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

Are you caught up in all of this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4073571.stm ?

I do hope not...

Me? Absolutely not.

Although of course, anything can happen. We went through a huge restructure the year after I arrived on h2g2, and although I swore I wouldn't leave h2g2, I ended up on the messageboards instead. I do feel that being a month short of three years service I'm considered part of the furniture.

So I'm happy this time around. In fact, watch out for some good news that I'll be breaking on Friday.

Oh Goody!
There are always some winners and losers in this sort of upheaval. I ended up being both in our last restructuring: work that out, if you can. 'Cos I bloody well can't

It's a bir early in the morning for that sort of puzzle!

The thing I missed most (and still badly miss) about leaving h2g2 was having a community to 'manage'. But I have learned more about 'the business' since being here, as I haven't got the narrow-minded perception of 'I only care about h2g2' anymore. That might have gone eventually, but it's been beaten out of me since I've been here.

And I get to talk to really great hosts who do fantastic jobs!

Let's just say it's a long and complicated story, and instead of coming out a lot better off than when I went in, I came off slightly better off.

I would imagine that the BBC is a rewarding environment in which to be open to new influences. I too used to have the I'll Plow My Own Furrow attitude, but I ended up doing it for so long that I couldn't see beyond the sides of it.

One group that annoys me is the people who slag off the BBC for the way they have run h2g2. If it wasn't for the BBC, h2g2 wouldn't exist right now. And they have taken the basic concept and broadened it tremendously: iCan, Get Writing, you name it they're all to the left of the box I'm typing in right now. They should be applauded for their vision in taking hootoo under their wing, not castigated for being control freaks.

I haven't seen anyone complaining about the Beeb and h2g2 for ages - but I don't read the same bits anymore. Although there are plenty of us PreBeebies still around I'd thought everything had settled down. I get surprised when I still see references to pre-beeb stuff on the site. It's been, what, nearly 4 years? Much longer than h2g2 was on its own, and I think it's a better site now.

Obviously I like the moderation, because that's the thing that keeps me in a job!

Apart from Mr 'selective victimisation'. I don't know what that person has against the likes of you, but the bleat gets very boring.

Just as a matter of interest, what do you see as being the improvements in h2g2? I've been here for so long that one phase has very much blurred into the other, and I didn't see very much change during the Interregnum, apart from the proactive moderation (which is now reactive, of course).

of course, the ranting nutter quotient has decreased, which is a bit of a shame, actually

A lot of the things that I think are improvements aren't necessarily related to the ownership change, and I think they would have happened anyway.

From what I've heard rejections to entry into the Edited Guide are much gentler (and politer) than they ever used to be.

I think Peer Review is getting better and better, although as people get so tired of seeing non-EG quality stuff in PR they do tend to be less polite, but I like to think that the ACEs take away that sting for the newbies.

I like the way it's a real community, but new people can still 'get in'. Some boards I've been on I've never 'made friends', and everyone seems to be broadcasting opinions, rather than having conversation, and h2g2 does that really well.

I like the way the volunteer groups are doing really well, and growing - slowly, but still growing. How many other sites have so many different ways to show a bit of 'loyalty' to their site?

And of course, I think the staff are fab too. It's hard to imagine the site without Jimster these days.

D'y'know, I don't think I've ever had anything rejected for the EG. I've had the odd recommendation thrown back 'tho, but that's nothing to be surprised about.

I can be incredibly polite or downright brusque in PR. I tend to the former when one has a newbie who hasn't grasped what it's all about yet (the 'awww, bless'im!' response). People who deliberately post sh*t in bad faith, have been around for a long time but still want to see the Guide run according to their rules, or who repeatedly just don't get it (such as AR Shams) get to see the less cuddly side of me. I freely admit that I would make one or two people, if I met them in RL, deeply wish that I hadn't.

I like the community aspect too. I think you get to recognise the people who you like pretty rapidly. I also like the diversity of views and outlooks on life. As I have heavily hinted in the past, certain aspects of the way I approach the world come out of left-field as well. In the past ten years or so, the country seems a much more tolerant place than it has ever been, and it's nice to see this plurality reflected in hootoo. In some ways, it's a much more open and expressive environment than RL itself. But, as you say, it's also pretty remarkable in the way that people *listen*. This is oh-so-rare online, when all most contributors seem to want is a soapbox.

Oh, and I think you're brill too as well, Jimster And the rest of 'em.

Santa baby, slip a soapbox under the tree.

Who sang that? Was it Eartha Kitt?

Google says yes.

God, she had *such* a sexy voice...

I only ever seem to hear that song on adverts. I might see if I can get hold of it and listen the whole way through.

This post has been removed.

"I tried searching for The Masochism Tango: no luck . But I did get my hands on a lovely orchestral version of Poisoning Pigeons in the Park...."

I've got that. It was a present from a boyfriend at the time.

Yes

*says cryptically*


I'll try to remember to do it next time I've got the computer on at home. Feel free to nag me if it gets forgotten!

Santa baby, slip a http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/music/B00004SWBH/customer-reviews/qid=1102667176/ref=pd_ka_0/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/026-5732655-8552467 unde my tree...