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

If we got sued it would be as a 'body corporate' not as individuals and as we have no cash one lawsuit would probably mean that we had to declare bankruptcy.

I'm uncomfortable not having digital publishing liability insurance for that reason, I don't want to go to all the trouble of saving the website and then have it destroyed by one idiot. But I am naturally very risk adverse, more so with the h2g2 project than in my personal life.

We don't have legal advice and formal quotes yet. But I want to prepare people for the fact that the only way we *may* be able to afford insurance is having posts hidden on first click.

Remember the BBC will have a 'no claims' bonus with insurance and we may not.

> is having posts hidden on first click. <

I'm fully behind that in the context of noohootoo, as it *might* be.

I've yikesed maybe twice here. I can see initially I maybe yikesing an awful lot, until its clearer what we can and cannot say without risk to our site's existence, if that's needed.

And I would be completely happy that convos are mucked up for a while..if that needs to happen. It's about priorities. It's the priority that we survive at all.

Obviously this all dependant on who wins the bid...and the new context in reality.

I think the vast majority here will be very understanding.

Thanks for the headsup Z. Maybe it will work out anyway - if we have enough mods then there shouldn't be much of a delay.

>> until its clearer what we can and cannot say without risk to our site's existence, if that's needed.

We'll have to have clear guidelines. There will be some trial and error, but I'm not sure it would help to have a yikes-fest.

How about two options when you yikes a post one being

"This must disappear straight away because it mentions Ryan Giggs"

and the other being

"Dear mods, I'm not sure about this post - what do you think?"

The second would seem to cover the situation you're talking about Effers.

B

I won't do a yikes fest if that's not helpful. I'm saying I will do what's necessary.

That suggestion sounds very good.

On a side note: Are the volunteers prepared to promise to evaluate a yikesed post within a short timeframe, say 1 hour, and have a decision made by then at the latest?
In technical terms: What sort of SLA (ServiceLevel Agreement) can/will the moderators adhere to?

A couple of really interesting questions, Haragai. Scary ones too. "Service Level Agreements" eh? Eeepp?

At present a post yikesed after 5:00 on a Friday won't get reviewed until Monday....

SO much depends on how many volunteer moderators we get. Many hands make light work.

I also feel strongly that volunteering should be a pleasure. Yes, volunteers should stick by any commitments they make, but if you volunteer you're not signing up to be bossed around.

>> At present a post yikesed after 5:00 on a Friday won't get reviewed until Monday....

Well, that's the servicelevel of the BBC at present. I do not know if they've written somewhere how quickly the Eds/Mods will respond to yikeses.

Volunteering does not exempt one from the responsibilities involved in the role one volunteers for.
At some point the head honcho of the volunteer group for {function} will have to compile a roster who is on duty when and try to avoid gaps and overlaps. I call this coordination of effort and not 'bossing around' and I think the volunteers are outspoken and assertive enough to oppose any 'bossing around' that may raise it's ugly voice.

Yes, volunteering should be a pleasure gained from actively contributing to the health of the site and the community much like a Researcher 'volunteers' to write an Entry.
In a way we're all volunteers here and we it!

A "Service Level Agreement" is not as scary as it looks, it just documents what the Volunteers have agreed upon to to promise to the community what effort the Volunteers will undertake and within what timeframe they will (try, sincerely, really) to accomplish what.
We could promise to earnestly try to have a moderation decision about a post (re-instate, keep hidden, refer) within 1 hour of a Yikes! if and when we have enough volunteers in the group and are able to have a full roster planned.
The H-H of the volunteers would have to communicate to the Community wether we have a full roster or have gaps that cannot be filled in this week. That's something for the "Service Centre" on the "Community Plaza" I think.

I'd encourage a different phrase than 'service level agreement'. I find it scarey too.

The tradition here is volunteer guidelines Haragai. I don't see the need to introduce corporate speak.

I'm not sure of the corperate speak, but the point behind it is realistic, the community is going to have sound level of organisation, standards and well, professionalism when it comes to volunteering

but realistically we are a community group, we can stay legal, above board ond online, practically meeting objectives like a 1 hour deadline on yikes or making the editing process fluid and speedier, those things are going to take time

Nothing wrong with working towards a gold standard tho

speedier isn't a word is it? Sorry, more speedy?

speedier is most certainly a word.
see http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speedier

shagbark

Did I use speedier right?

I'm sorry if my remark sounded snappy. It was written in haste.



(less haste, more speed, Lanzababy)

What I meant was that whatever new standards we come up with - and they should be professional and achievable - then we should continue with the tradition of calling them Volunteer Guidelines.

By keeping the names for things the same as it keeps our cultural identity intact whilst we undergo major changes.

We don't need to impress anyone when we talk amongst ourselves. I am one of the biggest culprits for using corporate speak, but volunteers are not drones.

B

Yeah, ok, no worries.

I used corporate speak so we all have -more or less- the same picture in mind. And this is why:

I signed up in 1999, forgot about hootoo for a long time, have been back around 2003/2004 for a bit and have returned again since the announcement. So you see, although I know about hootoo for a long time it does not imply I know all the hootoo-speak, so to speak. I'd rather use the lingo I know that is understood almost universally than abuse a hootoo term I myself do not fully understand.

The point is that whatever we call 'it', we all understand what 'it' is and if you want to call it a Moderator Guideline I'd say you are borking at the wrong end of the stick.
I meant to say "Are the Moderators of the new hootoo prepared to promise to the Community that, for instance, a Yikes will be reviewed within a certain limited time?" hence something like a SLA.
So If you want a different TLA for the SLA I'd say call it a MttCSPIWC (Moderator to the Community Sincere Promise If We Can).

R post 191
'making the editing process fluid and speedier,'
I think I would have phrased that <>.
Also that looked like a run-on sentence to me-trying to express more than one idea.
speedier is an adjective modifying 'editing process' However, don't think fluid is an adjective.

shagbark

Haragai