Conversation:

Hi, Kat, thanks for all your work and advice. I just got very dizzy checking all the notes you left about the place (how untidy h2g2 gets!), so I thought I'd contact you directly to let you now what I'm planning.

The articles all together make a beast, far too long for people to scroll through, so I'm going to chop it back up again and put all/most of those links back in. I am also going to use that blockquote trick.

(Why are some GuideML tricks not allowed in edited articles?)

Is it possible to pull the existing articles back out of peer review and not lose the changes I have made so far? I'll even want to pull the two-line article A3361105 to add a couple of bits, not least the blockquote!

That's alright, it's what we scouts are here for.

The blockquote trick makes quite a neat set at the top. The articles on Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start The Fire' are a classic example of them in use if you want to take a look.

Some guide-ml isn't allowed in edited articles for a variety of reasons. Some of it doesn't work on all browsers, some is just for neatness of coding, and some is just random. It's like the fact that in deited entries your coding has to be IN CAPITALS but it still works in lower case.

If you pull the entries out of PR then nothing about the articles will be changed. You will also have the PR threads at the bottom of each entry to refer to. You could keep all of them in PR and just copy and paste the bits you added to the large article and not the small ones, into the small ones. That shouldn't take too long I think?
By keeping them in PR you'll have a running commentry on how it's going. I think you should only pull them out if you want to give all the pieces a SERIOUS overhaul. Or if you don't want people poking around a while Either way I'll be around the whole way to help.

Kat

OK, thanks, I'll leave them there.

Well done on your two-line article getting on the front page today. I think I picked that actually

Success for us both!

Ehhhh!! Would you look at that! I'm now subbing your article for a kite glossary!

I solomnly promise to get it finished by tomorrow so it goes back up asap.

Few things though....

What's with the ???

That doesn't do anything!

If you want to put things in paragraphs what you really should do is go:


All the bit I want in my paragraph is going here because I am wonderful and called Kathryn which is a great name except then people joke that it has K and Y in like KY gel


Next paragraph...


and so on.

I'm just checking with the italics currently on the whole link bar situation. Everyone is in a tizzy currently as we don't have enough articles going through and they are threatening to cut the number on the front page each day. Oh here's my email about the linking!

Kats

Ah...they want me to take them out because not all the other entries have been recommended yet. However when they ARE all recommended then they promise to put the links back in

The stuff is something I copied off another edited article (you know that thing where you add 'test' to the url to have a look at how it was written?)

Of course, if it's wrong, I trust your capable hands (but not legs yet?) to sort me out.

If "they" are complaining about the low number of articles going through, does that mean the current batch are poor, or just that there are too few being written? If it's the latter, is there an article you think I should start working on?

oooh too few are being written about good things. There seem to be quite a few "I read this and I thought I'd just kinda talk about it".

You could write some articles and see how they are recieved. I mean...I just wrote an article on constipation cures!!!

I changed the paragraphing and twiddled a few things and chucked it back up to the italics nice and quickly so it goes on the front page nice and swift.

I have a task for you! Oh yes this is what happens when you get involved with me!

I'd like you to take a look at this article.
I've written it with the newcomer in mind, however some people say that it's far too long and newbies won't read it.

What do you think? Honestly.

A3686484

Kat

Sorry, completely wrong entry!!!

A3368117

Hi, Kat,

First impressions are, yes, it is awfuly long. I read through it all because you asked me to (and I'll do anything for a lady), but I think a newbie (especially the impatient sort who isn't used to h2g2 yet) might skip it (personal peeve - having all the text in a narrow block in the middle makes them look a lot longer than they really are).

Unfortunately, at first look, I can't see anything that could be trimmed out. It's all important stuff. Maybe you should warn them near the start that it's long, but don't worry it's a good read ( like the chatty style, by the way).

Maybe that list of useful links could go nearer the start for the impatient newbies?

