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

As you may be aware, the BBC is likely to be affected by Industrial Action next Monday, 23 May, 2005. For the duration of the Industrial Action (00:01 on Monday 23, for 24 hours), some BBC communities and message board sites may be closed, and others, such as h2g2 - will be placed on pre-moderation.

During this time, the moderation queue will only be cleared for serious complaints. As a consequence, the likelihood is that any posts made on Monday 23rd May might not be approved and made visible until after the Industrial Action has finished.

As BBC staff members, we are unable to discuss this matter further at this time. However we do appreciate that this may cause disruption to your enjoyment of the service, but we felt that putting the site on pre-moderation was a better alternative than switching the site off entirely.

For further information on the Industrial Action, please read the following article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4536107.stm


Please also be aware that there may be future occasions on which these same conditions may need to be repeated. In the event of further industrial action, we'll endeavour to give as much notice as possible.

The h2g2 Editors

Poo thats the day I am on h2g2 all day, as I write my Post column and refer to previous columns. Thanks for the warning, I had better get them all off-line.

Thank you for your consideration.

at thought of site being unavailable.

I'm just glad the threatened action didn't take palce on 5 May when it would have had a far bigger effect.

at the thought of all those people potentially losing their jobs!

Will this also affect entries as well? Both new and updated entries will also be pre-moderated? If so I'll make sure I don't fiddle with any on that day, to keep the queue down.

? irony?

thankyou for the warning, i probably shan't be around that day then! nice of you not to close the site.

"During this time, the moderation queue will only be cleared for serious complaints. As a consequence, the likelihood is that any posts made on Monday 23rd May might not be approved and made visible until after the Industrial Action has finished. "

I don't understand this bit! Does that mean that if anybody hits yikes on Monday for an existing post it won't be dealt with until tuesday but everythig else will operate as normal. Or if an existing post is yikes'd for a serious digression it will be dealt with on monday. Or is it that all new posts will be hidden and not cleared until they get approved on tuesday and existing posts are still yikesable. I got a bit confused here, sorry if this isn't making much sense...

Hi PC!

Isn't it weird to see news being reported on the BBC about this, I know they have to cover stories but it must be a nightmare getting the right language across so you don't offend the management or the unions, all whilst explaining the story and the issues.

If everthing goes on premod and the mods are on industrial action, isn't that just the same as closing the site for the day? Sure we can post but you won't see anything for 24 hours (or longer because of the moderation queue being a heck of a lot larger than normal)

We'll be able to see the entries though won't we?

I think they mean that complaints will be dealt with as close to usual as possible, but that any general messages posted on Monday will not be made visible until the industrial action is over.

'One out all out' I'll probably join you on strike that day, nothing much else better to dod....

thanks for the forewarning...
*scurries off to practice sitting in the fetal possision and sucking his thumb while rocking back and forth *

Croz, there's a lot more to h2g2 than just posting comments! You can write entries, or read other people's entries, look at The Post and so on.

>>>>>>
For further information on the Industrial Action, please read the following article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4536107.stm
<<<<<<

Or the Book of Revelations. The bit about raining toadies and Gabriel's trumpet.


~jwf~

Thanks Mina.

Is it possible to make the site read-only? That way the mods/eds won't have loads of stuff to wade through on tuesday morning when loads of people forget and post something anyway on monday morning.

*tries to remind self not to post as normal on monday morning*

What the heck am I going to do on monday?

k

I know that, honest.

I'll sleep in until noon, and I'm going to see Star Wars at around 2, so I wouldn't be around much on Monday anyway.

Sites have been made read only in the past - Book of the Future for one, but only when they've shut!

I'm intending to spend the time on updating an entry I promised I would, and writing a new one. Offline of course! Although I might just pop round to visit friends I can touch and see at the same time I'm having a conversation with them...