Random Ramblings
Created | Updated Feb 8, 2007
Hmmm, I intended to write something about the h2g2 volunteers, fired by a recent submission to Peer Review - only to find that there already are some great articles about this in The Post. You'll find the reports at the h2g2 Volunteer Groups and Related Articles Archive. I read them all, they're brilliant, and nothing much has changed between then and now. The New Researchers list is still giving the ACES a headache because of its glitches, and apparently, the 'work'load is still pretty much the same.
Something that seems to have changed, though, is how the Aces are perceived. Generally, they're still recognised as being friendly and helpful, which is nicely proven by the feedback they get from their newbies.
But - a new generation of people is browsing the site, amongst them the envious, petty type.
These are those researchers, who don't let any opportunity pass to belittle the 'Badge wearers'. Scout and Sub-editor bashing seemed to be the order of the day when I joined those schemes. And the Aces? They are accused by some of all sorts of things, which I won't repeat here so as not to start a flame war. Yet, all this doesn't keep me from being proud of my badges.
Oh, and don't let us forget that there is yet another group of volunteers, a huge and very important group, but not organised in a scheme: The authors of the edited guide entries. It is good that most of them are unaware of what's beeing talked about them behind their backs - not by the other volunteers, no, but by those frustrated people who don't belong to any of the volunteer schemes, sometimes even by those who have never written a guide entry themselves. It's always so much easier to complain, than to do something to change things you don't agree with. If ever you come across one of these conversations, please don't let this put you off volunteering or writing for the guide. Criticism is valid and necessary, mere pettiness isn't.
Stories and Articles about h2g2 Archive
