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

It'd be better to tell people to click the 'peer review' link in the Entry Data box, surely?

Possibly, except that takes you to the *beginning* of the PR thread, not the end - and it's not necessarily obvious to a newbie that there are more than 20 posts there. Better to direct them to the most up to date comments, I think - some entries change beyond recognition over the course of a mauling through PR, some of mine certainly have!

H.

Well, I think learning about the nature of conversations in general is something that comes pretty fast (like, after the first post they make to a long thread) and it's not really specific to h2g2. Better to link to the appropriate don't panic page, perhaps?

details, details. So far we seem to be having trouble conveying the basic concept that the PR page as it stands needs changing. I'll be happy to discuss details once the basic comprehension of what we're getting at has been established...

H.

Yes, I think it does need changing, Hoo and this is a *much* better way than by an independent entry, which most people (let's face it) will be unaware of once it's had its moment of glory on the front page.

Are you hoping for an agreed form of wording, and ask the italics to incorporate it as agreed in PR, or to raise the issue and ask the italics to sort it out?

Well, a bit of both, probably.

First we need to convey the general consensus (which has appeared under the PR thread for my article "How to comment in PR") that the PR page needs changing.

Then we need to establish more or less how we'd like it to work.

For me, that means help for commenters on the PR page, and help for entry writers somewhere else, one obvious click away from the PR page. I also think that some more helpful help, or possibly even the writing guidelines should pop up when you click "Submit Entry" - because I'm SURE some of authors of entries in PR have NEVER clicked the PR banner - they've just knocked something up and seen a button marked "Submit Entry" and thought "OK...".

Once we've established that, actual wording is just details. I've given my suggestion, someone else (was it you? can't remember) has suggested a useful addition which I'll be putting in in a minute. I'm not really bothered whether they end up using my specific words or not (compare A623288 with A642296, for example), as long as the site actually becomes easier to use as a result.

I think this change *would* make it easier for newbies (because they'd get the appropriate help in the appropriate place) and easier for old lags like us (who wouldn't be tripping over unsuitable stuff which is only in PR because the authors haven't seen anything telling them what's suitable).

H.

Not sure how much notice so far the italics have taken of this one, howver I'll post to the Scout forum. I certainly think a change may be useful.

H.

Hullo All!

(Lovely to see you all on Saturday, by the way )

Just wanted to let you know that I've had a look at this thread. Rewording help pages is very much on the list of things to do.

Anna