The Opti Interview: lil
Created | Updated Jun 10, 2009
Opti: 'Please welcome to the floor lil.'
*lil attempts to stroll regally across the floor.... then trips over her Matt 
...*
Opti: lil, I understand that you are an Assistant Community Editor (ACE), could you sum up what it means to be one, for those not in the know?
lil: Oh dear. I'm not very good at sums!...
Okay, what do I do? Basically, I keep an eye on the newbie listing and, with other ACEs, I sort of meet and greet new Researchers on h2g2. As first contact for most of them, I hope I encourage the newbies to move about the site and gradually make friends with others. I am there for when they might stumble; this can be a very confusing place for a beginner.
I am very proud of my fellow Researchers 
, most are very patient with the newbies and either offer assistance in the threads, or drop into the ACES' Home Page to ask for one of us to pop by and help. Without those caring eyes, we might lose someone who could be a potentially brilliant author for the Edited Guide Entries, all for the want of a little guidance.
Opti: Why did this particular volunteer group grab you?
lil: To be honest, I hadn't thought about becoming an ACE. I thought you had to be very clever and know lots of techie stuff, and things like that. So I originally attempted to join the Guardian Angels *shines halo*... only they seem to have faded away.
When the call for ACE volunteers came a number of Researchers enlisted. I only joined when one of them began to have doubts as to their suitability, and I said I would join if they remained as an ACE. Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather when I was accepted!
To this day, I have never regretted taking up the challenge. Being an ACE has to be one of the most rewarding volunteer jobs ever! There is always that feeling of pride when one of my newbies 'fledges' and finds their own niche in the site. Then when they place their first Guide Entry into Peer Review — that is so very special! 
Opti: How long have you been an ACE?
lil: Gosh! I had to look that one up.... It appears I have been an ACE since October, 2004. Surprising, since I couldn't even remember my User number in my application. 
Opti: So, what do you think the future will bring as an ACE?
lil: Our wonderful Italics in the Tower work so hard in promoting h2g2 within the BBC website. We are finding some newbies are not entirely 'new', who have been drawn across from other BBC Messageboards. However, everyone needs a friendly 
to help them settle in, so the future will always be busy for us ACES. 
Opti: Finally, where can those who are interested in becoming an ACE sign up?
lil: Always read the Front Page, that is where the request for volunteers will be found. New volunteers could also add their names to this listing.
Opti:Thank you Lil for being such a great interviewee. May you have many more happy times hootooing.
*lil smiles, hides her 
under her Matt , she carefully teeters across the floor...*
Opticalillusion and lil
