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

what happened?

when did it happen??

who can we blame???

how do we complain????

what happened?
The Guide's office was suddenly relocated to another planet, The new HQ appeared to be identical to the old one but was slightly different, causing at least one researcher to twist an ankle while trying to sneak in their expences.(Where have I read something like that before?)

when did it happen??
On a Thursday

who can we blame???
The Vogons

how do we complain????
Loudly, but you need to join the long queue on the left, just past the Gents.

I thought it was on the right, just past the Ladies.

38-J

JOTD: Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

Taipan,

how do we complain????

Join a group that wants to remove the BBC restrictions on free expression -- The Zaphodistas at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A520769

I'm of two minds re your Zaphodistas.
Most liberation armies tend not be democracies. But by definition a Zaphode dictatorship would have more than one head of state. A genuine connundrum, about which none of your insiders has yet come forward to resolve satisfactorily. Thank god. Rage on.
~ jwf ~

The tribute to Zaphod is in name only. We are a democratic group hoping to use civil disobedience to demand reform of BBC's rules. The name is closer to the Zapatistas than to Zaphod. Although I've been thinking that our logo ought to involve two mirror images of the classic Che Guevara picture wearing his beret, connected at the shoulder as if he were Zaphod.

But until we can post pictures, our official logo is a broken graphic link. That should remain our logo as a protest until the restriction against offsite pictures is lifted.

>Most liberation armies tend not be democracies.<

The real Zapatista Army of National Liberation claims to obey the commands of many small councils in the towns of their supporters. I believe these groups are sometimes called "soviets." In New England, they used to be called "townhall" meetings.

I'm not sure if you're writing from UK or elsewhere, John, but in the alleged democracy where I live, our current ruler was approved by about 25% of the population (since half the population chose not to vote at all), and appointed to his position by five out of nine Supreme Court Justices. Communists aren't the only ones who lie about democracy.

Yeah I like that - a Janus Che! I'm sure he would approve.
We've got a "Linda Yikes" button at 'n2g2', y'know the 'dotcom' resource for all the wandering tribes of Nowhere2Go2. It's a beauty. We'd like to post it all over the place here as a link to the n2g2dotcom resource centre - but, as you say, we aren't allowed to import off site pictures or give you a URL so you can see it. As things stand now you'll have to try every combination of 'n2g2' and 'dotcom' to find it...
If you get a Che-reflectogram created I'd love to see it. You could always e-mail the URL to me. Thanks.

~ jwf ~

I just checked out your new Yikes logo on n2g2. Looks good. I think you can safely take out that line about needing a new logo now, because the current one is great, and makes me think that the YIKES face is expressing his/her dismay at the new overlords?

oh dear
I can accept that f**** will be censored, but p****d? (that is, a perfectly normal word for drunk) come on!

If the BBC had not come along, h2g2 would no longer exist.

Wow we're not allowed to swear!

I propose a new system of swearwords for the occasion when only an expletive will do.

Fup - Oh fup! I'm going to need a new fupping computer.
Bandstand - I can't believe what that bandstand just said.
Marshole - You wouldn't believe the marshole I bumped into today.

Anymore?

BTW: Can you still say Scunthorpe?

This thread has been moved to the Moderation Helpdesk which is one of the pages devoted to feedback on h2g2 and the BBC. This is so h2g2 staff can read and take note of feedback.

Can I remind you that swearing has always been against the terms and conditions and as such there has been little change in the T&Cs that you agreed to when registering.

Swearing is a very interesting subject (just from a socio-linguistic viewpoint) and censorship means it can't be properly discussed. Who decides what is offensive and what is acceptable on H2G2, and will this list evolve as the community develops internationally?
For instance the word pissed is regarded as offensive in the UK, but in America (where it has a different meaning) it's an acceptible way to saying you're angry. In the UK, w****r is a derogarory term, but the surname of the person who produces the music for Buffy The Vampire Slayer is W****r.
There are plenty of examples of this so how will you (the BBC) police this international community without offending your audience.

I agree to the moderation for swearing/abusive posts. The only thing I'm shocked about is the introduction of the BBC Service. Accepted, you have to raise money to host what was a fantastic project, and I'd rather have some form of 'governing body' than not have any opportunity for such a site. However, I just feel it's kind of sad in a way. It's kind of like a feeling of 'loss' some way. Ahh, memories.......

How can you expect to have any sort of serious guide with such draconian restrictions. Life, the Universe and Everything (but not things our delicate sensibilities find offensive, or foreign) doesn't quite cut it in the catchline stakes.

Protecting people from the excesses of the web is fine, but I think you're emasculating what was once a very vibrant online community.

andy said:
Fup - Oh fup! I'm going to need a new fupping computer.
Bandstand - I can't believe what that bandstand just said.
Marshole - You wouldn't believe the marshole I bumped into today.

I suggest:
Shizz - I'm having such a shizzy day
wanzer - he's such a wanzer
and can you say b****r? or bloody?

I think it's perfectly possible to have a serious Guide to Life the Universe and Everything without swearwords in the conversation forums. We managed to do that very well on our own before we joined the BBC, nothing has fundamentally changed here. Draconian restrictions? Oh you drama queen!

It's not just about swearing. If you look at my posts I hardly ever swear. My point is that L, tU and E can't be discussed openly if there are heavy restrictions on what you can write. My point about the writer of the music in Buffy TVS is a good case in point. His name is a swear word in the UK but not in the US.
Another good point: the UKs independant tv watchdog rejected a complaint in which Richie Blackwood, the comedian, called the Queen a bitch because, the judge said, that 'bitch' was an accepted term for a woman in the black community. Can I say: "The Queen is a bitch" or will that be moderated. And if it's not moderated, why not? That's a far more derogatory term than most of the words which would result in a stream of *******s.
The other point is the disappearence of threads. I can't find the 'science vs religion' thread or the 'what's wrong with Americans' anywhere. Who did they offend, and why? Someone should be accountable. I would like to know the beliefs (religious, ethical, moral) of my censor. The free exchange of views seems to be under attack. By any one's standards that would be Draconian. When it comes from the BBC (mantra: inform, educate, entertain) it's even worse.

From: an unashamed drama-queen

Peta,

We can survive without swear words, and still be able to create an extensive Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything.

But I don't think "Everything" in the universe can be adequately expressed using only the English language and 100 or so in-house graphics.