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

This whole pavlova could have been prevented if Ed would just bloody well stop using burlesque (it's not that hard to stop Ed, seriously, many of us have done it).

Although the other person that uses barlesque doesn't seem to cause a bother...

History for TC: Jan 28th 2001 - h2g2.com died Late Feb and Early March 2001 - some researchers were invited to test the new site at BBC March 13, 2001 the site officially re-opened. That date is at Post #1 of the Brit Eng sequel thread. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F19585?thread=100569 Which was started because the original Brit Eng thread was still in moderation. ~jwf~

Did the BBC read every old post before they let it be on the site once they took over?

I think they originally intended to as many conversations were hidden for months.

They gave up in the end though iirc.

They certainly went through every personal space and article though. I can remember Abi telling me how heartbreaking it was to go through people's personal spaces and delete all their old Java script, banned links and stuff.

Thanks, that helps me understand the feeling towards the bbc from many who were here pre-Rupert.

>> I can remember Abi telling me how heartbreaking it was to go through people's personal spaces and delete all their old Java script, banned links and stuff.

And pictures.

The java script was cool. Pastey was telling me about a page he created which was a chessboard. If two people having a conversation posted moves in turn, the page changed to show the latest move in the game.

I wonder if they are all backed up somewhere? Probably not.

It was eerie when we came back - like a bombed city. New rules, new moderators and no freedom of speech.

Peet dragged a lot of pages off from some web archive at the time and created a new set of pages in exile. He may still have this - worth asking him, I think he still hangs around. although this was only a tiny snippet of the site as he only did it for people who asked (I think).

What was the moderation pre-beeb, Ben?

The italics would wander through a conversation that got out of hand and remind people gently not to swear, flame or spit.

There was someone called Essex Boy (IIRC) who got banned. I don't think there was a way of hiding posts, though, until the BBC came in.

I'm assuming that there was a degree of intelligence that went with the freedom of speech? Was that because the site was smaller? The internet was still shiney?

>>This whole pavlova could have been prevented if Ed would just bloody well stop using burlesque (it's not that hard to stop Ed, seriously, many of us have done it).

A tad unfair, maybe? When (to my mind) Ive bent over backwards to remove apostrophes? No - I dont like the way I have to type either. But at least Im making an effort.

And, yes, I gather there is a way to stop using barlesque. But that would require me to type in a longer url. I cant bookmark because I have to use a work laptop in Chrome porn mode.

And Ive said it before - if the same attitude were expressed to new users who were innocently using the official, default skin - why would they make the effort required to stay around? You might want to consider this in the run up to Independence Day.

They might want to stay around because they'd be relieved that it wasn't just them thinking it was a pile of **** About a year ago I joined RSPB - their site was godawful in so many ways..principally because it took forever to load pages and upload and pics. I was thoroughly relieved to find a thread where the existing members thought the same.

I'd have left if they were all being oh so jolly hockey sticks about it. It's much better now but still not great. But I'm still there.

A newcomer would quickly learn the problems because the Aces now explain that in the welcome message.

I don't get that you find it less bother to bend over backwards to avoid apostrophes than to type out the URL. And why can't you just paste it into a text file somewhere?

I shall carry on being honest about what I think of the pile of **** until it starts to resemble something like a skin suitable for h2g2 ie not stupid janet and john large writing..fewer error messages and a number of posts since last posted functionality.

Oh and I didn't need to get a memo to tell me that it's ****.

How friendly!

I might have felt more friendly if when reading through this thread you'd have shown just a smidgen of appreciation and warmth towards those people who are working their bealocks off to save this place.

And if we're only lumbered with only a less than perfect Barlesque after the sale..I'll rethink how its best to explain to newbies the problem if they find Barlesque annoying.

But we're not at that point yet.

>>A tad unfair, maybe?

Possibly, sorry I do appreciate the obvious effort you make to not use apostrophes. It's just that any thread posted to from barlesque that has an apostrophe in the subject line or quoted text gets those replaced by the characters too. I guess I don't understand why typing in the longer URL is more work than not using apostrophes, but then I don't know how often you have to do that. Are you having to close pages all the time because someone at work might see? Do you have to delete the history continually?

Bad kea though, taking my upgrade frustrations out on you.

?


>>if the same attitude were expressed to new users who were innocently using the official, default skin - why would they make the effort required to stay around?

You know I would never be so rude to someone I didn't know