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

Right, so your idea of "perfect" h2g2 is like the Dalnet #teens IRC room in Russian then?

No. When you said that I actually opened up Invision and went to that room... eieee My idea of a perfect H2G2 is one in which we don't get moderated for something nobody has a problem with, like foreign languages... I mean, if somebody clicks on that little ubiquitous button at the bottom of every post, then it should be looked into. However, if nobody clicks it, then we assume that nobody has a problem with it, and thereby it shouldn't be moderated. Yes?

>> My idea of a perfect H2G2 is one in which we don't get moderated for something nobody has a problem with, like foreign languages...

I have a problem with foreign languages. H2G2 should be stanardized. The majority of people use English, therefore we should all use English. As I have already stated, I would find it very annoying if I couldn't read some of the posts and/or articles!

Take HeavenSent, whom posted the "I'm Confused" thread... She's Russian and said so on her Upage... She had to learn English to even use this site in ANY way... Why would you have a problem if there was a Russian entry on, well, I dunno, streetlights, just out of the blue?
Or Russian researchers who commented on that entry in Russian?

*sigh*

I'm just going to put my points down in bullet form and then stop arguing about this, 'cause it's been discussed elsewhere before and it's going to be something you either agree with or you don't:

Problems with dropping the 'No Foreign Languages' rule on h2g2:

* H2G2 is owned by the BBC, an English company and is therefore financed by them using TV License money from the English public. Why should the BBC put the English financers of this site at a disadvantage when using it by allowing foreign languages.

* If foreign languages were allowed on h2g2, the whole non-guide part of the site (the search page, help pages, introduction etc.) would need to be translated into every single other major language so that foreigners don't have to learn English to use the site. That isn't going to happen.

* The whole site would be in English to start off with, which would make it extremely difficult for non-English speakers to use anyway.

* The whole of the Peer Review system would need to be changed to allow foreign-language entries to be approved. All of the scouts, subeditors and editors would need to learn every single major language that is used on the site. I am a subeditor and I know that I would not be willing to do this.

* Segregating h2g2 by language, as has been suggested by some people, would massivly increase maintainence tasks and would need the employment of foreign-speaking Italics to maintain the site.

* New foreign ACEs and Gurus would need to be recruited to do their respective jobs on the foreign sections of the Guide.

* Different mailing lists would need to be established for each language and volunteer job combination.

There are a load more reasons as well, but I've spent 10 minutes typing this and I'm getting very annoyed that you can't understand what I'm saying.

And I can list many online communities that have done this, to no ill effect.
What's with that whole TV tax, anyway? That clearly infringes on the right of freedom of expression, because if people need to be taxed to use a medium, then it's not free... I have half a mind to call Parliament and complain, but the other half is still busy adding up the international toll charges...
Do you guys have a different concept of individual rights then us Americans? Because it sure seems like it...

*shrugs*

We have to pay TV License money to the BBC, anyone from the UK who's > 18 want to comment on this (being 14, I don't have to pay)?

If they're broadcasting the TV, they are (or would, in America) be giving up the rights for private home exhibition, not for profit, automatically. And, as it's a wide-spread broadcast station, does EVERYBODY who owns a TV have to pay it? Considering, I assume, that the vast majority of TV's in Britain can recieve the BBC...

Ah well... I think I'll stick to American political criticism...
*holds up large sign reading "BUSH SUCKS" in blinking letters*

*goes to work setting up an EMP field generator on the enterance hallway and directed field around the office*

*opens up his PDA and activates his gelsuit's EMP shielding*

*a syringe, detecting a sheilded device, comes out of the ceiling*
*a laser weapon cuts off a small part of the gelsuit, and the syringe injects de-borging fluid*
And these systems are routed through my personal subsystem, so you can't get at 'em...

CV, this is a recommendation. Stop breaching LoC now.

I have been advised to, and I was going to anyway, quit the Starpilot. I am hearby giving you notification of that. I will take 48 hours to pack my stuff and move my data. Then, my ship and I will vacate this Station. This is an official resignation.

Resignation accepted. Your office will be turned into an auxilliary reactor core in your absence. Please divert the Tripwire away from this station.

Negative. The TW is on an attack corse with the SHSS due to your problems with the Borg

*unsubscribes from ALL SHSS THREADS*