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

Just a few suggestions of some threads to be moved from Ask:

F19585?thread=473888 Sarcasm-only thread - Games Room

F19585?thread=252800 - "Should Chief Gordon Lightfoot reinstate the Saskatchewan Rhinoceros hunt?" - Misc Chat

F19585?thread=397255 - What's just happened - Misc Chat

F19585?thread=244117 - THe Most Boring and Banal thread on H2G2 - Misc Chat

F19585?thread=244368 - The Movie Game - Games Room

A few for starters.

(Needless to say it's nothing against the threads involved, but if used correctly, not only could Ask be redeemed, but Misc Chat could be completely re-vitalised, too.)

I would argue that Chief Gordon Lightfoot belongs in Ask. It's not silly miscellaneous chat, it's (at its current state) reasonably serious discussion about Canadian politics and related items. Check out the last page of posts - I think it's a little too serious to be moved to Misc Chat. Besides, the thread's always been in Ask; it's sort of tradition!

The reason I picked that was that it doesn't really have a specific topic - it's more a general conversation about issues related to Canada. That seems to be more in keeping with a general conversation forum - ie Misc Chat - than Ask.

Traveller in Time trying to stay on topic
"So any thread starting as a question on < <./>Askh2g2</.> > but turning into a more general discussion should be moved to < <./>MiscChat</.> > ? "

I see what you're saying, KB, but I have to say that I don't think MiscChat is the best place for it. Maybe it could be moved (with the agreement of the posters) to the Canadian Researchers Club or an entry about Canada?

, no, not if it's just a thread that wandered a little, but the purpose of that thread is general conversation about Canadian topics.

I can see the point in keeping it in Ask, though. Rather than argue the case for each thread, I'd just say keep it there if that's what people want. At the end of the day, it's one thread.

I just hope people don't start to view it as some kind of 'relegation' if something is moved from Ask. There's no reason Misc Chat should not have a lot more buzz about it than it does now, if people just get used to using it.

No, I wouldn't call it a relegation. But maybe I'm not understanding it correctly. Is MiscChat for the 'silly' threads, or is it for any sort of general thread that doesn't fit into a particular category.

Either way, I think Chief Gordon Lightfoot should perhaps be moved to the Canadian Researchers Club, if that works.

As I mentioned elsewhere, the idea of moving Chief Gordon's place to the Canadian Researchers' Club page was discussed a few months ago and the suggestion was met with universal disapprobation.

As for the suggestion that 'the purpose of that thread is general conversation about Canadian topics', well, that's just wrong. A very specific question is asked and there have been many thousands of attempts to answer the question. Apparently many non-Canadians don't understand the question.

I have explained elsewhere why we (Canadian HooTooers) would like to keep the thread in Ask. The question has already been thoroughly discussed and (I thought) resolved concerning Chief Gordon.

In any case, I find much of this discussion of 'cleaning up' Ask to be rather incomprehensible. Much of it seems to be concerned with the fact that people who subscribe to Ask end up with overly busy conversation lists. Well, if that's the problem, a thread with 7000 posts is certainly not the cause. If someone subscribes to Ask right now, Chief Gordon's place will never appear on their conversation list unless they take the further step of going to the thread and subscribing to it specifically. Am I wrong?

Frankly, I don't think I've ever subscribed to Ask. I just wander by now and then to see if any titles interest me. I do the same with the Forum. And Peer Review. Subscribing to any of them would make my conversation list too busy with threads absolutely irrelevant to me.

One final note: I think it would be extremely good manners to post a note to the threads you suggest moving rather than just shoving ahead with a discussion that doesn't include the people most affected.

As a tangential Canadian, I thoroughly agree with anhaga that Ask is the right location for Chief Gordon's place.

The participants in the thread have discussed amongst themselves what their purpose is, and where they should be best placed. They have come to the decision that no change is the best option. And I see nothing wrong with that.

The previous discussion appears to have taken place before my time, and so I most humbly apologise for: a) suggesting something that had already been discussed and rejected; and b) neglecting to notify the parties concerned. I must admit that I, as a somewhat honorary (honourary? That can't be right) Canadian, have not always had the most definite grasp on the goings-on at Chief Gordon's, but I do at least know that the thread should not be moved to MiscChat.

Once again, I apologise for sticking my foot in things yet again.

No apology necessary, EMR.

The discussion I referred to did happen before you were here.

"The reason I picked that was that it doesn't really have a specific topic - it's more a general conversation about issues related to Canada"

I am still trying to figure out how a conversation about Canada isn't "on a specific topic". Canadian issues, issues specific to Canada, of interest to Canadians and those interested in Canadian issues IS a topic.

I also dislike the idea of someone "suggesting" that somplace I call home should be moved without consulting me.... sort of like someone coming along and asking the city to move my house because they don't think the vinyl siding clashes with the brick facing on the surrounding houses.

sorry, that should have read "sort of like someone coming along and asking the city to move my house because they think the vinyl siding clashes with the brick facing on the surrounding houses."

In fact, having now visited all the other suggested threads, it appears to me that they are ALL on specific topics....

I see the present trend to be a kind of ghettoisation of Hootoo.

Who exactly makes these decisions, is it democratic? If so, why can't the relatively large Chief Lightfoot contingent vote to keep it in Ask??

Actually the general changes to Ask and Chat and Games is an initiative from the Editors which has considerable support from researchers

>>
After requests from h2g2 community members, we've decided to set up a new discussion forum for games. The GamesRoom is the new home for word games, puzzles, teasers and general discussions about games.

We've also decided to resurrect MiscChat, the area dedicated to more random discussions. These two areas will be getting a bit more attention now, to clear out Askh2g2 and enable it to continue to be the place for asking questions, surveying opinions on subjects, or soliciting advice or pointers in research.

We'll be going through Ask h2g2 soon and moving some conversations over to the relevant forums. If you want one of your own conversations moved, drop us a line at h2g2 Feedback and we'll see what we can do.

Just to run down those areas again:

Askh2g2 - the place to ask questions, voice opinions and request help with research

GamesRoom - set word games, set teasers or discuss the wider issues of gaming

MiscChat - the place for random chatting.
<<

F77636?thread=656367


I have not problem with the Chief Gordon thread staying in Ask - seems the most appropriate place to me especially given the thread participants think so.

"I have not problem with the Chief Gordon thread staying in Ask - seems the most appropriate place to me especially given the thread participants think so."

Ditto. To me this is a mountain out of a molehill. If you want it there, keep it there. It doesn't make a huge difference.

So what do people want us to do now?

P

Well...tempting as it is to say *Stand on one leg, wave your arms and go 'Macak! Macak!'* I'd suggest a nice tea...

It probably depends on which people in particular you mean.