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

Or to be more precise, if someone has a bee in their bonnet, it's their problem. I got over mine It buzzes about occassionally, but I don't let it get in the way of my fun

I think I used the term water under the bridge once. and I don't like buring bridges either.

Anyway, this forum is for a moan granted, but constructive moaning. If people want to be nasty then they can take it elsewhere.

*puts on his Babs Windsor voice yet again in as much as a fortnight*

"I won't stand for it my pub!"

Nice Peggy Mitchell impression BTW

Ideno, I know that looked like a dig at you, but maybe you should give Annie a chance to reply. I know that the London entry, at least, wound up being collaborative, so it's not right that it should be blamed on any one person.

That makes me think of something: really, when you think about it, every entry is a collaborative effort, because of the suggestions in PR and the sub's work and then the italics' 'final polishing' (though I suppose not much of that happens these days). So the solo edited entries badges are really quite impossible. No entry is a solo entry, nor should it be - that would mean no editing and no peer input. I like the idea of the badges, but I agree with those who suggested that you should get a badge for other input on collaborative entries as well.

I'd also like to see badges awarded to people who've done stellar jobs at what they do. Gnomon isn't a Scout, but he's been at least five times as helpful in PR as some scouts (and no, I've no one in particular in mind). And that's just one example. It couldn't be badge-collecting, because you'd have no idea when you were going to get a badge.

Indeed. I'll have 25 Flea Market Rescues under my belt (well soonish I hope ) Do I want a badge? pfft. Just give me Root Beer to do soon!

Oh, I can do a great impersonation of Victor Meldrew too

Even I can do Victor Meldrew

I don't BELIEVE it! Prove it

I don't beleeeeeeeeeeeeeive it

awwrite, awwrite. I believe you

Now that we've had some fun where were we?

Oh yes.

Um, no, can't recall.

Oh well, can't have been too important.

Hang on, yes. Peer Review. I think Sho has a valid point (somewhere) that the obvious one stop posters and go nowhere Entries to PR should get a three strikes your out...um, late at night, word not coming...thingy. You know?

If an author REALLY wants their piece Peer Reviewed then they can always resubmit it after they've worked on it, or even...heaven forbid actually USE the Writing Workshop

I'm disturbed by this idea of "PR Pets" that Reefgirl raised. I don't see the Scouts as being the kind of monolithic group that could agree to favour some particular writers, so I don't think any consistent bias is likely. It's very easy to float an idea like "PR Pets", but since no one seems to be prepared to give any definite examples, it's very hard to refute it.

Azara

'I think Sho has a valid point (somewhere) that the obvious one stop posters and go nowhere Entries to PR should get a three strikes your out...'

MJ, hi, wasn't going to post again on these PR threads but your comment and that of Sho's about 'One time posters' I think is unjust and unfair. If someone puts an entry into PR then it gets ignored for months on end despite any alterations being carried out then why should they bother again anyway? It's not always the authors fault the article goes nowhere, it's usually, from what I've seen to date, the fact that they sit there without comment for months.I can't help but notice it seems to be the same names commenting all the time but only on a few selected items, truth is, PR doesn't work, when you look at the likes of wickipedia and other online encyclopedias, the edited guide must be at the bottom of the league.
I suppose I'll fit the category of a one time poster soon as my article has gone nowhere despite all the work.

I should clarify my definition of a one stop poster shouldn't I?

This is someone who puts an Entry into Peer Review that is quite clearly outside the Writing Guidelines and doesn't post at all on-site for the next month. And if they do, no alterations are made to the Entry, and none of any suggestions are responded to. And I believe one stop posters are the ones who not only don't post to Peer Review, but don't post at all.

Peer Review, I believe, does demand a certain amount of pushiness. If you want your Entry to be talked about, keep shoving it in people's faces! It may appear a little over the top, but it means that you'll get some attention

And yes the Edited Guide may be at the bottom of the league, but it is NOT an online encyclopaedia really. It's a Guide

I'm sorry if you feel your article has gone nowhere, but make some noise! Be a presence in Peer Review

ST, we're not talking about entries like yours, where the author has reacted and done what was required, but about entries like the one Sho linked to earlier - where the author has just put it into PR and then never posted again.

'Peer Review, I believe, does demand a certain amount of pushiness. If you want your Entry to be talked about, keep shoving it in people's faces!'

Except that we are asked not to our Entries!

The advice I was given is always to ensure that you (the author) always has the most recent posting; either to say 'Yay, I've done as requested' or , I haven't done that because...'

MJ. I've been told it's not the done thing to 'bump up' an article for attention, it's likely to be ignored even more!! like I've said, a no win situation all round isn't it.?

