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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/test42 spot the "unfortunate" bit? o:-) and I don't know if you saw this but I'll repeat it just for you -------------------- These following methods are both reversable and cause no long term damage. This should make them suitable of tempory protests. 1. How to do; Delete your guide entries so that anyone looking at them will see..... [view this for an - example http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A332722] How to undo; Guide entries can be re-activated so you won't lose anything. Just type "http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/MAxxxxxx&type=3" into your address bar replecing xxxxxx with your user number, then select the articles to un-cancel. 2. How to do; Make your journal entry subject line a long uninterupted string of characters (ie. IWasJustWonderingIfh2g2CouldCopeWithLongUninteruptedStringsAsSubjectLinesOrNot) This makes the page formatting look very Ugly. How to undo; Journal entries, and the conversations that thread from them can be deleted (unlike other posts), so restoring the formatting. Simply click on "Click here to remove this journal entry from your personal space" next to the entry. If we all do this for a given protest period then the reversable ugly disruption it causes might get some response. DrGoofLithium (I'm sure we still have a right to peaceful protest, don't we?) o:-)

I saw your post earlier on ways of throwing a "spanner" in the works ("wrench" if you're a yank like me). We've kicked around some ideas on the LEAVE YOUR NAME HERE... forum about how to mess with the system.

Interesting ideas, but I'm still hoping that if we send a credible petition from people who have been behaving themselves, maybe we'll see some change. I'd like to hold off on boycotts and things until later on, if possible.

However, I like the idea of "temporarily" deleting entries. Wumbeevil has persistently mentioned the idea of boycotting guide entries by not submitting them for a period. I don't think that would accomplish much, but if we got all Zaphodistas to temporarily delete ALL their unedited guide entries for a week or a month, that would make a pretty scary statement.

I'll try to make a new page tomorrow to bring this to peoples' attention, start some debate on whether we should use some guerrilla tactics and what they ought to be.

Anyhow, keep those suggestions coming.

What's with that "test42" page? Did you discover that, or is it a page you created? I don't exactly understand.

I discovered it while nosing around. The "test" function allows you to see the GuideML of any page so you can learn more about how it works. I just happened to try it on entry 42. Thats what I found.

Long Live The Revolution!
*saultes*

Oh my god this sounds really scary.

The BBC are definitely going to change their online policy if people delete a few of their entries. Not. Come on guys, get a life, get over it.

HI,
I tried using the "test"-prefix on several userpage numbers but always got:


Article hidden


Tried a couple of existing articles, no problem. (e.g. Zaphodista main page)
Seems you can only use it on articles, not user introductions.
I wonder if the pagenumbers of different categories (A,U,F etc. )overlap.

BTW, there is no actual *article* 42.
"test43" produces identical result to "test42"

BUT,(and here's the beef)
"test20" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/test20] is a welcoming message or somesuch....
Strange stuff. Maybe left over from the very beginning?
And do try this one http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/test119 , its quite funny.

Seems some numbers aroun 100 bring up this stuff.

Anyway this "test" nice thing to know when "plagiarising
others inventions in the cyberspace that is h2g2"

Zero_

My name has been moderated again, Why this time?????

To see the mails I got look here >>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F63189?thread=105091&post=879749 I wasn't breaking the house rules.

Peta,

We have about 108 or 110 members as of last night. Each of them has probably three or four unedited guide entries on average, some have a dozen each. You don't think anyone would notice if three hundred guide entries and a hundred personal pages were deleted for a month?

I don't want to use any of these boycott ideas until after trying "diplomatic" methods like a petition, but I think we can find a way to impact the community, if not the Edited guide.

What, do you think you're in a James Bond movie or something?

*strokes cat*

So that would make Peta the stunning sidekick?

X. James X.

*jumps into ultracool spy car and speeds away*

On second thought, this really doesn't sound that terrifying. There must be hundreds of guide entries and personal pages each day that are being hidden and/or deleted in the normal process of moderation.

For all it's worth, I was slightly encouraged by the comments you made on Brainstorming Board, and even encouraged with some of what Mark said in his journal entry.

What movie are we acting out? Maybe Network? "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." No, better yet, have you ever seen SHANE? Nineteen fifty-something, starring Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur and a young Jack Palance. Mysterious gunslinger rides into the valley to help pioneers who are being harassed and chased off their land by a greedy cattle baron.

(Anyway, Bond was just a capitalist tool and probably doubled the v.d. rates in every city he ever visited.)

Hundreds deleted or hidden a day? Actually nowhere near it. I probably hide two entries a day, and not more than a handful of postings actually fail a day. Mainly the mods are just taking out a few URL's and the occasional swear word, but not even many of those.

I'm pleased you're encouraged, we are actually really nice liberal people (even though I do say it myself) and we're happy to help the Guide develop in as many ways as we can.

Which movie? Well I've seen Shane, that's cool. What about a bit of Kelly's Heros, that was on the other night. Subversive types with hidden hearts of gold? Sounds about right for here!

Bond, yes, never used condoms did he?

Capitalist Tools never using condoms!?!? I think the level of smut in here is already reaching moderable levels. Still Peta, it'll give you a chance to air that leather catsuit again. Yow...

MK

I'm Community Editor now. You *have* to forget all about that leather catsuit...