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

Hi Oetzi

I'm afraid I'm not sure which logo you're referring to. The theories are that you've somehow strayed into the Collective site or that your preferences have become changed to 'advanced'. Which 'skin' are you using?

On to more serious matters. We have a problem at the Atelier. I'd like to hear your view of it, if you'd be so kind. And I implore you not to post at the Atelier until we've found a way forward here.

Oetzi?

What's the ethos on this site.
Why so hostile?

AMY
No sweat...I need to go off line a while.
Exchanges of little consequence....

People are reacting to what you write and are doing so with various levels of hostility. It would be impossible to give one reason for the hostility since it's an individual reaction in each case. You would need to know the personal circumstances of each participant and it isn't appropriate for us to discuss that here.

Similarly, there are many parts to h2g2 and it isn't possible to define an ethos for the whole thing. There are places on the site where some of your behaviours would not attract comment. For example, there are places where you can call a woman 'honey' and be called 'hun' in return, possibly with kisses. The Atelier is just not one of those places.

However, the 'ethos' of the Atelier is clearly defined. The Salon at the Atelier is in the tradition of some features of early personal computing - the text-based role playing game (RPG) and the multiple user domain (MUD). It is improvised play-acting in a virtual environment created with the specific intention of exploring community in which manners are more important than in usually the case than in the modern world. It is based on the French 'salons' of the 18th and 19th Centuries.

What you have done is the equivalent of walking into a performance of Hamlet, complaining that it isn't a comedy, telling the director that she hasn't got a sense of humour and suggecting that the cast lighten up.

If we change the underlying premise of the Atelier then it is 'Game Over.'

Some aspects of your behaviour aren't acceptable anywhere online - shouting, suggesting that people are stupid - but there may be areas of h2g2 that are better suited to your requirements for an online experience. You have to decide whether goading Salonistas is important to your life or not. We can't stop you posting on h2g2 but the Atelier can cease to be on h2g2 and then you won't be able to interfere with the environment we've created and very much treasure.

Essentially, people appear to be hostile to you because you appear to be hostile to them.

I see

What do you see, Oetzi? How does my explanation of the Atelier's raison d'être differ from the way you were seeing things?

BBCi has to be successful.
Particularly the iCAN site.
You need to "set out the stall" at places like the Atelier.

I, like others, am confused by non sequiturs like these.

The Atelier on h2g2 existed before h2g2 was taken over by the BBC and would continue to exist if the BBC decided to dispense with h2g2 or if BBCi ceased to exist in its current form.

The iCan site uses the same technology as h2g2 but there the relationship ends. I fail to see the relevance of your statement to the current discussion about your behaviour.

No one else has behaved like you, Oetzi. New salonistas join us all the time and immediately 'get' the place so the information given must be adequate for those with ordinary sensitivities to social rules. You've persistently ignored or argued against signals that you weren't fitting in and you've had problems elsewhere on h2g2. From this it can be concluded that the problem is not something the Atelier needs to address, the problem - and the answer - lies with you.

I'll be more specific.
This site has too many subsets.
Please set out the parameters of those sets.

ps You will notice the non-personal nature of the post.
That is an unambiguous statement.

On a personal note...I would'nt worry.

This site has subsets, yes. Too many? It's a matter of opinion. Here's a breakdown. There are four types of conversation thread.

1. The main purpose of this site is the Edited Guide. The conversation structure is designed to allow for disussion of articles both before and after they are accepted into the EG. To become involved with this aspect of h2g2 I recommend PeerReview and the Front Page. On the Front page you will find the Categorisation System and the Infinite Improbability guide which are a both good ways of finding interesting articles. You can start a conversation about any article but it's a good idea to check that the author has not left the building or your thoughts and questions may be ignored.

2. Similar to EG articles are the Help pages and related conversations. Take the Feedback link to see these.

2. The conversation structure is sometimes used for discussion of matters not directly related to articles. I suggest <./>Askh2g2</.> as the place to find those.

3. The biggest subversion of the system is by the rôle-playing community which is vast and now occupies just about every possible niche on h2g2 Island. The best way to find out about rôle playing venues like pubs and cafés is to stalk interesting people and find out where they're posting. <./>info</.> is also a useful page. Some RPs are easy to fit into because the rôles being played aren't that far from people's real personas, others - like quests, battles, pantomimes - require a great deal of imagination and some people never 'get' them. Personally I love 'em and you'll notice that I remain in my 'ant' character much of the time.

On a personal note, you say you wouldn't worry? I wouldn't be at all surprised .

You know Ami I at a loss.
I'll say again in the vernacular.
I'm not sure what your hosting...
It's not a tupperware party but it is.
I wasn't aware you need an invitation.
I wasn't aware the BBC was a private enterprise.
Or are they grooming this site for sale?
Good prospects I would say.

Nothing personal

1. Hosting? I'm not hosting anything. What do you think I'm hosting?

2. Where have I said anyone needed an invitation?

3. Where did I say that the BBC is a private enterprise? It is a public corporation with a Charter.

4. I do not think the BBC are grooming h2g2 for sale. I see absolutely no evidence of grooming. In fact, just the reverse - h2g2 now receives hardly any of the programming time, money or manpower earmarked for the development of the technology it uses. My calculations lead me to believe that h2g2, which has just a couple of thousand regular contributors, could not be a commercial success.

Ami....go back to #22 please...

And your point is...?

AHEM!
Excuse me?

I don't understand what you were trying to say in Post 35. Could you try to put it another way please?

I've lost my train of thought.
Gone, sorry!

Oetzi, do you think your memory problems contribute to the odd way you interact with people?