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

Yes people can be sensitive to tone. Unfortunately there's no rule book for that online eg my seeing someone wearing a tutu to tea at great Aunt Mabel's maybe someone elses best sunday frock.

>> Yes people can be sensitive to tone. Unfortunately there's no rule book for that online

I'm not so sure about that.

And there certainly could be one.

How about

"Be sensitive to the tone of the conversation you are joining. If people are having a serious debate on a contentious topic, they may not like you starting a smiley conga, they probably *like* having the chance to debate something seriously. Likewise, if people are just chatting as they might in a pub, then it's not good netiquette to demand references and hector them about logical fallacies."

Or is "netiquette" hopelessly pre-millennial?

I agree with you in principle..but I suppose we're all still learning at present about 'culture' online.

One thing that I love that can diffuse these problems is humour..I find it works great as well in real life.

If I have a sense of humour in common with someone...everything else seem pretty minor.

But that's probably not the case for everyone.

We keep on trying to learn I suppose.

>> but I suppose we're all still learning at present about 'culture' online.

Well, we never stop learning, of course, but I don't let people off the hook that easily. A lot of the people on this site have been here 10 years or so, most over 5. And youngsters now are what they all 'digital natives' and have never known a non-digital world: a 16-year old signing up now would have been 4 when the site first went live.

B

Yes it's good to be reminded that for many youngsters it's something they've always known.

I think the suggestions you made in 582..are pretty damned good as a guide.

That's certainly very well put. I've always tended to stay out of many of the more serious threads for precisely that reason: if there's a facetious comment, puerile joke or weak pun to be made I really can't resist...

Me too, parrferris. Sarks chasmed, tones lowered and puns ished since Rupert was a lad.

Good to see you again - long time, no type, or that's how it feels.

B

I think it might free stuff up to have guidelines such as Mrs Zen has suggested..or whatever we eventually decide upon. They are *guidelines*. Even nutjobs like me know about basic instinctive guide lines.

But people still want to be playful and sometimes beak rules..

If we keep noohootoo fairly similar as a structure..ie not a lot of gadgets like 'ignore buttons' or also IMO, no private messaging. Keep everything public..we will retain our culture.

We won't have Aunty so we will need a few guidelines if we are to keep our *freedom*. Bloody hell we don't anarchy.

Just a few thoughts that occurred to me. It's looking good I think.

Maybe I'll preview one day in the new tomorrow.

I agree. No private messaging. Or if that should be possible, we'd need the possibility to block people. Otherwise we won't be able to protect ourselves from the gits of this world.

##the gits of this world. ##

coo eeee

i'm over here!!!!!

I don't want to unsub as like Vip this is a community thread and I want to participate.

This upset isn't just about this one thread, there is a lot of negativity and distrust across threads, with a number of personalities in play.

I'm surprised that someone hasn't derailed the I spy thread yet tis that bad.

Taff you're not a git. I know what Bel means.

I haven't noticed anything worse than usual, really.

sunday night sillyness

Nice to speak to you too - I've been lurking more than posting for a long time, but I've never been away properly.

I agree that for the most part guidelines should be no more than that. For instance, I actually think that one of the joys of h2g2 is the way threads tend to veer, wander and take unexpected turns just like RL conversations. If there *are* guidelines, though, no-one can complain if they're gently rebuked for completely derailing the discussion.

>> there is a lot of negativity and distrust across threads, with a number of personalities in play.

More so than usual, do you think Peanut? (Whatever that means - "usual for hootoo" sounds a bit too like "normal for Norfolk" really).

And if there's more of it around than usual, why do you think that is? (Risky question, but I'm curious to know people's opinions on that).

B

the bloody waiting!!!!!

I said it was a risky question.

Breathe, Taff. Don't forget to breathe.



B