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

I got the same hand-slapping. Since then I never greeted newbies anymore.

No no no no no no noooooooo.... please don't stop. But if you do greet someone, just tell the ACEs so they know that person is waiting and they don't miss them by mistake.

Everyone, please please please go out of your way to greet. If nothing else, you are being an ACE without the badge, and if you are friendly people will ask you the questions they need answering. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters. As long as you are prepared to answer questions and to be welcoming, you are an ACE. Screw badges. Stupid badges.

In fact, everyone have a read of A83344313 while you're at it. It's directed at people who have little experience of how to contribute to h2g2 but I get so afraid when I hear stories like that. It shouldn't be like that.

It was a long time ago. I was still a newbie myself then and wanted to get in contact with other newbies. I think it was my own ACE who firmly told me off.

*swear* That's a perfectly normal thing to do and I only wish it hadn't happened like that, Tav and Lanza.

Actually, I've suddenly realised (with blissful, comforting clarity) that as soon as we move away from BBCiD this poblem will vanish, because we can visit everyone, safe in the knowledge that it doesn't matter.

Deities, I can't wait. *contented sigh of relief*

It may be a problem right now, but it will solve itself, just because the technology will be allowed to do what it was meant for rather than being shoehorned into SSO/BBCiD which complete;y it up.

Carry on, I'll just go and calm down in the corner.

The treating newbies like a pain was something I observed several years ago, like 7 years ago.

*Offers VIP *


If we find we are overwhealmed with writers but not enough commentators we could do things to get more reviewers.

What about a challenge for PR commentators? We could run a competition, every day find an entry in PR, say what you liked, say what you didn't like, and get your name in a prize draw for a mug.

I think we should be more prominently encouraging people to read the conversation threads attached to EG entries too. I wrote an entry on Casey's Court ages ago and researching information about it was a nightmare due to the complete absence of info around at the time. Since then (2007) there have been a number of new comments added to the conversation thread that add a lot more detail to the entry.

The most recent person to comment was Keith Leggett, a former Black & White Minstrel who used to perform in the final years of the show. He's in New Zealand now but still does concerts for the local retirement homes. I've even found a video on YouTube of a recording of the concert. It's been on YouTube since 2008 (which shows how much I use YouTube).

A28505360

F8562346?thread=6645574

Ideally, every edited entry should have at least one person subscribed to it.

It would be good if every edited entry had someone who was authorised to update it. Then new information from the conversation threads could be incorporated. Instinctively I think this should be the original author, the sub or both, but I mistrust my instincts on this.

This would be half way between our model (edited entries can only be changed by the Editors (or Curators?) and in practice are locked down almost forever) and the Wiki model (anyone can change any entry at any time).

Ben

Well, we have the update forum...

I think I see where you're coming from, I didn't put this to the forum because I thought people would read the thread any way but if they don't, that info would be missed.

Does the model of only-the-editors-can-change-an-entry still make sense if we've got volunteer editors?

Or might it finally work?

I think it might finally work.
I am for giving writers the option to easily update their old Entries but it still has to be checked which changes are made.

We already have two systems for that: the Curators make small changes, and the update forum makes big changes.

The problem is that unless anyone is subscribed to the Entries, most comments (suggesting correction etc.) are ignored. This has been discussed a lot in other threads, though with no easy solution.

So the process goes,

Writer updates entry - notifies editors - who approve or reject changes. Could all be done in a matter of minutes for small things.?

Hey - could someone please shoot the new yikesbots? , so I *am* German, and up to yesterday nobody minded me having a grin calling myself a k r a u t in a chat with friends. Now I get autoyikesed by Mary Poppins in turbo mode.

The Beeb a bit trigger happy lately aren't they? What's with all the 'this researcher is on pre-mod stuff I keep seeing too? (Reaches for tin hat)

"100 new posts??? Crikey, see what happens when you post a comment and wander off for a while." [Radox]

It was over a hundred for me, too. I skipped most of the intervening backlog.

I guess I need to check out Peer Review. I got out of the habit of going there, and basically forgot about it. Sorry!

I haven't been making useful comments on other people's writing since I got shut out of my personal space at BBC ID.Neither have I written any new entries myself. I feel completely cut off.
I always read and respond to what anyone writes to me.
For various reasons several of my own old entries have been back on the front page and I've had useful additions and corrections posted to them. I would gladly update, BUT I CANNOT ACCESS MY OLD PAGE.

If I copied the entries to my new account and updated them that way, would they have to go through PR (again)?

If it is a matter of a couple of sentences or so, then post the relevant alterations to Editorial Feedback and one of the Curators will amend the Entry on your behalf.

If it is a complete re-write, then yes, it will have to go through PR. But in order to do this, you have to ensure that the finished Entry is perfect - as it will not have the benefit of a sub-editor.

Well, maybe you can have your old account back after the move. I'm not sure about it but it could be possible.

In the meantime, there is a precedent for asking the Eds to transfer permissions from your old account. Even so, this would not give you access to amending already Edited Entries as only the italics and curators have the means to alter these.

After the move is still an unknown quantity, I'm afriad. A lot depends on data protection and if the BBC can hand over personal details about people's emails and stuff.