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

*catches up on the backlog*

I've come to the conclusion that LW knows *exactly* what he is doing. He's created so much havoc on the site and yet he hasn't really broken any rules. He's been on premod three times on my count but he's just not learning anything from it. I think RF is right in calling him a sociopath, to be honest.

Alright, I like many other researchers are guilty of having a go at him. I did, however attempt try to point LW in the right direction of what h2g2 is supposed to be aboug and when met with his persecution complex I gave up. Twice I replied to a mod's email regarding yikesed posts of mine (I once told LW to stop being such a coward and to stop abusing the Yikes button and my post was removed) to appeal their decision and in one I wrote a full complaint about LW. That was a few months ago and I still haven't heard anything back.

I also discussed LW with an italic at the last meet and was told that the situtation was 'in hand'. That was July. The situation clearly is not in hand.

There has been a bit of mob rule and I have stayed out of it as much as I can, but the guy really does set himself up for it! The troll wants fed and we've all been guilty of throwing scraps, but that still does not excuse his behaviour. He gets away with far too much but, as someone mentioned earlier, he is the catalyst for a lot of things that are wrong with h2g2 these days.

cutiechops:"There was LekZ..(who apparently has 100 personalities in one body ,okay a little bit of an exaggeration with 100"

An exaggeration indeed. A massive UNDERestimate. The number she usually quoted was around twenty... THOUSAND. Yes. 20,000. doesn't really cover it.

SoRB

Of course the people listed so far are all post BBC bans. The h2g2.com eds banned people long before that and for far less than any isted so far. I believe the first was U97840, last posted Sept 2000 and I believe the eds spent several months asking this person to take a short break, since the problem began in November 1999, when the site was only 7 months old. The person kept returning with another name each time, but anyone around at the time would know them as Festival or Skeleton.

Off the top of my head I can think of 2 other lifetime bans from pre BBC times, although one has since been lifted.

Just some back history to show it's not a new thing.

Gosh we've made coeley post.

*faints*

Just assume I'm always round, lurking in the deep. Although I did worry about what Jimster wrote in #148:

"...the term 'anti-social' is a bit loose: it could include people who don't want to talk to anyone else but just read messages..."
That's the best bit!

*terribley worried again*

From what i gather LW has medical problem's and like a lot of people try to enjoy there time on here however there are some who go out there way to try to over power others by playing on the weak and ill how very sad .

One suggestion, friend. Follow an hour or two of his postings, ... if you can. I think that you'll find that it has nothing to do with his medical disabilities, the fact that so many find him annoying. It is his exhibited nature ...

"Pre-mods and suspensions are better (some people call them 'bans' anyway)"

Yes i dare say it would be a better place if everyone but a certain few was banned then the party would start huh .

"Pre-mods and suspensions are better (some people call them 'bans' anyway)"

I partially disagree. In a discussion with another researcher last night ( I won't mention him, but he'd popped in for a cuppa), we agreed that Pre-mod had very little validity. It is ignored by the majority of those on which it is impsoed, and it irritates the rest of the community when the transgressor tries to post. A one-week ban doesn't sound too harsh to me ("it's only a chuffing website") as an initial sanction.

B

I can see how premods work in terms of protecting h2g2/BBC. But I agree they create problems for the community wellbeing.

As I said earlier, based on my observations and a few conversations I had with LW, the extended premods he had appear to have taught him how to post just within the House Rules but have not had much significant effect on his disruptive behaviour. I personally found his time on premod worse than his usual posting, in the sense I actually had to start avoiding Ask at certain times of the day. So from my perspective, in this situation, premod hasn't been particularly effective in terms of the wellbeing of the community.

I agree with Dealer, and I too have made the suggestion elsewhere that a temporary suspension on 'both sides' would be the most useful thing to give everyone a chance to cool off.


In general I like the idea of focussing on solutions. I think revamping the moderation system would help, but it seems like quite a major job, and there are going to be limits to what can be done given the limits on the Eds time.

I also like what Jimster said earlier about it also being the responsibility of the community, and would like to see some discussion about what the community itself can actually do. Are there any researchers on h2 that have skills in group conflict resolution?


It does concern me that there was such a short space of time between the D wars and the conflict around LW (noting that it's different groups of people involved). I think there have been conflict free times on h2, but it seems that there has been almost constant conflict all this year. This can't be good for any group of people.

badboyboogie who is Bovril King's son has just said in his journal he is leaving cos of all the bickering on this site. He said his dad is close to death He joined a few days ago.

Dunno what to feel or think really. Except I feel bloody angry on his behalf and I understand what this place must seem like from his position. He seems like a lovely lad.

I'm brand new here, having just discovered the place, but it seems as if stagnation has overtaken the Guide. Viewing the quality of conversation that a new user sees upon entry, there's no doubt as to why. Perhaps the beloved guidelines stifle any meaningful discourse? Someone mentioned 'inappropriate political opinion'. Just what is THAT supposed to mean? Orwell is spinning in his grave.

Now how on earth did that (I) end up here?

ahhh but it's just a little crinkcle in a very creased galaxy

"Someone mentioned 'inappropriate political opinion'. Just what is THAT supposed to mean?"

Is that anywhere in the guidelines? It's news to me. There are times when (because of the BBC's legal obligations during elections) when political discussions are restricted to specific areas, but that's something different.

The h2g2 <./>HouseRules</.> are the guidelines for this site.

Perhaps ironlizzard you are confusing the <./>writing-guidelines</.> which are intended for entries wishing to be accepted into the Edited Guide with general site <./>houserules</.>

There is certainly no shortage of political opinion at The Forum A1146917 - plenty of debating goes on there!

Because h2g2 is such a huge site then it is impossible to advertise everything to every newbie. That is why an <./>ACE</.> visits you when you join up, giving a point of contact with someone who is familiar with the site.

You can let them know what you like and are interested in - then they can direct you to a place of interest relevant to yourself

Mort

Cup of Jim or would you prefer a ?

You'll have to excuse me. I'm rather dense on the subject of government subsidized news programming. There is a post here somewhere that does mention this odd restriction. I've just realized that I replied to a 3-day old post earlier in this thread. The organization of the thread had left me momentarilly confused. We now return you to your regularly scheduled squable