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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F44441?thread=212195 I can understand individual post may breech house rules and be removed but a whole thread

A complaint came in from a Researcher, and so we removed the thread, which is why it totally disappeared.

I hope that helps.

not really, i cannot believe that every posting broke the house rules (although many did).

I take it the complaint came from the poster who was hostile, impolite and all round generally rude throughout the majority of the thread?

Mina you might also be intrested in but then again you might not F52240?thread=212545

I've just yikesed that last post so that the italics can decide whether it breaches the House Rules. I wouldn't presume to make that decision on their behalf - unlike some others.

guilty conscience ?

"I wouldn't presume to make that decision on their behalf - unlike some others" but you did that if you asked for the thread to be removed as I now no longer have the option of yikesing post that I found offensive and for which I have received no apology.

I have it on good authority that none of my posts breached the House Rules so you can rest in the knowledge that you didn't miss any opportunities.

It might interest you both to know that it was this kind of behaviour that led us to remove the last conversation.

If you both continue to bicker then we will have to take further action.

It's what happens when you do not resolve a situation, which is why I was trying to resolve it in the other thread and why I asked for a mediator.

As I said in F52240?thread=212545 "I believe that when people have a problem they should work to resolve that problem and not just sweep it under the carpet and leave it to fester"

It is a great pity this dose not apear to be Editorial policy.

*wonders what on ...?*

If you want someone neutral, you both have my email address... (For that matter, if I weren't at work, you both have my ICQ...)

Thanks AmyP but the Editors have told us to drop the subject and not to resolve the issues, threating punitive action if we did not drop the subject. When I persisted in trying to resolve the issue they carryed out the threatened punitive action. I am afraid I am unwilling to risk any more punitive action, this will just have to fester

I have to say I don't really understand the Editorial position but I'm afaid I must respect it or else

But my offer still stands--after all, emailing me would be keeping it offsite.

If two people want to bicker, and they're not breaking the rules, they should be left to it. By all means move threads (like this one) so that innocent bystanders (like me) don't get caught up in it all. But to censor people just because you don't like bickering is just patronising.

-Xanthia
(<unsubscribe&gt

Alas Lucinda it is not so simple a situation, I made the mistake of asking a member of the Editorial staff to mediate. Instead of mediating they acted like an East End night club bouncer telling the parties involved to stop posting and threatening punitive action if we did not comply – when I continued to try and resolve the situation punitive action was taken & the thread removed. A pity really we were just starting to get somewhere my apology for inadvertently upsetting a researcher had been accepted on the third attempt and some 20 posting after I first asked the other researcher concerned had finally explained what it was that had upset them.

Hi

The thread broke the House Rule number 1

'Please, no flaming or trolling. On h2g2, flaming means posting something that's angry and mean-spirited - the online equivalent of flying off the handle. It's not a pretty sight, and we recommend constructive discussion as a far more satisfying pastime. '

It was not bickering. From the first post, the tone of the thread is angry and mean-spirited and not in the spirit of h2g2. It is not acceptable to attack a fellow Researcher for stating a personal opinion. Others may disagree, but everyone has a right to an opinion. It is certainly not acceptable behaviour from our volunteers. The Gurus Code of Conduct states

'Everyone who participates in h2g2 is bound by the House Rules of the site. The same rules apply to volunteers' participation in the volunteer mailing lists. It is very easy for messages to be misinterpreted, so it is important that everyone participating in the scheme takes great care not to offend or annoy other members. Anyone being deliberately offensive will be warned and, if necessary, will be removed from the scheme.'

This was pointed out to both Researchers in the thread in question, but the argument continued. We took the decision to remove the thread, because it broke the House Rules and the Researcher whose page it was attached to was upset and wished not to have the thread on her page.

Post 1 was (in my opinion) a reasonable request, it consisted of two paragraphs

Paragraph 1 started "Will you" and went on to make the request, & stating the reasons for the request.

Paragraph 2 was a summary and started "Please" and went on to give a quick summary of the first longer paragraph.

The reply was hostile and impolite. Almost every post I made after that was trying to find out what had upset the researcher concerned including several rebuffed apologies for unintentionally upsetting the researcher, the exceptions being two post around post "10" where I did complain about the other researchers attitude. This was also the point that I asked for mediation (but instead got a night club bouncer).

Eventually we did get to the bottom of it all when the researcher said that they thought the phrase "Will you" overly paternal. Once again I would like to state that it was not my intention to cause any distress and to apologise for any that may of been unintentional caused.

As I said earlier

"I believe that when people have a problem they should work to resolve that problem and not just sweep it under the carpet and leave it to fester"

It is a great pity this dose not appear to be Editorial policy.
If we had been given help that was asked for in resolving the issue we would not be here now.

In otherwords I refute your claim that Post 1 was "angry and mean-spirited"

The intention and meaning behind any posting doesn't mean that it will not be interpreted that way. So while your initial posting might have been meant as a helpful suggestion, it was interpreted differently. This is equally true of the other Researcher involved. Her postings were failed too.
As I have already said it is not acceptable behaviour from our volunteers. 'It is very easy for messages to be misinterpreted, so it is important that everyone participating in the scheme takes great care not to offend or annoy other members'. The thread in question upset the other Researcher and she wished it removed from her page.

You can resolve your difference of opinion with the other Researcher involved. However, she is entitled to her opinion and to state them on h2g2, even if others might not agree with them.