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

Hi there



Your points are all valid. I'd be making them myself if I weren't one of the volunteers.

It's huge, complicated and interlocking. Have you ever tried untangling a ball of wool that's been thoroughly kittened? Working out what's important and what can wait is like that. It's crazy to rearrange the deckchairs when a decent radar system means we can see the icebergs way way ahead.

We DO need to consult, but we need to do it in a structured way, and structures don't grow on trees.

And in the meantime, the volunteers are being reduced to tears and, being human, are daily less and less likely to consult not more likely. (This remark is not aimed at you, by the way. Each of us camels has our own individual straws, mine landed on my back last week.)

So, your points about consultation, transparency and updates are all 100% valid. Totally valid. I make them myself regularly. But the stakes are too high, and people are too beat-up, for us to do it all in a hap-hazard way.

We are working on getting the strategic ducks in a row, with several new ducks being rounded up and lined up with their feet nailed down each week.

All of which said, I find it invigorating that people notice and care.

B

As I said earlier - it's easy for us 'normal' people (in the loosest sense of the word) to forget what's going on in the background...

Please pass on to everyone who's currently going prematurely grey with worry that, although there might be a hell of a lot of complaining out there, some of us do occasionally remember there are human beings on the other end of the internet connection.

And that whilst, from time to time, it might seem like nobody appreciates what you're doing (and in fact you can guarantee that ther are _some_ people out there who just love complaining against authority and _don't_ give a damn what you're doing) I'm sure the vast silent majority of us are greatful beyond measure at what you've already achieved and what you're still going through.

It's just we're a bunch of awkward sods who need a subtle dig in the ribs from time to time to stop us getting too uppity!

And I will pass the message on.

(And I prefer passion to indifference, any day of the week).

Are you SURE we can't lure you out of your hole and into the warm sunlit uplands of volunteering. I have a To Do List....

Ask me again in a week... Or even better, after Christmas... And you'll have a better chance of me saying yes (even easier - if you see me on-line after about 5 pm on Christmas Day you'll get me to agree to anything )