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

Please check out the conversation on the entry on gravity.

Cheers...

Can I bring your attention to this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A574959
-which I thought pretty much explains the whole rocket/jet thing.

Looks like I'm going to have write an entry on centrifugal force though...

Hi Hooloovoo;

I'm extremely sorry that my subbing appears to have caused so much grief. As I explained in the 'errors' thread, I am not a physicist. (B at GCSE... 'nuff said )

I assumed that the entry I received to subedit was largely factually correct - after all, I believe that subbing should involve as little messing about with content one doesn't necessarily understand as possible. I had to rewrite a fair amount of this article, as some of it was either poorly explained or just plain wrong. I tried to do as simple and factually sound a job as possible, but it appears that I didn't quite do so.

However, what is worse is that there appears to be a whole new can of worms opening up in the other thread, and I certainly can't act as any sort of authority, as it's well beyond my scientific knowledge; I understand it, I think, but I wouldn't presume to intervene. Given that the other thread is becoming quite hostile, I am tempted to refer it to the Italics, and let them pour oil on these troubled waters.

Would you mind if I did this? Thanks.

N7

You're the sub guy, I'll will respect your authoritaaaa
Basically I just think if there's going to be an Edited Guide, then Edited Entries should as a minimum be factually accurate. As I've said elsewhere, however, I'm aware this could be impossible. I'm also aware that THE Guide is reported in the very first page of Mr. Adams' very first book as containing "much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate". I would hope that some later Editor doesn't get into a Bugblatter Beast type lawsuit because some unsuspecting user took a Guide entry literally
Sterling work rewriting the entry btw. I try to minimise hostility, put people who are demonstrably wrong, and could find out they're wrong by looking in any physics textbook, any library or any university website on the net, and then get sniffy when you correct them, wind me up. Sorry.

A-hem...

Hoovooloo, I think you have already read the 'other' threads.

The entry on 'gravity' is NOT wildly inaccurate, just because you THINK the centrifugal force does not exist. Debate things out before bringing your lamentations here.

I understand you are (or were) a little upset.

But I think at least this thread, and N7 could be left quiet.
I am open to concise argument on other threads.

HELL

"I try to minimise hostility, put people who are demonstrably wrong, and could find out they're wrong by looking in any physics textbook, any library or any university website on the net, and then get sniffy when you correct them, wind me up"

Look at yourself mister.

You rely on Dictionary entries.
I bring you Physics textbooks.

I am NOT demonstrably wrong.

And yes I got sniffy -- sorry -- but I think it is understandable, after the posts you submitted.

Again... Take this to the other threads.

HELL

N7 can ignore this thread if he feels like it, which I'm sure he will. If you were so keen to leave him alone, why didn't you message me direct????
Please note: the "wildly inaccurate" bit was not an insult, it was in fact a quotation from a work of humourous fiction which I thought might lighten the tone. Sorry you took it the wrong way. Again.
One other point. As explained in the thread on Centrifugal Force, I did not "rely" on a dictionary. I rely on an extensive knowledge of physics gained from education to university level. The use of a dictionary definition was intended to include as many people as possible. Thank you for bringing me physics textbooks. Not everyone has them.

N7. This posting is my absolutely final word on this subject in this thread. We apologise for the inconvenience. (btw, for the benefit of Hell, that last sentence was also a reference to a work of humourous fiction, not an insult.)

(I am not english or american, so i have probably not read all popular pieces of humour - at least not in english)

We apologise for the inconvenience.

Over and out,
HELL