermore a necessity. Everyone was welcoming and nice, etc. The hope I had for IRC has not been disappointed, the community is very friendly and interesting, and I always enjoy the conversations and learn something new, even if that is the fact that there is a trend of men who photograph themselves injecting their own faeces into their japs-eyes, for instance. It is the only thing that is not depressing or declining, and it deserves to be celebrated.

• A: I see, that's an interesting vision. In my opinion, IRC is a great platform for many sorts of communication (but my opinion is hardly relevant here).

So tell us about now. How often do you edit the site? Do you want to keep on writing (on- or off-site)?

Do you have any favorite uncy members? I am not going to ask about the least favorite.

• E: I check the site almost daily, unless I'm busy, which is not too likely. I don't keep track of how often I write articles, but I know it's not a brilliant record. I do write a little off-site, but I'd rather be doing something else like making comics or films; I only write because it's the cheapest and easiest way of telling a story.

Favourite Uncyclopedians: you, RAHB, Woodburninator, Shabidoo?

• A: Having been added to this list is an honour for me! Just several more questions.

You've talked a lot about Spike, but do you remember any significant drama on en.uncyclopedia.co? If yes, did any of it mark you?

Also, generally speaking, would you say that Uncyclopedia has changed who you are?

• E: I haven't got terribly involved in any of the drama here but there seems to be a lot more of it (I think this is a positive indicator, because it shows a) a lack of suppression and b) activity in some form) than at Wikia. Uncyclopedia has definitely changed who I am. I have always had a general interest in comedy, but writing in uncy has improved my ability to think of good jokes and has caused me to analyse comedy much more, which has also meant it takes more to make me laugh.