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

Why on earth was that post hidden? I read that post, there was nothing wrong with it.

And presumably if the community wins the bid, we'd get some legal advice about the defamatory etc issues and that would be available.

I've always thought it was a pity that other languages weren't allowed. Not that I intended to post in German a lot, mind, but I've even had links to websites in German moderated (especially recently). They were official, non-advertising, non-commercial websites.
However, thanks to Kat we had (have) 'The Language Thing', where all languages are allowed provided a translation is posted within the same post.

I would like to be allowed to: post links to sites in other languages and also post quotes in other languages or the odd word that is not (properly) translateable.

What I would *not* like to see is hundreds of different languages turning up in 'public' forums. I'd also say every Entry should have one English version. And it would maybe be good if for cases of Entries in other languages there would be people on stand-by who can be called to read through it and check for the worst mistakes etc.

For the Language Thing I would wish that we could leave away the translation as long as there's some researcher who understands the language in question and keep an eye on it.


I have no idea how moderation would work.

"What I would *not* like to see is hundreds of different languages turning up in 'public' forums."

Well, don't worry. How likely would that be, even if it was allowed?

If we do go multi lingual I believe the only way it will work is as a single language site with decent translation both of content and posts, so the site can be read and posts could be made in a variety of languages, the end user being able to operate the site from the front page on in his/her native language.

I do not know if the translation programmes are good enough to do the job but it would be a shame if the site splits into different national groups based on language. This will would take the character out of the community.


So that's my ideal then hootoomilti – example - me talking to Taff in english and he sees the post in welsh and he replies in welsh and I see english. Unique words will just add colour and interest.

why am i getting dragged into this????

i have not spoken serious welsh for 30 years!!!! my german is better than my welsh!!!!

Ok, things that get on my nerves concerning translators:

a) pages that automatically direct me to the front page in my native language, I hate that, I want to see English pages unless it was written in German

b) google groups constantly telling me in crying yellow that it wants to translate the English posts to German for me

I would certainly want to have everything translated to English for me and not to German, and if there would be a post in German I would of course want to read that in the original language.
So I think if there is a translator best is to not have things translated automatically but only single posts or Entries translated on request.

A question for those among us who are ancient in h2g2 terms--how did it work pre-BBC?

I honestly can't remember. I *think* we still had the only English, but it wasn't so much a hard and fast rule as a guideline.

I think.

Certainly links to sites in other languages were allowed, and so were words here and there.

But I can't really remember there being much other than English anyway.

Apparently you all had something like Polyglot Plaza in the good, old days?

I definitely remember seeing references to being able to post in other languages.

I know people don't like comparisons with Wikipedia, but it's really worth looking at in this case.

Any one of us can go to Wikipedia right now, and edit anything to insert the most hate-filled, libellous, inflammatory content. There are mechanisms for removing it, too. But the question is, how do they manage that - and on a site with a much higher profile than h2g2 has ever had - without being sued out of business? (Not a rhetorical question).

>>> But the question is, how do they manage that - and on a site with a much higher profile than h2g2 has ever had - without being sued out of business? (Not a rhetorical question).

They have a stated policy on the matter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Vandalism

It defines vandalism and gives instructions on how to spot and respond to vandalism.

That's dealing with how to remove the content after it's been published, though, not how to prevent it in the first place. It does suggest that perhaps we don't have to be quite so paranoid about being sued.

Google translate only works for relatively short pieces of text..and even then often gives weird translations as its not a human.

Will there be someone spending time checking all non English posts bit by bit to check they are not breaking any super injunctions?

Some joker could come along and write a huge long post in Hungarian that broke a super injunction. It's all very well for twitter, a mighty giant when thousands break the Law. I just don't see how we deal with foreign languages, apart from in a sensible way when someone is posting something in context or in a jokey way.

I'm presuming that's why the BBC have this rule.

It's swings and roundabouts, though. The more resources, the higher the profile, and the more users a site has, the easier it is for them to survive legal challenges. But the higher profile also makes such legal challenges a lot more likely to happen in the first place.

>>> That's dealing with how to remove the content after it's been published, though, not how to prevent it in the first place.

Yes, that is quite correct.

>>> It does suggest that perhaps we don't have to be quite so paranoid about being sued.

Also, spot on.

The courts do not expect anyone to go out and ensure that all participants are sane and civil at all times. They don't even expect anyone to have reviewed all submissions. They do expect sites to deal with something once it has been pointed out to them.

I simply wouldn't take the risk in a culture of English Law of rich people suing for vast amounts..the courts are very sympathetic at present. Of course the 'culture' may change. I'd also keep the age rule because of the culture here, which recently has got more intense about paedophile danger.

Unless we have lawyers working for us..I just don't see the point of taking such risks...but I'm not a lawyer I'm just going on what I understand from media here.

And it's not up to me if people vote for multi lingual noohootoo.

And I remember the big issue over the Giggs case was that Twitter were based in California..and because of the rules there, he couldn't use a John Dow..so Giggs couldn't sue Twitter, without revealing his identity...which would have made a farce of his action.

There was a lot of anger because they couldn't be sued in English Law. I reckon some would be delighted to sue an English based company. And some Barrister would say, 'Oh why didn't they just keep the previous BBC ruling?'

After that case a lot of Tory MPs were demanding action to stop internet sites flouting our Law.

But I don't know where we'll be officially based.