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

Hi Fragilis.

I thought I'd better let you know that the ComingUp page has been temporarily removed, pending automation - a quick explanation of why is on the page at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/ComingUp but if you want to know more, just ask!

Basically with the new tools, it's really hard for us to maintain this page manually, as we no longer maintain the required information by hand (good for us, not so good for the ComingUp page). Also, when Scouts' recommendations are approved by us, that's the point when the copy is made for the Subs, so the old function of the ComingUp page - to enable people to make last-minute changes - is no longer valid.

As you used the Coming Up page to count the throughput through the editorial process, I'm happy to provide you with relevant stats for your column, pulled straight from the database. I'm not sure what you'd like, but if the ComingUp count was central to your analyses, let me know and I'll see what I can provide.

Hope this explains things - it's all part of progress.

Mark

I noticed the change on Saturday, Mark. I completely understand that the new automation process makes the old Coming Up stats rather obsolete. It takes a step out of the old process for now, but I think people will understand.

At the point where an automated page is possible, is it going to include both the entries that have been assigned to a Sub-Editor and those that have not? And if so, will it differentiate between the two?

Of course, I'm interested in both stats.

Thanks for popping by to discuss this in person. Now that's service!

Yeah - we hope (no promises) that the automatic version of the page will contain:

* All those entries that have been recommended by the Scouts, but which haven't yet been assigned to a Sub for editing.

* All those entries that are currently being edited by a Sub.

* All those entries that have come back from the Subs, and are now waiting to be published on the Front Page.

Note that in the cases of the first two, the links will be to the original entries, not the copies, but in the last case the links will be to the edited copies. This is for a very good reason; each individual Sub can then decide whether (s)he wants to confer with the author over their editing - if we linked to the copy, then it would be very easy to jump to the edited copy, look at the name in the Editor field, and then go off to pester that Sub about quality and speed of subbing.

OK, it's relatively easy for the authors to search for recommended entries with the same title and find out the identity of the Sub that way, but at least we're not positively encouraging authors to head off to pester Subs. Most Subs are probably very happy to chat to authors about their subbing, but some would rather talk to the author once they've done their first edit, some would rather only talk to the author if they have a question, and some prefer to edit in silence. As they're the volunteers, it's only fair to give them the choice!

As for the stats, what would you like? I can offer you a count of the number of entries in each of the three categories above (but not the lists themselves). I can run the query for you on a specific day every week, as long as you are happy to email me a reminder the day before, as otherwise I'll probably forget! (vegiman does a similar set-up with the stats required for his Ace's welcome mat page, and it works fine.)

I presume you have my email address - drop me a line to let me know when you'd like the stats each week. If you don't have my email address, just let me know!

Mark

Numbers for the three categories would be super! I'd like them on Wednesday, please.

And believe it or not, I do *not* know your email address. I've never needed to email an Italic personally before.

I'll drop you a mail tomorrow, Frag - just leaving the office. And I'll fish out your stats for you too.

We aim to please.

Ah, if only I could send you an as compensation...

On the other hand, you probably wouldn't care for American beer.