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

Jodan FINALLY got some process suggestions out of Pinniped. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F1599167?thread=8088903&post=106912800#p106910895 I think there is a huge amount we can use here - and it's vital we break open the bottlenecks in the editorial processes and his suggestions would be a really good way to do this. I disagree with him on some specific topics - in particular on the categorising which some people need - those who don't want it can always use the infinite improbability drive or a latest entries button. We'll have a latest entries button, right? I also disagree with him about us no longer being a geographical guide, hookers can't be choosers and if we are to earn our keep in the roughty toughty world of appland, then we need a product people will actually pay for. But.... I REALLY like his process proposals.... How many of them can we use? Ben / Mrs Zen

PS - I also totally agree with him about the quality bar, I like the terms he's used, all sorts of stuff. Let's get down and dirty with the Editorial process and use as much of this as we can.

Personally I think PR is invaluable, not all writers are as confident as Pin and even the confident ones can learn from good constructive criticism. PR should be about improving writing skills not how to use GML. So I say yes, we need PR, but maybe it should be ONE route to the front page not the ONLY route to the front page?

Ben

I was actually following that thread (I didn't have anything to contribute but thought that Pin's ideas would be valuable). His response is detailed and thought through, and incredibly useful. It got me all excited as well.

On a second reading I'm not quite excited but I see a lot of his thoughts echoed in previous ideas from other people, such as:

-Peer Review not being the only way of getting into the Showcase (to use his terminology).

-Researchers voting high quality pieces into the Showcase.

-Relaxing the Rules and Guidelines, especially about multiple Entries on one topic.

-There being a purpose to people writing, specifically external interest and approval. We can agree or disagree about the specifics of that another time.

In answer to your question: Yes. I would keep PR as a (very useful) tool to improve writing, and divorce it from the process of getting into the Showcase.
Of course, by putting it through PR you are essentially advertiding it to people who would vote for its inclusion, but we can always have different routes for that as well.

Bloody barlesque ate my post

I've replied to Pin line by line and there's not much point in me repeating what I said here. You are right, the ideas have already been widely discussed, but I found it very useful to see them laid out in that structured way. There is so much there we should be using.

I'm intrigued by the idea that people should contribute to the creative project of the site. Pin wants us all to be writers, but I think other contributions are valuable. Maybe you should have to serve time as a volunteer? Or maybe you should just be recognised for it if you do. And then again, so much of the site's creativity is in the conversations not in the entries....

A topic to discuss over a beer, perhaps.

Ben

There has to be a place for contributions, even if they aren't writing. Clive (for example) sets a lot of questions in the QI forum. Yes, he's not writing Entries. But he is stimulating a lot of debate, conversation and sharing of information, some of which lead to Entries.

Forcing people to write x amount of Entries a year is a sure fire way to lose people, especially if life changes around them. Look at Bluebottle - he's back in the writing seat after family took over for a couple of years.

Volunteers put in a lot of time and usually get nothing back other than the badge, I would agree with you and say that's something important. Speaking of volunteers that was my Magrethea Project, wasn't it... I'll add it to the list of things to do.

Asking people to participate is great. But making it a requirement of membership? How do you enforce it? Do you cancel the account? I find that unacceptable. Any other suggestions?