h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some of you may know that The Forum was established when Acid Override was getting tired of the increasing frivolity in Ask H2G2.

Acid Overide isn't on the site that much anymore. Which means that we need someone who can take on editing rights to the main page.

I think that we should establish a new account for The Guardian of The Forum.

I see the role of Guardian of The Forum being:

Having Edited Rights to the main page, and keeping it up-to-date with latest ettiquite.

Gentlely reminding people about nettiquette when it was needed.The Forum is a place for robust debate, and I don't that the role of the Guardian is to change that. We've worked well without too much interference so far, and I don't think that we should change that.

Stimulate debate. If everyone is debating Iraq then start a few conversations on current issues in the news.

Provide both sides of the arugment, if needed. For instance if everyone is bashing Americans why not play devils advocate and point out why they don't.

These are all things I've been trying to do for the forum since it began.

So, should we offically elect a Guardian of The Forum?

So in effect a host then?

As a word of warning, I was devastated when I became an italic, and couldn't have/post/be seen to have opinions on contraversial subjects any more. So if you are asking that of your Guardian, I suggest you make sure it's not someone who gets into the thick of debate much.

I was thinking of having a 'Guardian' Account, so that a differnet personality could do 'Please calm down' to 'I hate rich people, lets start a revolution on Thursday week'..

Would it not be more in keeping with the Roman theme to elect a 'Consul of the Forum'?

Or a Tribune', perhaps.

I've tried revolutionising Thursdays. You wouldn't believe the flak it brings you

I think nominating someone to have editing rites on the page in Acid Overide's absence is a good idea, however need we elect someone as guardian? I mean do we not already keep debate civil and interesting all by ourselves? (I've been impressed by the conversation my red nose day question has generated,and I was surprised to discover this morning that I'd started the Jerry Sprigner thread - I'd quite forgotten that!) so its not all Iraq, Iraq, Iraq

My point was, why elect one person to formalise it? Everyone can and does bring something new by virtue of adhering to the rules of The Forum. New threads are created all the time. (Sempai Scuba's Templars thread is a good example asking question to seek answers of serious intent, as our benefactor had it)
Why should a 'guardian' feel obliged to start a debate, or for us to rely on them to do so? Isn't it encumbant on us already to make sure debate never stops?

The community at large has never really relied on mentors in threads, it is by enlarge moderated from within. Personally, I don't really see the need and it would be a particularly difficult if, as Mina pointed out, that person whomever they were had to sit out of debates or feel they shouldn't take part.

Clive

Good Point!

We are functioning well as we are, and if it ain't broke don't fix it. I do try and help things along myself. For instance when 'Is it snowing where you are' popped up I pointed out that this wasn't really a Forum conversation,and we got serious topic drift. But why should this be the responsiblity of just one person?

So perhaps all we need is someone who has editing rights, and when the Forumites decide that some sort of forum ettiquette needs putting on The Forum page.

I reckon Clive has summed it up quite succinctly

Except for this bit: "I've tried revolutionising Thursdays. You wouldn't believe the flak it brings you".
That's because the Thingites are a bunch of sad muppets who need to get out more

Thanks

in Gosho's general direction.

Who is generally over there in a northeasterly direction

Well I guess its just a matter of do we think there are things that might not changing or adding to on the front page? In that case we might as well elect an Imperator For Life or somesuch.

If AO has either left for good, or at least won't be around much, it might be a good idea for someone else to have the editing rights to the Froum front page, but I think there would be very few times when changes ought to be made to it.

how about the solution used on Nationstates (U547996) where the login & password is available to all users

That's a U-page (in other words, a Hootoo Researcher ID), not an entry (A-page). We could create a Researcher called The Forum and let everyone know the password and username, but then we'd have two Forums.

unless we contacted the Powers That Be and asked them to work their collective mojo and switch editorship to whomever.

but is not that just the point we need a Researcher to look after the page ... in the case of Nationstates the page is the User Space - in this case it would not be.

I don't think it is a good idea to make the user login publicly available. If it is shared, the login should only be passed via email among trusted parties.

"If AO has either left for good, or at least won't be around much, it might be a good idea for someone else to have the editing rights to the Froum front page"

Thus Gosho rules himself out, unless he was thinking of setting up a rival to the Forum

When I redid the gML on the De Myelin Nation page, I opened a new user ID and then we approached the Italics to change the editing rights to that ID. Three people have access to the ID now, in case I am away or fall under a bus or something. I can't see any reason why we can't do this with The Forum page.

I think some attempt should be made to ask Acid about this (although the Eds will do this before changing the editing rights).


I agree we just need to switch the editing rights rather than needing a guardian of the forum.

If the editing rights are changed to a new ID, I think that there need to be some guidelines to using that ID. I'd suggest these:

- The ID only gets used for the purposes of The Forum, and not for posting in other places on h2.

- If someone is posting from the Forum ID they sign their usual h2 name so we know who it is.

- Any changes made to the page are notified in a thread created specifically to keep track of this.

- Any signficant changes (such as an addition to the etiquette section) are discussed with the Forumites first.


kea.