Well, if you every day, yeah...understandable! But every week or fortnight can't see that it hurts.

"It's very easy to float an idea like "PR Pets", but since no one seems to be prepared to give any definite examples, it's very hard to refute it."

I don't want to point fingers or name names as I'll be accused of being unfair, not posting in the spirit of h2g2 or some such rot.

Hi, I don't want anyone to leave on my account, I thought we were having a serious discussion here?
We are all "human" and all have differing views (except for Sho and Big Al)

I only picked up on two things - one Ideno said and an answer to her query, of what I thought Reefgirl meant.

My comments weren't a "dig" at all, and I'm miffed now, at the sensitive souls who offer to leave when the meat gets juicy. I thought you were made of sterner stuff, but *shrug*

I said "*How* exactly do you *rush* through PR?" after you said "In fact they are causing consternation as people consider that rushing through PR is a bad thing" - I obviously misunderstood you when you *meant* to say:
"I was thinking perhaps of racing *into* PR, rather than *through*."

As I'm not a mind-reader, how could I possibly know what you were thinking and what you were typing were two different things?

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't start attacking me again Annie"

All I am trying to do is sort out my grievances with PR. I am not attacking you.

If this is how it appeared then I'm sorry, all I want to know is why entries like Pirates and Piracy get picked when I and others (like Sho and B'Elana and Wilma and Big Al and MJ) have entries ready to go, yet people with Scout badges don't even read my entries. (Or if they do, they don't post, which is the same thing to me)

My Motown History has been in PR for yonks and it's very disheartening when I did everything Jimster said before his holiday, and other posters have commented and I've acted on the comments, but it's still there.
I wasn't going to mention the Richard & Judy entry because every time I alter it to someone's liking, someone else comes along and asks for a rewrite. I'm never going to please everyone with that so it'll just stay where it is and rot, no-one has recommended it even though privately they've told me they have, so someone higher-up doesn't like it and I could make a wild guess who that is.

Other entries get picked exactly on the 7-day-incubation, London-centric ones, and Scout-authored ones. And that is not aimed at you, either, I've seen how long your camper van has been in PR but not posted because we said we'd keep out of each other's way.

But I don't have a Scout badge so you're not missing out - are you?

I did think you were digging at me about the badge thing because you posted in my "50 while I'm 50" journal, so I knew you knew I was going for it. I want my 50 solo badge, yes, but it doesn't mean I'm not doing joint/collaborate stuff as well.
I have a Flea Market rescue in PR (and one going through the subbing process) which I've spent a great deal of time on, and today I've entered Diego Maradona by Gedge for Lucky Star, who didn't have time to nurse it through PR - I've spent all day on it, and that's a collaborate entry.

I now see you weren't digging at me - thanks for saying that.

My neighbours have gone quiet so they must be unconscious or in a drunken stupour so I'm off to bed now.

Goodnight and a peaceful night and wishing "quiet" neighbours to all

ah, Straighttalker, I see two others have explained what we meant by "one stop posters" but I'll say it again: it is definitely not meant to be aimed at people like you.

Quite the opposite in fact. Sorry if I gave you that impression.

It's been explained over at the thread I started about it that the normal PR cleanup process applies to the one-hit entries, so that's pretty much taken care of.

I care very deeply about the PR process because I think it's what gives the guide it's USP and Added Value and all that other modern jargon. (and I'm guilty of not commenting on older entries because, frankly, I go to PR with good intentions but then I'll see something and new and I'm instantly distracted - Yes, MJ, I'm looking at you! )

Ideno, I absolutely did not intend to "lure" you here to feel as though you were being attacked (or to be attacked - which I am sure was not anyone's intention) sorry. I will be over to your PS soon.

(I commented on your camper van thing, I thought (and still do) think it was/is excellent and just the sort of thing the Guide needs.)

As for Badge Collecting - since that seems to have developed into a rather perjorative term, I think I'll stop using it. It's a pity that the scheme has attracted so much negative attention because it was developed with the best of intentions. So, how about...

... yes, here i go suggesting stuff again...

... how about you get 3 points for a solo entry, 2 for a FM rescue and 1 for an update or collaborative entry?

blast, I forgot to mention PR Pets (who thought of that moniker?)

I'm looking at PR from the pov of someone who doesn't write much and would like to do more, or from a newbie pov, someone who is around PR to see how it works before jumping into the arena with the

If you see what appears to be entries by people who have badges on their spaces, or "Famous hootooers" being commented on more and picked more often - and others which seem pretty perfect and ready to go with no comments and not being picked, languishing in the depths, what would you as a newbie researcher think?

No amount of statistics posted in an obscure forum are going to tell you anything different if you are convinced of this. oh wait

how about we publish statistics...

I'll get my coat...