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

Well said, ~jwf (and a for Shazz)
The real achievement, though, would be to make the Towers realise that the Post epitomises h2g2. Unappreciated volunteers tire even quicker than lauded ones.
Let's do what ~jwf~ suggests and make our own Douglas-style blizzard around this thread. But let's spread it a bit wider too. We won't get anywhere unless the italics, and those beyond, feel the chill.

Give me a few times helpful advice? On guide ml?

Not that I remember. Sure we talked about guide ml but not anything I couldnt find out (You did help me find the way to make a thread intro though Ill give you that, even if you didnt know yourself).
I'll check my BL and see though. Insanity makes you forget things

Anthea and Mark take it ELSEWHERE. We are not here to discuss the shortcomings of either of your Guide-ML! You have threads of your own...use those to argue about it. No better yet don't argue about it and just leave it alone.


How do you suggest a blizzard Pin? Sorry I'm being dense today.

Kat

to Shazz - you do a great job - I missed The Post this week and am not surprised it's tough if you're on your own at the PO.

I don't think I currently have the online time to commit to any proper helping out myself, but if there are any little things you feel I could do, do get back to me.

Jules

Hi, how can our editor be depressed? It happens and now fellow columnists we have to help with the editing a bit I think. What should we do then?

Hi Kat (and others)

The 'blizzard' was an allusion to this, of course : A157349 (yes, I know we've all read it, but it does good to revisit now and again)

I meant that we should do more than help Shazz. We should use this thread as a place to voice our more general concerns, and draw attention to them.

I'm sure I'm only articulating the thoughts of many of us when I say the following things :
- first, the tribulations of the Post aren't unique. Active contribution is diminishing all over hootoo. The EG itself, the supposed heart of the project, has fewer in-process Entries than it has Scouts these days.
- at such times, barriers have to be broken down. Sections of the community should merge. Firm rules that draw boundaries need to be relaxed. Otherwise, area by area, the site will slip below critical mass and it will then die.
- one factor often overlooked is what the contributor gets from hootoo. People don't just write careful and insightful Entries out of altruism. Whether factual or funny or anything else, these things get written because the writer wants recognition. It could be self-interested career-launching aspiration (as in my own case, as I'll freely admit), or it could be just a welcoming and appreciative pat on the back from a wider world.
- wherever writer's needs fall on this spectrum, though, they have to be fulfilled, or they will look for somewhere else to show their efforts.
- the italics are fewer too, they're pressured, and they're faced with the rarely-considered irony that these would-be journalists are minders to wanabees for their own prospects. They need winning over as allies to any goals the Community sets itself, because often these goals will be contrary to the italic's own terms of reference. Be that as it may, the italics are our only real channel to the Towers beyond, so we have to win them over.

That's the 'blizzard' discussion I was inviting. To continue the frozen analogy (and extreme cold is the only thing that Pinniped has a clue about, of course), the Post's problems are just the tip of an iceberg.

So sorry Shazz, although I can understand why you feel depressed.



Don't push yourself - take a hint from one of my offline friends who says "It's just a website"

GB


By the way, in case you don't know - you do a fantastic job

It's just a website true. But it's a rewarding website with great potential and the Post is a foundation stone. For your sake shazz, it needs to be fun and not a duty though. Please let us know what you could do with in the way of help and whether the UG group and volunteer resources could help. (Subject to their wishes, of course. I'm not volunteering them but I'm sure there's a reserve of goodwill towards the Post there.)

Look, I'll even make the , and you know what that takes me. Lot's of

See I *can* do it.

I'd add to Pin's list of what contributors get out of this; fun and the enjoyment of learning new skills. Learning to be more articulate is very freeing and is not be underestimated. No one needs the benefits of being able to communicate better explained. With the advent of keyboard communication, writing skills are all the more important. Has to be kept fun though. Being tethered with rules, restricted in communication, corrected isn't fun. 'No's and 'not that way's snuff out enthusiasm.

I'd be willing to help, if someone would give me some direction!

I'd be willing to help as well Shazz, drop me a line if I can be of any assistance..

My reply is the 32 nd in this conversarion! LOT HAS BEEN SAID!
BUT how does it look in reality? Who is doing what? When? How? Now? No-- yesterday and a day before.

Yeah, but I am scared to send my article! ( After All these...) whatever... That is the best I can do NOW ( wait til the CAT passes bye)

However:
to bring some inspiration ( from my point of view)
I went to the ***** f l e a m a r k e t******* Lo and Behold: Had a wonderful time. Found a piece of true delight and many responses to it! No wonder, no place but the Fleamarket!! Happy discovery! Bb

Hey shazz had a thought.

Why not have a guest editor? When ever you need a break you bring one of the many people here who want to help in to lighten the load.

Also, ask around the authors to check there enteries, and whack them into the guide ml of there article (porbably my worst sin)

Right, it is a SIN what you are suggesting! There are much more important things in this world than "burn" your time with GML.
This is just on the side track,- irrevelant to the HELP complex!
However:
Why don't you volunteer to do the entries with GML? b

I've been formatting my own articles a while now to lighten the load.

Don't think it would be wise to be passing around the Post account passwords mind unless they were Post staff.

I actually did all the GuideML and stuff on Ask Mr. Dreadful for no other reason than I thought I was supposed to! Shazz was pretty chuffed I can tell you.

For anyone who is new to GuideML, might I recommend my beginner's guide? A690518

not exactly pass the account info around. Have a guest editor account, where everything is sent and such, and then have it copied and pasted into the normal locations by shazz. Just means a lot of copy and pasting

Traveller in Time on his hat
"Glad to see there will be a < <./>ThePost</.> > tomorrow.

(just to get the good mood)
"

>> ..there will be..<<

Not necessarily.
The entry A3474452 'under construction' that appears now when clicking the h2g2 Front Page link to the Post does show tomorrow's date in the header. But it seems it is one of several blank A-numbered entries created on Jan.4, 2005 for future use. It is quite possible that the ghost in the machine at the towers has simply ticked over to the next cheduled A-number while the content remains unresolved.

I know my content remains unresolved. For 'tis the winter of my unresolved content.

~jwf~