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

First and foremost, to all the italics, good luck to those of you heading off out into that strange world that is the BBC, and an especial note to Sam... You'll be missed! I really hope everything works out for you.

Secondly

The number of entries on the front page ... not what I was hoping for, after all, the whole raison d'être of the site is the edited guide.
One thing did strike me as a little strange...
A decrease in Scouts picks from 3 to 2 (33% decrease)
A decrease in Subed work from 4 to 2 (50% decrease)
A decrease in front page entries from 4 to 2 (50% decrease)

How is that going to work? Either there's going to be a backlog of entries awaiting subediting and their moment of glory on the front page or they'll have to be less scouts/more subeds/more entries on the front page ... the maths doesn't seem to work.

I sincerely hope that as the new organisation finds its feet that an increase in the number of entries on the front page is given top priority.

Lastly (for the moment), could you point us at the appropriate pages that have changed vis-à-vis the Updating Scheme, Community Art forum etc... so we can find out what's going on over there. (I'm too lazy to go hunting for them )

They're probably recruiting more scouts

- not using insider knowledge, 'cos he doesn't remember any

Like Whisky I would like to wish the departing Italics the best - thank's so much for the work that you have done in making the site what it is today, (or was 2 weeks ago ) and I wish you the very best in these uncertain times.

I also share Whisky's concerns about the reduction in the number of Guide entries. While is seems sensible that contributors should do more of the sub-editing, the reduction in entry numbers really does set back the guide and I would ask that some more thought be put in to a scheme that increases the number of edited guide entries, be that by increasing the volunteers or involvement of volunteers or changing policies as appropriate.

As a researcher, I have greatly enjoyed getting an entry approved. One of the really "sticky" aspects to the site has been Peer Review and the writing and approval of entries that found their way into the edited guide. This change means that we will be waiting much longer, and subject to more strictures in getting our entries approved.

I remember when H2G2 started (when this was all just fields and you could buy a cow for sixpence etc.), when it used to take ages to get anything into the edited guide. It wasn't much fun and it wasn't until the sub-editing and scouting schemes started that Peer Review really started to work. Back then, the number of researchers was nothing like what it is today. I really fear for the frustration that will start to build up now when people see their finished entries waiting months to get to the front page. People may start to lose interest if this happens.

H2G2 is no JOAC - We are not "just-another-online-community", but if Peer Review stops working, I fear that that is how we will end up.

I think that we should really put our heads together about how the Peer Review system can be changed to accomodate a low level of administration, while enabling as many new entries as possible to make the edited guide each week. Maybe we should look at how other online encyclopedias do it? Maybe the whole process to make an edited guide should be simplified? Maybe volunteers could take more of the overhead in getting them published? Maybe our policies are a bit too strict, and have become somewhat outdated?

I will just make one provocation - This community is mature enough now to need much less administration between when an entry gets approved and published on the guide. What is stopping us from having an automatic approval mechanism in place, and for the number of entries to vary each day according to how many entries were approved the day before?

Woodpigeon

I'll join in wishing those leaving all the best, those staying but being reorganised too.

I like the way the Front Page encourages reading old entries and renewing past discussions, , although I miss having the Post as a permanent feature there, and of course, the new Underguide.

I'm in two minds about the reduction in EG entries. It could slow in down the creation of the guide, but it does say 'minimum' of two. And there's something to be said for not being committed to five regardless of quality. If there are lots of good, virtually finished entries in the pipeline, needing next to no italic editing, perhaps there will never be just two.

There's also now no ceiling of five...

True - I'm just a little scared the emphasis is being taken away from the idea of people coming along and writing entries on subjects that interest them (call me paranoid), I just feel that as DNA communities develop then the BBC could well find that the community side of h2g2 is being duplicated by other communities... ie talk about films on Collective, GetWriting takes over the fictional writing etc... and that leaves us with only one _good_ official reason for continuing with h2g2 - the production of the edited guide. Now I know that the underguide etc is important and that much more goes on here than just the edited guide, but as the BBC have already been accused of duplicating information and services on the Internet then I feel we've really got to make an effort to push the production of entries... dropping the number of entries seems a little counter productive to me.

As I said, I hope I'm being overly paranoid, and that
a) the apparent decrease is just that... 'apparant' or
b) this drop in the number of edited entries hitting the front page is temporary in nature (extremely temporary would be nice )

As has already been noted, the reduction to two new Edited entries is a *minimum*. For instance, today we have seven new Edited Entries, plus links to a number of related Talking Points and entries.

We haven't stopped tinkering here though. The new format for the Front Page means we can enjoy a lot more flexibility.

'although I miss having the Post as a permanent feature there, and of course, the new Underguide.'

The post still has its permanent link - it's at the bottom with the other static links. However... stay tuned... the week's not over yet

... and thanks for the feedback

Yeah, all the best to the leaving Italics!

As for the 'new' guide ... there have been less "troublesome" changes than I feared. Though time will have to tell how it works out.

And I, too, would like to express my concerns about the "minimum of two"... As Waz pointed out it is a minimum, but could we have an indication of the *intended* average or of the numbers the Italics plan for?

Oh, simpost!

Multiple simulposts!

I knew I was just being paranoid!

I guess the whole new system is going to take a while to settle down, so I'll just start using the new smileys instead....


Oh, one official complaint... why the heck have such an impossible smiley to spell?

You know the one I'm on about....

... No, I mean ... ... ... Got it (at last!).

Must agree with Whisky
Why can't be , be and be

Hi all,

Please remember that it is just a minimum - the italics will need a little slack built in the system should things get too much for two people. Ultimately it's more power to you people - which is a good thing.

I have every confidence that you all can make it work.

I see the Post link now, glad it's still there .

Whisky, I'm with you about not taking away the emphasis from writing entries but I think getting a response from readers is a big motivating factor in writing. So any thing that points people to go reading gets x3.

The whole front page has more of a read and discuss feel about it. The more I look at it the more I like the new version (except the UG being missing, of course. Comment about the week not being out noted...).

>>except the UG being missing, of course.

Perhaps you should change your nickname then Waz

I'm extremely excited about these new features. I'll find plenty of things to play with!

Love and

I'll be submitting something to the Update Forum soon!