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

I hope you bother to read this BBS, although I won't blame you if you don't.
I was way out of line. I regret some of the things I said to you. It was unneccessary and I apologise. I did a lot of thinking last night, and I accepted that really this is the fault of the editors, and not you.
The thing was, when I first saw your review I was so shocked by the amount of errors it contained, I found it impossible to enjoy. I admit, the style was very light, very prsonal, and that is really commendable. Also, looking back it is great that you bothered to write about something as old as Airwolf. I just wish you hadn't made so many mistakes.
Anyway, I did actually point out to the editors the mistakes in your review, but it looked like I was being ignored. Since I was still relatively new to the site, had no idea of how some of the stuff worked, and didn't know if I could contact you directly etc. I decided to write my review.
I would also like to say I wish we had sorted this out earlier. However, I was unaware of the thread you started, in which you complained about me writing my own article. However, I feel that you said some stuff which was out of line too. I mean, do I deserve all that grief just because I want to write about something which you have already written about??
This whole business about me having a 'rose tinted view' of the show is nonsense. I'm not oblivious to the shows faults, none of us are; hell, you only have to look at our bloopers list to see that. I was simply triyng to keep my article short and to-the-point. If you read it carefully, I think you will find that I simply state the facts, and at no point are my feelings for the show reflected in my writing.
I did not do this purely to "promote the group's fansites". The fact of the matter is, you put one link into your review. One link.
The main thing that irritated me about yours was the 'Obvious Flaw' section. You were so busy listing the reasons why it would be easy for the FIRM to find the helicopter, you forgot the whole point:
The FIRM din't WANT to find it.
In the pilot, Archangel states that even if Hawke were to return Airwolf, there is no way the FIRM would be allowed to use it. You see, as long as Hawke had Airwolf, the FIRM (sort of) had it.
Anyway I have gone on long enough. I would also like to point out that the members of the Airwolf.org forum have severely reprimanded me for my behaviour. They didn't tell me to write the article; I did it for them. I just want to say that the rest of the forum are a lot well behaved than me, and they were as shocked as you. I am sorry if I have brought their good name into disrepute.
I have thought up a solution to this problem, so I hope the editors are reading this too. Hopefully, they too have learnt some lessons from this fiasco.

BBS, it is obvious that neither of us is happy with the edited version the Editors have botched together. I am also pretty sure they are not going to use my article, because you wrote yours first, and mainly because of the fuss I made.
The solutions I have come up with BBS, are dependent on you being able to forgive me for the things I have said, and also dependent on you being able to respect me as a writer, an Airwold fan, and a human being.
Solution 1: Working with us, the editors create a new combined article. We keep the links in there, and you get your name above mine in the little box.
Solution 2: Using my entry, you correct the mistakes in your article. You can use the links, although I would like a little credit for the information/links. You don't have to put my name in the little box, just a little note at the bottom will do.

I leave this in your hands, but once again I am truly sorry for the fuss.

I'll wait for BBS to come back to this if he wants to, but just to say, as part of the Editorial team, and as someone who's been following this from the beginning, if there's anything I or any of the team can do to help you guys reach a happy compromise, please don't be afraid to give us a shout.

Regards,

Jimster

Thanks Jimster. It's nice to know that (some) of the editors are OK with me.

Having just seen your thoughts on where the Matrix will go next, I wondered who you were and found this

I got here about 2 months too late, and I'm assuming it's not an April Fools day joke

All very much water under the bridge. Apology accepted. Too much has happened for a bit of name-calling to worry me. Excuse me if I now sound patronising or condescending, but 15 years or so ago I think perhaps I'd have reacted in a similar vein. But life has taught me too many lessons in the intervening period to continue reacting that way, and also not to judge others too harshly. Apologies if I did talk down to you.

As for the Airwolf entry, I dunno. We could revisit it, if you think it's worth doing. We can discuss further on this thread if required.

I do have one question ... why do you like the programme so much?

BBS

"I do have one question ... why do you like the programme so much?"
I've wondered that ever since I 're-discovered' the show in the 90's. When I figure it out, I'll let you know.

As for the entry, it is worth re-doing, but only if we can do it properly. I don't mind your light hearted style, as long as there are no mistakes.As far as it stands now, there are only a couple of things that scream at me. The 'Obvious Flaw' section was kinda funny, but un-necessary. Also, the old AW computer game wasnt easy, it was bloody hard! There was also an AW game on the NES as well, which I have recently bought and it is great fun. As I said, I originally posted a topic with a list of mistakes, but where it is now I have no idea.........
My apologies once again. I never meant to slag you off. It's just I'd had a bad week, and when I discovered that 'Dupes' posting you did, which slagged off my work for no reason....
Anyway let me know what you think.

Yeah it's worth re-doing, if we do it right.
As for why I love the show so much.......well, it's complicated and silly

Here is the original posting I made when we first saw your article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F47997?thread=229225

Cool. We agree on something

I think there is one thing we really have to hammer out though. The approach of what the entry should contain ...

From my perspective the aim of my previous entry, and any revamp would be to:
- give an overview of the programme.
- its attractions.
- its detractions.
- perhaps most importantly provide some analysis of why it turned out as it did and some context to its making and place in history.
- any spinoffs and possible future.

What I don't want it to be is:
- too detailed.
- too one-sided.
- inaccurate.

What would you like it to be?

On an alternative note re: the criticism of my entry having been error-strewn, I cannot deny that. In fact I hate inaccuracy probably as much as you do.

There are a few reasons for this:
- when I wrote the entry way back in 2000, I probably hadn't seen the show for about 15 years. I was going on memory. I'd like to think I did a pretty good job of remembering what I managed to. But obviously with the passing of time I was going to forget some things e.g. silent mode was actually called "Whisper mode".
- although I knew of and linked to the airwolf.org website, I chose not to read it too thoroughly in case I was accused of plagiarism. I also felt that if anyone really wanted to get to know the show they could follow the link and read a real informative guide.
- ideally the Peer Review mechanism is there for others to pick up errors. If errors had been pointed out at that stage I would have corrected them. Unfortunately it is only as good as the people who contribute.

Well I still maintain that mine wasn't 'one-sided'............
Anyway, I think we have to use the bulk of yours, since you did yours first. I think the easiest way to do this would be for you to let me have a look at your original (if you still have it) and simply correct the mistakes, and maybe add in some stuff you left out, and then let you have a look at it. How does that sound??