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

Hello! Thank you for the article, Redbeard. This forum has been interesting, too. I agree that Lil already is a most Venerable One. Hexagram 13 occured to me in reading this forum.

I want to just pose a little question, here. In the earlier parts of the thread where it says that people should read the entire forum as well as the article it exists in, what about multi-forum conversation threads, or the conversations that are so long that they just cannot be thoroughly read due to time, patience, etc. And with this new way of showing forums, everything might just go crazy.

In short, I'm asking about this-asking what's been going on lately should be a temporarily suitable method of substituting for reading the forum, right?

Ox.. Glad you like the page. Thanks for your comments. This page is a true collaboration. I'm sort of the scribe for the sage. Hmmm... do sages have scribes? I kind of need to figure out my status here. Certainly there will be disciples of the sage and I consider myself one of those, of course. What do you think, Lil?

Afgncaap5..
The concept is that one way to avoid discontinuity is to read the thread. Each person needs to decide how much of the thread or threads to read to feel that they understand the continuity. Other suggestions on the page include being cautious about describing things if you're not sure (this would certainly apply if you hadn't read the thread), and asking the regulars for more details. Any of these suggestions will help the Superior Entity polish his soul. So the answer to your question is yes.

Everyone..
It's actually been a couple of days since I've posted here, due to the global disturbance in the h2g2 continuum. (all sorts of things have been imagined into being, and required much accounting for by everyone )

Couple of thoughts:
At one point in this thread, we discussed unmaking and remaking this page, to start over fresh. Based on the interest shown in the discussions in this particular thread, I now would hate to do that.

I think we're ready to open a new thread "Approach the Sage's Pagoda" so that those seeking help from the sage may bring their questions.

Now that things are settling down on h2g2, I'd like to mention this page to 'Tell us about the world of h2g2' and start seeing about getting some visibility.

At the same time, I haven't forgotten your question, Lil, about declaring posts ineffective (aka 'shunning'). I think we need to keep that discussion going. Should we start a 3rd thread for that, since this one is starting to get a little long?


A lot in this post. What does everyone think? Let me know and if it sounds OK, I'll start on the new threads Sunday, and get word to Peta on Monday.

Thanks.

Redbeard, scribe and disciple of the sage of continuity

Well, I think that shunning is a serious issue, seeing as it can backfire and really be psycologically damaging if taken the wrong way. On another note, I'm religously cautious about the sage thing, but I can't really see any reason why there shouldn't be something like it. On a third note, I've just joined this forum, so I'll just sit back and watch how things develop for now.

What's wrong with a sage? It isn't a religious term unless you mean it to be. The very definition has no religous connotation

It's not the whole sage thing I'm worried about, it's the other stuff like the acolytes, etc. But like you said, it doesn't have to be a religious thing unless you want it to be, so I see no reason not to go along with it. I've just been nervous lately, that's all.

We had extensive discussion about "the sage thing", Affi, and I have explicitly decided to follow a Confucian model, as it is quite non-religious. Confucianism really is/was a system of conduct. Among other things, it mentions the proper performance of religious rituals as a part of good conduct, but does not in itself prescribe rituals.

Calling me "Venerable One" is just a gentle spoof. I don't have acolytes. Confucius had students. All students should be good scribes, but Redbeard distinguishes himself by his familiarity with the ancient writings and so I bestow on him the title of Lore Master.

No mitres, scepters or thrones, no ostentatious display. "Modesty shows the handle of character; modesty serves to regulate the mores."

Thanks, Lil! That makes great sense. I've changed the word 'disciples' to 'students' on the page. And I humbly accept the title Loremaster. I've also changed two of the graphics on the page to conform with skin compatibility -- the 'broken glass' one now has a transparent background... It's much harder using transparency on an animation, so I used an embossed image with a background that is a cloud pattern that blends the 000066 color of goo with the 669999 color of alabaster. Lil has started a new thread on shunning at http://www.h2g2.com/F43564?thread=57320 Feel free to contribute... it's a short thread! :-) Redbeard, Loremaster

One thing I can't work out from this thread (probably me being thick)
If someone posts something to a thread which would break the laws of continuity, ie by spamming, is the break effective immediatly the post is made or does it only become effective once one of the members of the thread replies to it.
If all the other participants in the thread ignore the posting (erect an SEP field around it) has it actually broken the continuity of the thread?

Hallo, Bald Bloke. As to whether a spam has the characteristics of Schrodinger's Cat before it has been noticed is a question I could not presume to answer.

But to ignore the posting is to shun it. If distaste is sufficient, shunning a spam is not sufficient redress. One ought to seek out the spammer (whose offense may be a matter of youthful folly) and nicely ask them not to do it again. Repeat offenses should be brought to our attention.

Thread continuity is as much a matter of aesthetics as anything. In one case, I was able to incorporate a mild spam as a printed flyer that arrived under the door. It took some of my attention to acknowledge and dispose of it. I can however imagine cases, such as trying to wrest the controls of a spaceship away from the enemy whilst flying into the sun, where receiving junk mail would be unsuitably distracting.

You've obviously never been aboard the Mangar . . .

Anyway, that Shroedinger's Cat (never could say that name correctly) analogy, I think I understand it all. As holistic detectives are taught, the question "Is the cat alive or dead" only has one conclusive answer: "It doesn't matter".

So ignoring a Spam could arguably be called inclusive shunning, I suppose. But then again, this isn't exactly a conversation on shunning.

The problem with spamming is not such a big one. It's usually one or two posts in a forum, which everyone generally ignores. Even when wresting space ship controls from baddies. In those sorts of threads, there is usually lots of stuff you have to ignore anyway - for example, people breaking character and asking something about the plot. As well, there are often several plot lines occurring simultaneously (interspersed), so it's not a big deal to ignore spam. The zen garden one was jarring, but after Courtesy appropriately dealt with it, the thread continued on and the spam was soon forgotten.

Continuity problems are a different matter, and it's good to have an article like this to point offenders to.

Of course, we keep forgetting to mention the easiest form of spamming: Advertising in your name. I think we've all used our names to advertise something at one point or another.

I'm just wondering where the 1000 monkeys that ran in and out of the Zen Garden three days ago went to next.

For the sake of continuity, let's say that they all accidently ran into cages at CLI which automatically locked themselves, thus lending me more experiment subjects.

Thus neatly disposing of Ampton's spare time.


Some readers may be unaware that CLI stands for Crater Labs Inc., where extraordinary technological achievements take place constantly and where impulse control is generally poor.
ox has, in play, brought up an event which occurred recently in the Zen rock garden and, in the same spirit, Affi has provided an explanation. CLI is now responsible for the upkeep of 1000 caged monkeys.
Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

Um, Lil? I'm actually responsible for 999 'monkeys'. I kind of ... tested a new kind of ray on it. Anyone ever see "King Kong"?

If you become aware of people spamming, or otherwise misbehaving in threads, please let me know and I'll email them.

My email address is [email protected]. You probably all know it already, but just in case....

Thaks for having a look at our discussion, Peta. In no way do we consider ourselves as supplanting the PTB on matters requiring adjudication. We just give advice...

That's great, Lil. Thanks.