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

Maybe it's not such an important word? It's just synonymous in conversations for all the filtered words, I think.

I know that. But do people really think there should be no filter at all?

On a reactively moderated site? Yes. There was no filter when I signed up here (afaik), and there weren't any problems before it was introduced a few years ago. The merging of all messageboards into under one BBC law is comparable to the merging of all the countries under EU law. Nobody will ever be happy.

Bel, you would know better than I whether Ballack is still your country's captain. I was only writing about him to see if use of his name - close to a vulgar word in English - would get me yikesed.

Jabs

But you were right, Jabs. he is still captain.

And I wouldn't try to replace the as with os.

Does anyone know if this global BBC ruling has bothered any other message boards? I don't really converse with anyone else much around the BBC (it's rather embarrassing with an h2g2 handle - just imagine if it were read out on the radio or something!) so I wouldn't know.

I don't know whether they are bothered, but I'm convinced it was other message boards that caused them to introduce the filter.

Yes, the Eds said that.

As someone required by law to use content filters in my public access computer labs, I feel for the editors. It's no use getting mad at them. They are just doing their jobs. And the example given about the Frick Gallery shows that the editors are reasonable about the issue when approached.

What distresses me is the probability that we have researchers who are hitting the yikes button just to cause mischief. To me this is a more serious issue. Having filters or not having them isn't going to affect this situation. Which brings up a question. I've always just assumed that when a researcher hits the yikes button, the moderators will know their identity. Is this the case or not? Because if the same person keeps blocking posts that are clearly not objectionable, wouldn't that person be the one who should be disciplined?

I agree, Hypatia. I think the Eds are doing a good job of removing problematic words from the filter.

I yikesed a couple of posts - one was my own, the other was one where the offence was obviously inadvertent (it involved the text in a link). In both cases, I got an email, so I know the Eds can see who is doing the yikesing.

In the case of my self-yikesing - which was due to a mischievous person who put an offensive anti-hotlinking message on a pic (you can't see it if you're doing the linking) - I got two messages:

One told me I was in violation. The other thanked me for reporting it.

I think this is a sensible way to handle things. Surely a malicious pattern will not go unnoticed?

A couple of comments (Late as usual!) Firstly I can remember being moderated many years ago, after spending a lot of time building threads (Camelot and BoffInn) for some silliness (Just a couple of researchers stretching their double entendres) which made me very cross and dispirited and I left the site for years as a consequence. "I've put so much into this and you start not trusting me!" So, Bel, I absolutely understand your feelings.

Then, of course, there has to be some sort of censorship, as many point out. This is a corporate site. We know that, and accept it as such. Otherwise we would do the other thing! Rock and a hard place. It's horrible being censored, and would be horrible (If not horrible, then a lesser sort of site) if it were not.

We happy band are a small band and, as cyber spaces go, an intimate band. We don't want tptb intruding on our daily intercourse. On the other hand if the hoipolloi were allowed to desecrate the place with their graffiti it wouldn't be a place we would like to be!

So lets keep on keeping on, don't give up on us B, and if you want to use a rude word, reach for the Thesaurus!

Perhaps an entry on bovine excrement would help to lighten things up a bit? Or perhaps there already is one. I can see it being a game in 'I'm sorry I haven't a clue!'

Host: "Right Panel, I'd like you to rewrite the sex scenes from these well known XXX movies so that they can appear in a BBC discussion forum."

Hey, I like that idea.

OK the first round is to rewrite the naked wrestling scene from the 1969 movie "Women In Love" where Rupert Birkin and Gerald Grinch have a physical argument.

You may start with either character, played by Master Reed or Master Bates.

We think they were both Misters. Or they were the last time we watched it.

Heh-heh.

*giggles*


They were definitely Misters when I watched it too

I never watched it, so I can't possibly judge. But there was a reason for Mu Beta to change his nickname.

Hey, Rupe babe, flickering flames are fanning my fetishes. Fancy a flesh on flesh encounter with fleeting glimpses of our flaccid phalli?

That sort of thing??

Who started that?