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

Hello lurkers.

I realise I'm relatively new to h2g2 but I've been wondering whether I should volunteer to be a Guru. The issues are:

Knowledge: How much does one actually need to know? Under many circumstances I would probably already qualify as a guru but possibly not on h2g2. I'm acquiring the specific local knowledge anyway because that's what I do.

Timing/Numbers: I may be around at times others are not (eg I don't go off celebrating certain mass holidays!). I keep antisocial hours and don't work (although coverage may be given by any existing non-UK gurus). If Qs > Gurus then you might want me else if Qs <= Gurus or list boxes already too long then you might not want me.

Conduct: I never swear. I am usually polite but with a tendency to tease and given to witticisms which might not be appreciated (I ought to be able to implement an extra self-suppression subroutine for this). I am particularly good at explaining things in plain English, without the jargon and to the young or inexperienced. Occasionally adults think I am being patronising but, conversely, children think I treat them far less patronisingly than the "real" adults do. This probably arises from my treating everyone largely the same (until common ground is established) whereas they have different expectations from each other.

Secrets: Given that I'm already messing around on the site it might be better if I _was_ in the Gurus in case I accidentally discover and reveal one of the things the BBC wanted to keep secret (as per the Gurus intro pages). Although, since I'm now theoretically co-operating with Tango (who is already a Guru), there is some chance I might get informed/warned in time to stop me from doing this.

Badges: pro = it's quite pretty; con = it's another thing to clutter up my personal space!

In conclusion, I think I am volunteering.

You should definately volunteer, as long as you are willing to learn then not know everything about the site already is not a problem. You will be put on the waiting list probably and when more gurus are needed you will be made one. Good luck!!

Tango

As a volunteer already, you'll be as informed as the other volunteers already. We invite all the volunteers to test new versions of the site, etc, not just Gurus. Although Gurus do seem to make the most of it!

You've got a pretty impressive CV there, but it's really the <./>DontPanic-FAQ</.> pages that you need to know your way around. Have a good look round those. You don't need to actually *learn* then all, but to know where to look for an answer is half the battle when Guruing. And yes, I still use them when answering questions.

We don't really have a waiting list for Gurus, as it's one of the smallest (and quietest) volunteer groups. Have a look round MP295 and see the sort of questions that are asked. If you can answer anything there, go for it! When I'm back in the office (tomorrw - ), if you're still intererested, I'll recruit you as soon as I've demolished my backlog.

Thanks for volunteering!

You can probably already tell that I've been getting around the pages a bit - causing trouble as usual! I had been answering/contributing to a few questions anyway - not necessarily usefully of course!

Great! I'll be recruiting later this week, so watch this space. Thanks for volunteering. Keep up the good work while you wait.

Welcome to the team, you're a Guru.

I hope that you enjoy helping out your fellow Researchers, and I also hope that you send more

Well done Sef!

(Good idea, that ... bribing the italics )

RhoMuNuQ

By the way, Mina, you might want to edit out that apostrophe in the link in F48890?thread=234887&post=2798136#p2782044

RhoMuNuQ

Hmpf, I notice that the person who was supposed to follow the link didn't complain that it was broken!

I've fixed it, thanks.

I must get out of the habit of testing every single link I see ...

RhoMuNuQ

The was actually a totally separate productivity joke and not a guru bribe at all. I assumed it wouldn't affect any on-site decisions such as this one (timing of events quite different too). In fact I was beginning to think I'd caused so much trouble here and on Yahoo that they wouldn't want me as a guru or even a CA any more.

So thanks, Mina!

Trouble? You? Never!

Tango

I know, that was a blobbing bribe... same italics, though

Anyway ... well done!

RhoMuNuQ

You cause as much trouble as you like, everyone else does.

Gurus cause trouble?

RhoMuNuQ