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

It seems to me that this debate has brought out to the fore some of the cracks that plague h2g2 at present.

For instance consider the positions taken by many of the researchers posting on this issue, we`ve all (for the most part) been attracted to h2g2 by the idealism and high principle behind the idea. We all love the concept of anarchy but it`s hard to live with the consequences ... that`s why societies all over the world make compromises with governments and agencies of governments by giving away some personal freedoms so that we can all get along together. On a small scale h2g2 is a community at war with itself .. the members of that community feel oppressed by the sacrifices that they are expected to make. True it`s coated in sugar and the editorial staff are a bit paternalistic but it`s still a sacrifice. Some of us are not prepared to pay the price and I lament Duncan Jones and Wandrin `s departure ... temporarily or permanently. I support them and believe in the same thing they feel so passionate about. My choice is to stay around and carry on despite the fact that I don`t like it a whole lot.

We all wouldn`t put time and effort into it if we didn`t feel passionate about it .... we believe by virtue of our efforts that it`s our creation and despite all the disclaimers we believe we own it lock, stock and barrel. If it wasn`t for us it wouldn`t exist.

But as Duncan Jones has memorably pointed out you don`t realise the value of the freedom until it`s put at threat and here I believe we have a situation where principle meets practical reality and principle comes off second best.

Principle sacrificed for practicalities ... that`s the problem and it`s like trying to mix oil and water. Trying to answer a principle based argument by using practical based counters only compounds the problem (sorry Mark but that's how I see it ... explain away all you like but it s falling on deaf ears and that`s why no one is reading the editorial statements).

Yet surely h2g2 with a mature, intelligent community of people can find a way through this. Sadly it may mean losses even if it`s only temporary it`s still a loss and as a result there`s sadness everywhere. Like Kaeori I didn`t think it was supposed to be like this.

Red