Anyhoo, I'll have a bit more thunk aboot it, maybe fiddle a wee bit, but don't hold your breath (I'm officially too busy with school stuff, but it might snow heavily & close us on Monday) or poke your spongey bits!

TTFN

I've had a think, plus a stab at (a start of) a version myself (it's got chunks of yours in it).

A3689931

I haven't bothered with footnotes or links yet, just in case you hate it. What do you think?

Hey!!! You're just pinching what I've written!!

Currently the piece that I'm doing is aimed at the italics to be used for newbies who come, so it's hoping to be a proper help page. This means that a page you set up doesn't have to be nearly as complicated and detailed

It depends how many people you think read your space. Obviously for it to get read, people are going to need to read your space and click the link. There are quite a few newbie guides out there (as shown by the dropdown menu in my piece) so you should probably make sure you're not duplicating them. It's up to you really. I appear to have set off an exciting flurry of people trying their own guides now though...of course...mine IS superior

Currently yours doesn't say anything that hasn't been covered elsewhere and it takes chunks of mine...which isn't SUCH a fab idea.

I know it's full of your bits - I was trying to help. You asked me what I thought, and the easiest way to say it was to write a bit the way I thought it. It's not supposed to sit in my space and wait to be read, I was offering it to you to put where you want, (I thought you were writing it as an "official" article?)

I was thinking that a piece that was *full* of links might also be off-putting, since a newbie might think they're expected to read all the links as well. Anyhoo, if you don't like it, I'll bin it. If you like the start, I can do some more (although it will probably be just as long as yours). Let me know.

----------------------

Another (separate) thought: if "they" are short of articles, why not get h2g2 flagged up on the broadcast BBC, say as Steve Wright in the Afternoon's website of the day ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wright/wotd.shtml )? It could be pushed specifically as a call for articles. Just a thought.

Ahhhh I see! My apologies I didn't realise what you meant.

I was a bit wary of the links too. Some of them just take you to your own bits (like the create entry ones), and some of them are linked so you can find more info if you don't know what something is. I mean it would be hellishly long if I have to explain what a scout, sub-editor, etc etc is

It is being written as an official article...except we aren't sure how official just yet Need to wait for Jimster to get back from leave next next week.

The first link I gave you (ie the wrong one) was Mikey's attempt at shortening my article. It's all very difficult isn't it! How is one supposed to make it easy to read and step-by-step without being really long!

If you like you can have a go at snipping and prodding my piece some more and see what you come up with. This is why I'm enlisting your lovely help afterall...Mikey and I have been around for so long that we've forgotten how NOT to get into the EG rather than getting in. However I DO remember how flipping disorientating H2G2 was when I first signed up. I don't know if it's easier now.

I'll go and snoop round steve wright and anywhere else and see if it could be used to quickly advertise us. I'm not sure what the thoughts on adverts are currently. However, our italics are now sitting next to the banner making people I believe so possibly we'll get more publicity and we'll DEFINITELY be getting more publicity once the new film comes out.

By the by have you seen the trailer yet? What did you think? I am...so disappointed actually.

And another apology for appearing a bit snappy

Kats

I don't mind the snappy, really. I know you're having a rough time so I just let it wash over me. I have a friend who took an overdose a few weeks ago (sorry, I've been poking around your messages) - "bad days" take a lot of time to get over.

I seem to have had a bad day for about a decade
Oh well!

By the way...we're sitting here talking about getting people into the EG...are YOU writing a new thing for the EG? And have you finished and got all your kite pieces in yet?

Currently I've got "Dietary Cures For Constipation" in PR, and something about making plastic bag triangles. Very important subjects!

And I'm writing about Protein in Foods and Commonly Eaten Nuts...and I'm just contemplating egg whites right now.

The kite articles are sitting waiting - pending etc - and I'm about 1/4 - 1/3 way through another article about water rockets. I saw your list of articles - talk about catholic tastes!

To properly contemplate egg whites, first master the lotus position, then consider; what it the sound of one hand whisking?

"talk about catholic tastes"

Meh??