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

Hi OG, did I understand right? Are they going to stop the BBC boards from being used? Is this temporarily or permenantly? What about this h2g2? Why are they going to do so?

The 'Ask a question' board and the 'Communicate' board will cease to exist. I'm not sure about Flatmates but I expect, if it continues at all, it will be in different form.

Hootoo will continue unchanged.

As will some other boards.

As OTMR has stated, a possible BBC alternative is one of 'The Archers' boards. That's where Oct2005 went to although she went to 'The Bull' while OTMR has suggested 'The Village Hall'. At least one of the habituees who helped Oct2005 there is a linguist and at least a couple are grammarians. Some others are active and qualified teachers of ESL around the world. No new membership is required although those boards would require their own premod period. There is no reason in the world that those using LE boards shouldn't use the 'Archers' boards. They have their own host, Keri Davies, who is a nice, helpful guy (a scriptwriter most of the time). But people have been told in the past that if they allow the standard of behaviour to deteriorate those boards too will be closed. As it is, they are open 24 hrs/day, and that only came about because people behaved themselves. I don't use them much because they serve no purpose for me.

The reason given is money. I don't KNOW any more than you but I suspect there may be a little bit more to it. Basically money though. The little bit may very well be pressure from one or other group. BBC has closed many other boards over the last year or so. We used to have an excellent Mathematics board but it deteriorated into argument, insult and dissent and was closed for money reasons. We used to have an excellent science, physics and technology board but it deteriorated into argument, insult and dissent and was closed for money reasons. The money/value pressure is always present and the British television viewers whose money it is look at the various boards and ask why they should pay to provide a forum for people outside the country, who contribute no money, to squabble childishly. And they have a point.

OG,
I thought you will show up telling me, " Hay, you daft, naive, you believe those idiots!" but seems it is serious. What about my contributions and the archieve of the flatmates? Also they will be deleted? I mean I'll not be able torefer to them later?
What a great loss!

OG, when I pressed on the name of the person who sent the message about cancelling the board, I found many contributions, one of them was under the samename, but theothers were by other names. Is he the same person. Or is it someone who is playing a silly trick?
One of these contribution was saying that "BBC has no rudeness.." why did he say so?

The notice of impending board closure was posted by the 'BBC Learning English Team'. As far as I can see, and as far as I am aware, this is always the name used regardless which member of the team actually makes the post. You might have noticed that the name appears in italics and is the only name to appear thus. It is characteristic of the 'host' of every BBC board.

I'm not sure which different names you're referring to or which specific message you're asking about. That doesn't sound like something an English native would say.

I see no reason that the entire record of the Ask a question board should not be retained and be accessible. However, because the board itself will cease to exist it will be necessary to take specific steps to make sure one retains access to the archive.

About Flatmates, Kirsti likely knows more than I do which is nothing because I've never had any interest.