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

I propose that the moderators be known henceforth as the "square brackets" - just like the inhouse team are called the Italics...

Anyone got any better suggestions?

Howsabout "the snips"?

Thanks for spreading the idea, Lucinda... only square brackets is a bot long.

Squackets.

Or just squacks?

Sorry - I should have given you credit for the idea.

that's cool, although I did notice. then I chided my proud self for noticing. then I thought yeah well it was my idea, and then you posted your sorry. so, cool

Squacks is good, but it might give rise to some questions. easily sorted out though. les do it! Listen, you and I are talking a lot about mod- squacks right now, let's start using the new name...

The Vogons.
After all, their job is to demolish things.

another good one!
I'm in doubt!
But I think I like vogons even better!

what you, lucinda?

Hmm... I like Vogons - it's nice and short - though I'm worried TPTB might complain if we start comparing the squacks to aliens with dubious abilities in poetry...

Let's see what everyone else comes up with...

How about "The Prefects"

As in the meaning of the word "a senior school pupil authorized to maintain discipline" , but the name also has a HH connection.

I like "prefects" better. Vogons may be a really cool name, but it sounds a little.... antagonistic?


Mikey

Prefect's pet!

Aw..jeepers. Antagonistic? No way.

* See, I can manage my vocabulary (content)
but I am not going to have someone moderating
my attitude (context).. The HOUSE does not RULE.*

What did they call the 'moderators' in 1984?

Yes, the prefect's cat, actually....


Mikey

I've just read on the "h2g2 chat" Yahoo! board that the "moderators" deleted a forum posting because it contained a certain outrageous four-letter word. Obviously I mustn't repeat the word for fear of spreading shock and panic, but it means "posterior", begins with "a", ends in "e" and rhymes (appropriately enough) with "farce".

Vogons.

Definitely.

Vogons sounds right to me, Ormondroyd.

Alternatively, it could be the Thought Police. But be careful not to antagonise them. They may come and attach virtual rats to our faces!

How about
[Name removed by Users]

I've heard about a posting being deleted because it contained a fairly innocuous word (these days), but can anyone substantiate this? If it's true I will be very disappointed in the PTBs.

I had originally been told that posts with "obscene" words were simply having the words bleeped out, rather than having the post deleted altogether.

HOWEVER, if the moderator is unsure about a post, they have to refer it to TPTB. Any referred post is *temporarily* blocked from sight until the powers have a chance to look it over.

An important thing to remember is that these moderators are ALL new on the job, and it's more than likely that they'll be a tad overly cautious for the first week or two, until they get a clearer idea of the boundaries.

Frankly, if cutting back on the "coarse" language is the only price I have to pay to have access to a site like this, I don't mind paying the price. TANSTAAFL. Admittedly, the BBCs idea of what constitutes obscene may be different than mine, but 1) he who pays the piper calls the tune, and 2) I think my vocabulary can be creative enough to compensate.


Mikey

I agree entirely. If people can't make a point without resorting to swearing then it's just too [expletive deleted by moderator] bad

Absolutely. No Moderator should be deleting a message simply because it contains swearwords - they should be ***-ing them out. If this is happening, it's vital that you tell Peta on her Space, quoting the posting and forum numbers. Then she can look into it.