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

There's plenty of trouble t'mill at the moment on H2G2 with some massive rows about the Digibox users. Apparently they used to be able to access H2G2 because it was part of the BBC website, even though they technically weren't supposed to be using the website for anything other than news and sport. Or something like that. But now their access has been blocked.

If Telewest (the Digibox owners) had found this out on their own, that would have been one thing, but it seems that one or more researchers have tipped them off. This raises all kinds of issues - what was going on was apparently against the terms and conditions (not sure it's *illegal* though- maybe that's a bit strong) of Digibox use - but does this give anyone else the duty or even the right to intervene? And what would have motivated them to do that? There's all kinds of discussions about that - was it spite, was it the problems created by a particular digibox user, was it the act of a good citizen? Or was it the act of an attention seeker?

It's clear that some 'crimes' or breaches of t's & c's ought to be reported because of the effect that they have on other people. I'm not sure if this falls into the same category. Would I personally have bothered to email Telewest? No - they're big and ugly enough to look after themselves, and either already knew or ought to have known if it was really a problem for them. Are the Digiboxers and their advocates entitled to complain? Not sure - they've had something withdrawn from them that they weren't really entitled to, but it's the manner of the withdrawing that's the problem.

I'm not sure what to think about Digibox users. I don't think that Digiboxers caused any more hassle (proportionally speaking) than normal internet users - some of the most deeply unpleasant and hostile people I've met here haven't been Digibox users. Sure, the txtspk is irritating, as is all of the chat stuff, but it's not obvious that chat pages are any more 'off topic' than the H2G2 Fantasy League Football page. I only found out recently that a lot of the txtspk and poor grammar and spelling is because their keyboards are really dodgy.

I did find the behaviour of some digiboxers irritating, as I'm sure others do, but that's because I'm a bit of an elitist. Sorry. Leaving aside particular recent problems, there's the constant stream of 'hello I'm new here what do I do?' postings. Take the guided tour, that's what you do! Follow the links! Do some reading? Clearly, I ought not to be volunteering for an ACE badge anytime soon!

But then, how do I tell whether someone is a digiboxer? To be honest, I assume that anyone who communicates in txtspk and hasn't read the site instructions is a Digiboxer, and that anyone who makes interesting and reasoned postings and contributes to the guide isn't. That's prejudice on my part, and is unfair to digiboxers and the less bright interneters!

But the fact is that historically most people with internet access have been among the better educated and the more intelligent (the two are not the same thing) than the general population, and I think we can expect to see that gap reducing over time....

My personal experiences with digibox users correlates roughly with yours - I've mostly found them to be either rude or stupid. Frankly, I'm glad to see the back of 'em.

One thing I disagree with is the digiboxers whinging about not having access anymore. Go to the library. A cybercafe. An internet phone box. I don't have any means to access the internet in my flat. I manage to post here perfectly alright. I've posted from all of the above. I can't brinbg myself to care if digibox access is blocked- if it is agaisnt their terms and conditions, which telewest clearly think it is, then I don't think they've got grounds for complaint.

I thought one of the most interesting things about the various threads on this is how few of the usual suspects posted. By 'usual suspects' I mean the people who usually have something to say about anything future-of-the-site / H2G2 politics related.

With a couple of weeks passing, this whole sorry affair still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Otto is right when he says that Telewest are big and ugly enough to look after themselves. So why should someone take it upon themselves to shop the digibox users. It shouldn't be our fight, and it certainly wasn't the BBC's aim to get them kicked off. The whole thing to me just smacks of 'telling tales to teacher'.

I for one refuse to believe that the report to Telewest had anything to do with some sudden moral panic on the part of two ex-digibox users that they ought to do something to atone for their sins. The thread that kicked it all off is out there (I'm happy to dig out the reference if you'll give me a bit of time) and yes, it *is* a thread with a digiboxer turning up and acting like an total a*sehole.

So, what have we gained and lost?

Well first off I'm delighted to say that we haven't lost owlatron and WILD BIRIYANI from the Fantasy Football competition. This for some reason delights me more than I can say

On the downside, we haven't lost either Jab nor Insomniac Vampire, who I was convinced were digibox users, and who between them constitute a really nasty mean spirited piece of work (again thread references available on request).

What else has happened? Not a lot as far as I can see. Askh2g2 is still as inane as ever, just a bit better punctuated that's all.

"Askh2g2 is still as inane as ever, just a bit better punctuated that's all"

You have a wonderful turn of phrase sometimes!

I don't think that many people came out of the Digibox debacle with much credit. The tide of personal abuse that followed wasn't nice, and was only partly mitigated by the fact that at least one of the individuals targeted probably loved every minute. I hadn't come across J and IV though - could you point me in it's direction, just to be nosy. I think I've come across one of them jumping on the anti-italic bandwagon, but I could be mistaken...

I sort of know what you mean about the FFL digiboxers, and given that you must spend so much time running the league, it'd be very frustrating to lose players halfway through through no fault of their own....

This - F81706"?thread=360252 - is the thread that started the spark that led to the digibox community getting grassed up. As you can see it is one of that lot coming in unannounced on TopHat KittyCat's page and acting like a total tosser.

THCK is understanably upset about this and after a period of time decides to post this journal - F81706

How do you get to know all this???

I know it because I'm a professional lurker

Was it you on that punk album cover with Stuart Pearce?

Cheers for the links, BG. I followed the thread on the Ace's page for a while, but then gave up.

I hadn't seen the THKC thing. Not sure I remember any of his/her posts specifically, but my general feeling about THKC is very positive, so I must have impressed or amused me at some point! That thread is unbelievable! Particularly the "you must be nice to newbies" post. I had to read that a number of times to make sure that I hadn't imagined it.

I don't like it at the best of times when people start italic-baiting, but what I really hate is when new researchers or those who haven't contributed to the site start jumping on the bandwagon. Any bandwagon. Rebels without a clue....

While in his non-league days, Stuart Pearce appeared on the back cover of an album by not-particularly-good punk band The Lurkers. Obscure, moi?

I couldn't find images of the back covers. I guess that's just too obscure...

http://www.thelurkers.co.uk/albums.htm