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

It doesn't specifiy who should ignore it, indeed it doesn't say that the Gurus don't have to ignore it, so, unless it is a test of whether the Gurus can ignore it, the writer has caused a paradox with the second part of the entry being pointless!

Page Turner:

Entry: test entry - A87709693
Author: beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep beeb beep - U212656

The full stop is wrong; plain and simple wrong. The two statements are integreally connected, and the second is impreative to the first, so its definately a semi-colon... I think... I do like the writing style though... Reminds me of someone... can't quite put my finger on whom though...

(I'm sure I shouldn't say this, but in the work we're doing with the h2g2 account transfers there was one person who emailed in in a style very reminiscent of another researcher: brevity, lack of capitalisation, a certain way of enquiring about an account )

Wasn't me! I've only transferred 2legs, I must get round to transferring the London meet account at some point

See my body would complain if i only transferred two legs

It is only a semi-colon if the two phrases are considered to be deliberatly contrasting with each other - if there is agreement between them, than a comma could be suitable, though the nature of the clause (rather than sentence, which it definetly is not) would speak against that.

Is the first part giving us an option to ignore it, in which case it seems too weak on what apparently could be cruical (though we have no true explanation)
Or...The current full stops (both of them) should be replaced with exclamation marks, which would also make the entry correct

And hyperbolic.

I think there is an imperative in the first sentence, but it's not an absolute. Who after all would enforce it if it was a command. The Please, is a nod towards the reader that they do have some choice, even if they ignore the advice at their peril.

But we need a defining of possible consequences to those who ignore the warning - entries are supposed to be readable by all, not just those who inside h2g2.

We may, therefore, need to more sincerely pay attention to the possible interpuritation that an 'outsider' to the site could make, were they to arrive at the entry with no prior knowledge of the site...

Indeed, or even long ago members who missed the runup to the intereditorium and so are unaware of the heavy usage of the Gurus, and indeed of their shoot to kill authorisation that was granted

I'm not sure thats enough cover to hide you from the Gurus

The author hasn't posted for a while. Do you think they've Elivised?

Elvised, even.

No, I;m here. Have been working furiously on all the suggestions!

And yet ignoring it at the same time...impressive

I assume the test was to show how hotooers can't follow instructions, but will argue all day about an interperation.

I think you'll find that you mean interpretation!