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

I guess most people who have been around for long enough here would know SoRB (hoo / smokehammer), if only to avoid the threads he appeared on.

One of the most controversial researchers, but he often made really good and thought-provoking points, but with a very, um, unique posting style to say the least. And he got a lifetime ban some time ago (in fairness, I must mention I never precisely knew why).

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Anyway -- what is your opinion on SoRB, and would you support a lifting of his ban?

My opinion is: although I wasn't always a huge fan of his style (even, I'm a bit scared of him ), I feel that he has much to contribute to the site, whether by thought-provoking postings in the discussions, or his Entries.

And yes, I would support any request to lift his ban (whether he would be interested is another matter, I cannot say). However, as I mentioned elsewhere, I'm not much of a poster , so there there is no big risk for me in such a procedure

And, would a request for lifting any lifetime ban be listened to by TPTB? Is literal "lifetime" a meaningful duration for banning people from this board?



And, if you only know his, er, rougher side, please take a look at what he said during the MOT business:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinter...ng_h2g2_though_its_p.html#P84193764

never saw his 'rougher' style.... but if he was a major 'mover' at h2g2, I assume the decision wasn't taken lightly.

Ah, may nighthoover bless Hoo.

Several points spring to mind.

1) He would simultaneously adore and loathe a thread like this, so I feel it my best duty to propagate it.

2) I wasn't aware he'd been given a formal expulsion. Such things have generally been reserved for idiots and unpleasants. Hoo was neither of these. My assumption was that he'd received a mutual agreement of absence.

3) He was a terrific bloke, always ready to stick it up to people who were being pompous, irrational and poorly educated (including me, on occasion). He wrote 2 of the best articles on the whole site - the infamous Adult Camcorder entry (which I had the honour of Sub-editing) and an 'Are You British' quiz for the Post.

4) TPTB are historically excellent at listening to and responding to public opinion, but not over banning orders, where the foot has gone down (very firmly and obtusely in some cases, but invariably) permanently in every case I know of.

B

Good points MB

NsbE - >>never saw his 'rougher' style<<

Ooh, you missed quite some entertainment

If they lift a ban, it might loose some of it´s potency as a threat. Though he was a great contributor.

Could we also bring Blues Shark back? I know he wasn´t banned, but I miss the guy.

Maybe, but a *life* ban? for example, I'm not even sure that a "life" sentence in real life is really for "life"!

I don't know. I would support a request to TPTB to lift SoRB's ban anyway, but that is just personal.

Was Blues Shark banned? I mean, if someone just wants to stay away, we cannot really do much to bring them back.

I personally miss SoRB and would welcoming him back to h2g2.

"sugar-coating" doesn't appear in his dictionary.

Blues Shark wasn't banned. He just moved on.

SoRB, then Hoo, was one of the first people I met on hootoo, and I'd like to see him back, even though he could be viscious occassionally.

Noggin

I know he wasn´t banned, but it was still a shame.

One of the problems with the disciplinary process as it now stands is the lack of information available about it.

How many people have received the "life" ban? My understanding is that you could count the number of people on one hand after multiple digitectomy.

Others have been banned for temporary periods, and have simply not come back following the ban (I think Wolfden falls into this category).

I do not know the status of HSS's* current absence from the site. Does anyone know, authoritatively, what it is?

RF

* HSS: Hoo/SoRB/Smokehammer

I'm pretty sure Wolfden was given a permanent ban/indefinite suspension after multiple transgressions following timed suspensions. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F2095978?thread=2390870 As for me, I wouldn't mind seeing SoRB back and I've been on the receiving end of his tirades. I liked his wit - the Star Trek versus Star Wars thread stands out, when he had a geek off with Kerr Avon. However, I suspect that trying to get around a ban by coming back with different names (Smokehammer/amphibiousFilibuster) will count heavily against him.

It seemed to me that amphibiousFilibuster was created only to mention that smokehammer couldn't post anymore, so as not to confuse people not receiving answers from SH.

And smokehammer wasn't posting anything really controversial, so it didn't really feel like just an attempt to get around the ban while still behaving like usual.

>> smokehammer wasn't posting anything really controversial, so it didn't really feel like just an attempt to get around the ban <<

Sorry, that won't wash. It's like saying "I'll be good" after robbing a bank, to try and get off going to prison.

RF

Not Wolfie, please not Wolfie ...

But I do miss SoRB.

Mol

What I meant was, the new persona didn't appear to be intended for very serious conversation. Rather, rather, er.... I don't know. But if SoRB wanted to get around the ban, he wouldn't have given away his new nickname in his old PS, would he? (Nor would he have fooled people for very long, probably )

>> Not Wolfie, please not Wolfie ...<<

I've never seen the community so united when we spoke with one voice to get rid of poor Wolfie.

I'll never forget his milk thread.

>> What I meant was, the new persona didn't appear to be intended for very serious conversation. Rather, rather, er.... I don't know <<

So, a bit like saying "I won't rob banks any more".

He had his fun (robbing banks/abusing the disciplinary process), now he has to take his punishment (prison/ban).

You can't have your and eat it.

RF

Yes while we´re at it, could we vote to extend Wolfden´s ban?

RF -- even worse, we all suspect that if he ever comes back, he will probably start robbing more banks. I'm aware of the risk, and offering only an amateur (and, frankly, ill-informed) opinion. Well, that could not be a topic everybody agrees on anyway!

Xan -- extend a lifetime ban?

technically its not a lifetime ban - except it is, this is well before my time so idont know the actual facts, only waht the editors and other people have posted about him.
Does seem a tad strange that it didnt go through the voting process.
Even more interesting was that the thread discussing it was closed in order to prevent ridicule - to prevent the ridicule of the wolf? Or of the eds?