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

Hi, News Editor.

In case you haven't gone through the backlog of all those posts in that long thread, I wanted to bring this to your attention. JWF wrote some things that I very much agree with, and I hope they won't be lost in the shuffle of frightened Chicken Littles on that other thread.


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jwf's post #56 on this other thread http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F55683&thread=158737&skip=40&show=20

"Once again the inherent iconoclasm of our founder (DNA), which shines thru the general brilliance of this site, inspires someone to challenge the status quo.
And once again the Community rallies like an immune system to surround and consume the 'offender'.
God bless the voices of reason!
May I remind you all that imitation is still the highest form of flattery, and the urge to surpass or improve the status quo is the finest form of imitation.
Also remember the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Which does not necessarily mean the road to heaven is paved with bad ones.

peace
~jwf~ "
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I get the impression from that that I, and others are being called Chicken Littles, not a very nice thing to say really.

I apologize if that insult seemed to include everyone on other threads. I should clarify that not everyone on the other threads have been "Chicken Littles." However, there were a few people who were very nasty and negative to News Editor, and seemed to be reacting out of fearful defense of The Post more than concern for helping him/her.

For some of the people on that thread, calling them "Chicken Littles" is not a very nice thing to say, but merited by the number of people simultaneously jumping on News Editor with their own not-very-nice things they've said.

Guess I should try to de-escalate the situation here. It never really came to a great flame war, but there are still some embers. Anyhow, if you're concerned about people saying not very nice things around here, I suggest you first back-track and say the same thing to others on the Unofficial Post thread.

Don't worry, I don't flame. As you may well notice from my language

People do get very protective, probably over protective really. But they've been hurt before by people just jumping straight in, getting trust and then shooting them down. People find it hard to forgive, it's something in our nature I guess. We just have to understand that, and work and live around it. Anything for a peaceful life eh? But then also, most of the people on the other thread have apologised for their manner once they were called up on it. All a case of "once bitten twice shy and I'll bite the head off the first person who threatens"

I wouldn't be too harsh on people, we all protect what we hold dear.

Oh, the only reason Ormy got upset was the comparison to certain daily papers. Ormy has been a journalist for many years, it's his stock in trade as it were, and has some rather deep beliefs about certain papers. All credit to him, he's one of the best writers I know and his column is always superb, light and factual.

But now I'm waffling

Hi Subcom, Pastey,


I've been reading all the relevant threads and I must say I can't see the problem in a second newspaper/magazine on h2g2. The only objections that I guess some people could have were about the fact that the initial post(that's forum-post ) was leaning on the h2g2 Post a bit too much(as in the name 'unofficial Post' etcetera). I understand that the News-editor has changed his/her plans in this respect so I don't see how anyone could object to a second newspaper-initiative. We should be glad to see these kind of things happening on h2g2.

One suggestion though : the name is now h2g2Extra. Not bad, although I have just finished reading "The Truth" and "The h2g2 iTems" just keeps going through my head Anyway : I understand that it would be the/an alternative to the Post, which is fine. But why not make it grittier than the Post? I mean a blobbed logo is fine, but why not stick to publishing "the content and nothing but the content"? It might make a good slogan too... It also saves a lot of work and it might help give the new newspaper its own niche on h2g2 as well as its own "feel". So not "like" The h2g2 Post but "alongside" the h2g2 Post. The fancy stuff like blobs, etcetera could then be incorporated at a more relaxed pace. I mean two years ago The Post didn't look like it does now either. It evolved naturally.

As for the rest : good initiative, go for it!


Greetz,

TM.

Is that Pastey with the nickname in morse code? Sorry if I got nasty to you.

I understand the motivations behind some of the bristling posts on the other thread. Glad to see the tone has calmed, and News Editor may work together with the Post to start with.

it was not NE aims and ideas we were being so mean about. it was the way in which it was expressed. we all seemed to have calmed down now and NE has managed to express much more clearly what he/she/it was trying to say to start with.

hopefully things will go smoothly from now on.

maybe a column in this new paper could be "conversations that got completely out of control" with the historical background and stuff. doesnt have to be flame threads. nonono and QO are pretty out of control too.
be difficult to do though without opening old wounds.


maybe we should just all think a bit longer before we hit our keyboards and make sure we are really saying exactly what we want to say.

FABT