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

The slap on the wrist is only the first step. If that person's behaviour doesn't change the process can, and does, rack up to a full blown banning. The most recent reference being the final suspension of Oetzi/Sirius The Dogstar account for repeated harrassment.

Oooops *were

I'll take your word for it, I trust TPTB here will eventually deal with it in a fair manner to everyone. I just wish it would stop (although recently it seems to have slowed right down).

Off into the sun!

Again, what about those people on your friends list who have since left or come back with another account. It would just be nice to tidy these people up, and delete them. Theres one person who when they left didn't remove their own friends list, before coming back with a new account. I have asked this person to go back to the old account and remove me, but they won't. I just want to tidy up the dead wood.

"My apologies for implying that you felt that way. I was attempting to talk about the difference between those who want to be known as lurkers (ie, people who leave a for instance), those who just want to watch a good debate, and those who attack individuals. I never intended to imply you were the last on that list."

And then there are those of us who are just looking for a good place to join the conversation--sometimes that takes a dozen posts or so.

"Being on someone's friends list doesn't cause any harm - it's just a link to you on their space. They could just as easily bookmark it."

Or just write down your user number if they really want to know it.

A summary of the arguments made in favour of a remove function, and my thoughts on why they're not convincing:

1) To tidy up "dead wood" (inactive researchers) from reciprocal friends list:

- displaying the reciprocal friends list on your personal space is not obligitory, or even the default. You can always remove it if you don't like it.

2) The friends list is a tool for stalkers

- Yes, but it's not all that important a tool, and there are plenty of ways around it. Abusive stalking behaviour should be dealt with under the House Rules.

3) People shouldn't be able to claim that they're friends with someone when they're not.

- Friendship works two ways, and doesn't have to be reciprocal. The friends list shouldn't be interpreted this way. Perhaps the wording could be changed if people think there's a problem.

4) The friends list can be used by lurkers.

- Since when is lurking a crime? If you don't like the idea that people you don't know might be reading your journal, don't post...


As many have pointed out, it's a public site, and meddling with people's ability to easily read bits of the site goes against the whole idea.

*2) The friends list is a tool for stalkers*

Once again I must have stated it poorly since that isn't all I meant.

Consider someone putting you on their friend's list knowing that you don't want them on. Not only knowing but being told not to and to please stop posting on conversations just to harass. See the difference? Just putting someone on your list in that unique instance is harassment. Refusing to take the name off afterwards is just further abuse.

I know that that may be a tiny percentage of use of the friends list, but since there are so many easy alternatives like saving the PS addy, why not remove it?

There are a great many things which might have potentially unpleasant or dangerous uses in the wrong hands, but which we still allow because of their benefits. Cars, Kitchen Knives, Paracetomol, Candlesticks, Rope, Lead Piping, etc. etc.

It could be argued that allowing anyone to register on a site like this with no verification of identity is giving potential stalkers a tool to harrass other users. Perhaps we should only allow people to register after carefully checking their identity?

I'm with Frankie on this. The kind of abusive behaviour you're describing here should be handled within the House Rules, and we shouldn't have to cripple extremely useful functionality just because one or two morons can't play nicely.

However, I did like Peet's idea of perhaps splitting the friends list into two sections - those people who also have you on their list (who would be actual friends) and those who are merely on your list of subscribed journals.

Pssst... zoomer. Have you read this announcement yet? - F77636?thread=425994

I think that that should settle your qualms

And just to bang home a final point. A friends list and someone following you around your conversations for nefarious purposes have sod all to do with one another. Someone adding you to the first isn't going to help them much to do the second to you.

Greydesk, yes I had read that. I suppose it is the best compromise here and I applaud it as that.

Mr. Lynn, well said and a very good suggestion. If you're happy then I'm happy.

With that, a fine weekend wished to you all.