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

Is there any chance you could tell us what a "picking frenzy" actually means? I gather you're allowed 3 a month normally?

Why is there even a limit? I mean, surely entries getting picked is good encouragement for authors to move onto their next entry, like the Kate Beckinsale one, look how big_dave has introduced that!

Once the entry is in the queue, it doesn't matter how long it takes to go through the process, because it will get there eventually. To have an entry spend months in PR is soul-destroying, and you're retiscent to admit more entries in case you're accused of overkill (or, at one time I was accused of being "rude")

I guess Idekino was referring to what EMR said in post #18. And I think it's two picks/month per scout - which doesn't seem many, but then I have no idea how many scouts there are, and it's a voluntary scheme, so it's important to keep the amount manageable, I guess.

I thought it was three per month:

A584246

although Bossel wrote that in 2001 so it might be a bit out-of-date.

It's two a month, and has been since the number of Staff was cut back a couple of years ago. The 'picking frenzies' happen either when they want to build up a reserve of entries for forthcoming quiet periods - Cristmas and the summer being notable examples of that. Or of there are a lot of good entries in PR that could do with picking.

The last two frenzies - and with one or so extra pick per Scout, they really aren't *that* frenzied - happened in November and February.

The reason that we are limited to the number of picks is several fold. One, to give everyone a go at picking. Two, to give a steady stream of entries going through the process. And three, to prevent entries getting picked too soon.

It sounds reasonable
Do you have an idea how many active scouts there are right now ?

I think that there are 40 or so Scouts, as per the Yahoo group. Some aren't active for one reason or another; and I'm sure that some have left, but haven't been removed from the mailing list.

You need about thirty active scouts to get enough entries picked for a month, don't you?

I think the Scout's page says that the picks are spread through the month so that the Eds can stay on their schedule - of course that's the old Eds, who only had to do EG work. Now there are less and they have to do everything they are more relaxed because they don't mind a large queue - it means if they have to concentrate on something else for a while they've got a good selection of entries to come back to when they've finished persecuting innocent Researchers.

Poor eds - you know, I've never much thought about what they really do, but it looks quite a lot of work for only two people. Let's just hope they'll get support by a third ed soon

So what does a "picking frenzy" actually mean?

Do the Scouts get an email saying "pick everything pickable"?

Or each Scout gets an extra one/two/three picks?

Why the cloak-and-dagger stuff? I understand the need for confidentiality concerning the Group, I'm an ACE and I know the Eds like us to keep ACE discussions offsite.

This *is* important to me, or I wouldn't be asking.

I know they were asked to pick an extra entry before Paully left - so the the new team member would have something to work on. Nobody made a secret of it, or else I wouldn't know, but I can't post you the link because I can't recall which conversation it was said in.

"Why the cloak-and-dagger stuff?"

What cloak-and-dagger stuff? Sorry, I'm confused why you think there's some big secret? We just have some months where we aren't limited to our usual number of picks - it normally happens at busy times when there are lots of good entries in PR. It can't be a secret, because everyone can see the threads being accepted... whether they notice it's more than usual I've no idea, depends how observant people are I guess, or how many threads they're subscribed to. It's only happened twice I think.

I meant, why the secrecy over what a "picking frenzy" actually means. It's mentioned in the backlog, and no-one answered, even when I asked directly and there are active Scouts in the thread, still no-one clarified.

It seemed like a secret to me, and all I want to know is, what is a "picking frenzy"!

I thought bureau gris had answered to that in post #24

With all due respect to Grey Desk, it was a bit vague ("one or so per scout") and this is March, so I assumed he was talking about previous years..

..from the backlog, I thought EMR was saying there was another "picking frenzy" going on.



I think I'll take the rest of the day offline..

It isn't really cloak-and-dagger for one of the scouts to directly answer your direct question by saying that in the last two "frenzies" (with and explanation that they weren't that frenzied) in february (last month) and November, the scouts had one or two extra picks each that month

I thought it had been answered as well, which is why I didn't answer it. I did comment on it when you asked again though.

We had a frenzy last summer, too, didn't we? I was on holiday at the time and came back very confused.

In case anyone's still in doubt, sometimes we're asked to pick anything that we think is ready in PR, but sometimes we're limited to just one extra pick or so.

Thanks EMR, that's what I remembered.

So the definition of a "picking frenzy" is .......2 per month. Perhaps someone should write an entry on "FRENZY" or at least a definition so that we all know for future reference.
Two? Give me a break!!!!