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

Sigh...I just really don't understand all this offensive legal rigamorole. I understand the Beeb doesnt want to tarnish their beautiful reputation, but i think that was thrown down the toilet when they had that whole tv series where the guy stuck his arm up a horse's behind.

Perhaps this site should be treated like a trilple X porn page for those of some sort of legal age. Considering parental approval for those under that age. I still think that this is a supposed to be a RESEARCH SITE, and research really doesn't have the right to be policed. I just can't believe...DNA is okay with all of this? WHERE IS HE? on an extended lunch break?

I'm still hardcore on demanding the Don't Panic button back...please try to mention that somewhere. I don't think that's a terrible thing to ask for.

The Compromise begins. But WHO ARE WE COMPROMISING WITH? How's this proposition going to get anywhere...when finally agreed on who is it submitted to? Who is the official beeb rep around here?


Please help.

RESEARCHER (formally moderation hostage) u36314
(~Imal )

Didn't the "Don't Panic" button disappear before the BBC takevor? An entirely different issue there.

And I don't think DNA's opinion will have much legal weight. To the extent that he still has a controlling interest in h2g2, it may have some influence on policy, but AFAIK the BBC owns h2g2 now. Maybe he could poke fun at the whole business in his next book, though.

Now that would be very amusing!

I'm not sure when the button disappeared but I really really want it back anyhow. And it seems like you'd have to go through the same diplomatic channels for it, as you would for the other things. But i just want to know what the diplomatic channels really are. I'm very confused over the ruling of h2g2, I'm pointing my fingers around everywhere...and now that i think about it...that's actually quite stupid. hehehe...well, i'll be enlightened somehow.

For something like the "Don't Panic" button, the feedback forum is the best place. And it's possible it's already been acted on, but the change will not become apparent until they do the next software install/upgrade.

If it's any consolation, positioning your mouse over the "Help!" button still causes it to say "Don't Panic" in the status bar and (for IE users) in a pop-up balloon, plus the page it takes you to still is the "Don't Panic!" page.

It was changed to "Help!" because new users unfamiliar with the books did not realize that was where you went for help. Maybe they should compromise, and have the button change to a "Don't Panic!" button when the mouse rolls over.

The history of the changes is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A397343

I don't know that restricting the site to only "legal adults" would help the BBC all too much, and it would definitely p**s some people off and kick out some really great researchers and volunteers.....

Mikey

I meant more like the need of an adult waiver. If under 18, then parental approval or something like that. Just throwing ideas around. :;wink wink::

~Imal

I wonder if it would be technically possible to place limited access restrictions on certain areas of H2G2?

For example, say I wanted to create an article on a subject that would be unsuitable for younger researchers. (No, I can't think of what that would be, either!) Would it be possible to restrict access to that particular article, for example by having an accept/don't accept button set at the 'front door' of the page containing the article.

A researcher/user would have to click on the 'accept' button, thus explicitly stating that he/she had 'read and agreed with the conditions of the disclaimer and was over the age of 3' yadda yadda.

I know, I know.

I'm sure someone else has thought of this, however. I mean, lawyers aren't THAT stupid. Are they?

My brother's a lawyer. I wouldn't bet on it.

That does sound like a very good idea to me, though.

Right on.

We could always just make up a secret language. All explicit things must be said in pig latin or er drawkcab/backward language. (that's what a fellow researcher and I did, even before that moderation business, not that we were saying offensive things, just...grud klat dna ssenyllis) Though I know it's silly...it would be a fabulously floopy law, eh? I dun't suppose the beeb would go for that. But I'd definitely enjoy it.

Well, now that is just hilarious

Just for fun I placed a completly bogus link name in the subject line of this thread, because here it is 3:30 am and my brain is saying, "no more, stop please no more. I can't stand any more Goo!" and things like that, so I typed in a link name related to the 'question' in the subject line. "mybrainhurts" with the appropriate pre and suffix.

Now, of course I am going to have to open a new window and find out if the site really exists,,,

~pauses to turn on firewall~

I'll let you all know... back in a jiffy!

Does Mr. Nathan Hubbard know that he's so scandalous that he gets moderated, I wonder?

well...yes, such a site does exist. Some chap called Nathan who is a Unix programmer and rides a large Italian motorcycle. He posts photos of his family and (shock, horror) quotes from famous authors.

Now, I wonder if there is a site called urlremovedbymoderator ?....

Naahh!

Anyway,

~gets serious again~

I don't need to post URLs in forums, and I don't really want to spend my time playing hide & seek with a computer program, or whatever it is that strips the URLs

~grins at mod~

I will tolerate the rules, but then I am a tolerant kind of guy. Others are not. They will leave.

I think a Plan is Afoot to present BBC with a viable alternative. I sure hope so. All this foolishness is starting to get tiresome.

Or maybe I'm just tired and ma yb i sh ld gooo fo zoleep

~stumbles wearily off to bed~

2 two to too funny about that [URL removed by moderator] thing...hehehehehe...Sometimes I find this whole mod*r*tion thing amusing. But not enough to stop b******g (babbling, fyi M*d*rs!)about it.

There would only be a urlremovedbymoderator site, if they let them selves put a lil DOT coma minus the a after it. And i'm quite sure they wouldn't allow themselves the satisaction.

*waves at m*d*rs* Wonder what they think about this? WHO ARE THE MOD*R*TORs anywho? A bunch of harvested vogons?? Anyone have the dilly on this?

Hope you had a good 42 winks, Taleisin!


~Imal ::now carrying her beeb repelling bongos with her everywhere::

Yes, I did have a good nap, thank you! The clocks are now running on Daylight Savings Time, so I'm up an hour earlier. Fortunatly it's the weekend.

Just for fun, look up 'moderator' in a good dictionary, such as the Oxford. Then look up 'censor' Is this newspeak or what?

Why isn't there a 'DON"T PANIC' smiley?

Isn't that what this is?

It's alright, don't panic! Yeah, that works

I guess I just miss the 'Don't Panic' button. I amused myself by designing a replacement that incorporates the words, don't panic, and help superimposed over a large question mark. It could change colour on mouseover events, as well.. remember the old h2g2 logo/button?

And that huge BBC button... the aesthetics of this place have really deteriorated, IMHO!

Praise the gods there still is Goo!

oooh my...if the goo were to go../ i dunt know if i'd be able to stand it...the alabaster really repulses me...Bleh!!

p**s on moderation. I'm going about my everyday life as if it weren't there...and when it does annoy me...i just go into multiple forums spewing blasphemies about it.

A fellow researcher was saying the beeb expects us to get used (yeh i feel used like a 3 dollar hooker...).and forget about it...but yah know i think the beeb will have to get used to US and will just automatically CHILL OUT a bit (hopefully they will misunderstand our multiple oddities...feucal on them). so pleh!

(bye the way i'm drunk tonite...so if anything is mispelled or just plainly Ugh to you, remember to incorporate the intoxication into my equation) spanks *laughs sloppily*


~imal

Have a on me!

~ pours a TALL one, slurps ~

yesh! thash better!