Random Ramblings
Created | Updated Nov 15, 2007
Sometimes, when I wake up slowly,
[...]
Waiting for today to happen
That seems to be what I'm doing most of the time. Idiotic, really, as nothing will happen as long as I don't get active and do something about it. But then it's so much easier to just passively wait for your life to happen/change, than to get your derrière up - that would involve facing things that are uncomfortable in any case, and even downright scary.
However, some things do just happen - and even if you haven't waited for them - like the new subscription feature here on h2g2 that was introduced the other day. The announcement sounded a bit as if its launch was accidental, and the introduction points out that this is a beta version. I've often asked myself what this does mean; and what does a beta version become once it is grown: an alpha male? Well, whatever its Greek letter, it did have a positive effect on those who were daring enough to click the new links. It even caused some researchers to leave their skin and venture into the brunel skin, just to know what this is all about.
I have to admit, that I was really chuffed to find I had my first subscriber only minutes after the announcement was made. And no, I didn't check my page, I'd never had imagined it could be me. I checked his page, after he said in a thread on Ask that he had subscribed to two people. Nosey as I am, I went to look. It is some sort of feedback, and to know there are people out here who are interested in what I write is very flattering and motivating. However, not everybody will make use of this new feature, and the fact that somebody has not subscribed to your entries doesn't mean they are not interested in what you write. After all, many are subscribed to Peer Review, so the latest submitted entries will pop up in their conversation lists anyway. This may well be a reason for people not to subscribe to anybody's entries. And I'm still waiting what will happen when those friends I'm subscribed to get new entries to sub - will these entries be on my list then? In theory, I think they should. So if you are subscribed to one of our busy sub-editors, this may soon make your entry list unmanageable, especially, since there is no way to unsubscribe from single entries yet1.
However, Jim Lynn is working extra time once again, replying to feedback and trying to accommodate as many wishes of us researchers as possible. Somehow, the colour in which the links were displayed had changed after the update, so I asked him if he could change it back to how it had been before. It didn't take more than a few minutes and bingo! I could read the links again. So a big 'Thank you' to Jim from me - even if he'll never read this.
Talking of working extra time: have you seen the h2g2 Researchers' Group? If so, why didn't you sign it? Yes, I'm at it again, sorry. But it really is important that we write guide entries.
I know, it's been a while since I myself wrote one, but that's no excuse for you! Just look at the extra time some people invest in our beloved h2g2 - don't you think you could afford to give it some of your time? So ok, writing entries is easier for some than it is for others. But it is possible for everybody, even for non-native speakers. As Alex Ashman wrote in this little gem which I found when I browsed the h2g2 Post Archives recently: you will get help with your entry, that's what the lovely scouts are for, so please, get writing!
