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

I hope this doesn't have to be the new title of h2g2, I really do.

What I would like is a clear explanation and investigation into exactly how the new restrictions will effect Guide entries... I'm not so worried about not being allowed to swear, etc - that seems very fair. But will it affect the very information in the Guide Entries? After all, it already has begun to...

For instance, the link to the highly usefull "Straight Edge FAQ" was removed from my entry on sXe, and other references, apart from the link to a BBC Audio Documentary. But the sXe FAQ is the single most useful reference to sXe on the net - and probably anywhere.

I'm pleased to report the splendid, energetically researched, yarn about Durex Condoms that I subbed has survived the moderation exercise.

The opinions expressed in this posting are unlikely to be those of this Institution, nor necessarily those of the author. They are intended to be humourous, however, there's always one or two who will spoil it for normal people

Who was that guy who was spamming all the popular forums getting people to sign his petition to get our rights? I think this is like his issue except twenty thousand times larger.

Welcome to the new and improved h2g2: the Unconventional (but not irreverent, any more) Guide to (non-sexual, non-politically-incorrect) Life, The (non-commercial) Universe, and Everything (that beings with a B and ends with a C and had another B in the middle), Exactly Unlike the Original Vision by Douglas Adams, That Godless Scum.

I hate to say it but I'm inclined to agree.. There is a big difference in being deliberately offensive and nasty (an utterly useless endeavour) and offending a few people because your views differ from theirs. Without debate, there is no change. "Don't say anything to offend mommy and daddy who've had their heads burried in the sand for the last 50K years."

*sigh* We've been sold down the river.

And we are about to go right over the falls...

Matthew Kershaw (GOD) I think was the spammer-on-mass but I don't agree it's the same issue. That was just a little bug-bear about copywrite and he went about it in such an offensive and nasty manner it got right on people nerves esp. at the Towers. From memory he was petitioning fo us to be payed a sort of salary for contributions to guide entries and stuff and all explicitly covered by the T&C's as non-negotiable. I don't bear the man any particular grudge - only that it got a little tiresome after a while.

I'd hope everyone doesn't feel the site has changed and we've been "sold down the river...and over the falls...", anyone coming to H2G2 for the first time will see a site that has some strict rules which I hope that they will be applied with the modicom of restraint and understanding that the rules have allways been applied with by TPTB. I know the intro explicitly makes the point about a more quick responce to removing offensive material - that's the purpose of the Yikes! button I think we can still enjoy this site and be a part of it's community just as effectivly as before it went off-line.

Clive

Hmmm. I'm inclined to agree.
I'll see how it goes... but I've become rather attached to everything2.org during the outage.

If it helps, I am preparing a page to explain far more about the moderation that we currently do. Hopefully this will answer most questions, and will provide a good place in which to channel feedback and discussion.

Also, bear in mind that we are currently training up the moderators to work with h2g2 content and guidelines, and this does take time and will mean that moderation will be less uniform and slightly more cautious than it will be in time. It's vital that when we re-open that moderation is working well, but I'm sure you can understand that we've had to cram a lot into a very short time to get the site this close to re-opening.

I absolutely believe that the moderation will not change h2g2, except to remove stuff which had no place being here in the first place... but only time will tell.

Anyway, better go and write that page, then.

Well don't forget to report back here with the URL.

If nothing else, it should be an interesting read.

Good. For all my panicky worries, I'm still confident in the Italics to look after the Guide. After all, they set it up! But let's hope you keep up the communication between the "administrators" and the Researchers. I'd hate for h2g2 to ever harbour an "us vs. them" atmosphere.

Well so far it looks like communication is still very much active - if it weren't, there wouldn't have been any point in letting us in before the masses, would there? This is of course exactly the kind of thing that's supposed to be being sorted out I suppose. By listening to how we react to things, the Towers can change descriptions, write clarifications, etc. so that the rest of the community don't respond with the total confusion that seems to have been all-pervasive with us.

Yes, you're quite right!

Those clever people up at the Towers.

I'm right???

* jaw drops *

just out of curiousity, (i may have missed the memo in which this was discussed) when will h2g2 be open to the public? any idea? i have a few friends who are getting antsy, and jealous that i'm on h2g2 and they aren't.... *sheepish grin*

I think it'll open when it's ready... at least, I hope that's what will happen. Opening early could be a disaster - imagine how bad the community would feel if they were let in now. It'll be at least not until Mark has finished his new explanation page.

Spot on...

Then what are you doing here? Looking for inspiration as to what to put on it?

Not long after I joined, many moons ago, I wrote a very bad Entry on Unexpected Creative Inspiration. Looking for some of that? Have some and . That usually helps.

And remember to check the spelling!

*frowns at lack of direct answer, but decides not to push the issue*

Hint: have a look at the Entry that this forum is now hanging from

;^)#