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

We would like to draw your attention to a revision of the House Rules. We have always maintained that h2g2 is not a chatroom, but after receiving a number of complaints about Researchers communicating in 'text speak' we thought it might be worth spelling this out a little more. Under the section regarding foreign languages, the House Rules now state:

"Particularly heavy text speak or unintelligible postings may also be removed if we feel they are disrupting the natural flow of conversation. Using text speak might be appropriate on a mobile device, but h2g2 aims to encourage quality writing, so please make the effort to ensure your postings can actually be understood."

Quality writing. Got cha!

Here, ruddy here!!!

Good show, someone has to keep the standards - saw an article in the Independent weeks ago about converting Shakespeare and Milton into SMS speak, the entire thing in a 160 character narrative, ergh, vile!

Does this affect postings in bubblish?

wot u wana do dat 4 m8 wots ur asl ch@ 2 u l8r

I couldn't resist


Seriouly, I totally support the change in House Rules.







Translation:

What do you want to do that for mate? What's your age/sex/location? Chat to you later.

Emmily

Traveller in Time trying to phone h2g2
"But we are mobile . . . . ?

Rumours suggest we are going down for a short moment tomorrow morning, I expected this to be the announcement.

Since the announcement we have serious Thread-lag (heavy subscribed Forums are a heavy load on the servers).

When are we going for no abbreviations at all ? "

About bloody time too

Well done Italics, that'll send the little oiks back to their mobiles

ditto

What about incomprehensible entries?

Ones by Le(e)am U949730, for example, which I think are actually in code of some sort:

A4492712
A4492532
A4491434
etc

BTW what is SMS?

*sings*
for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow

text speak is really annoying, even in text messages on phones. i only abbreviate stuff like u and r, long words are too confusing. well done italics, quality communication is the way forward!

Gnomon - I think I asked the person doing that what they were up to - they declined to answer. They had *loads* of linked entries with that sort of stuff on them

In defence of text speak and any/all forms of language:

Text speak has been bourne out of modern english, just as it was born out of old english and before that various other langauges. Whenever a society has tried to control language it has always back fired (the french for example, had a law I beleive preventing the use of english neologisms - although they still ended up with 'le walkman' quite amusingly).

If people want to use text speak, then they should be free to do so as it is no better or worse then any other form of communication; its only use though, like modern english, is to its own speakers. So I think the wording of the rule should be changed to reflect that.

I see your point, and I dont like it either, but speakers will usually keep within there own groups and if they dont then they simply wont be acknowledged.

As yes, here it is: F1905723?thread=627573

Glad to see this change!

Cor, how pretentious are we gonna' look!

Though I am in full agreement. I'd rather be pretentious than a wazzock. Unfortunately I think I'm both.

Woo Hoo!

For once overbearing draconian action from the PTB that I fully support and embrace!!!!!!

Good onya guys!

Can I still speak in emoticons though?



W

If unintelligable postings are banned, does that mean that Jimster will no longer be allowed to make announcements?

ooooOOOoooo and theres me thinking i should do something silly....... nah maybe not!