Hi all,
even though this editor log is being produced on April the first, I try not to make it sound too much like an April fools joke, although nevertheless one of the facts mentioned in the next dozen or so lines will be false, just to keep you on your toes.
With me being with E2 for almost five years now, I can honestly say that I am currently experiencing E2 at its best: Old noders are coming back, new noders are sticking around and adding fantastic content to the database. The catbox (apart from some rather unpleasant repetitive trolling by a half dozen coprolaliacs) is vibrant and exploding with astonishing philosophic one liners. The machine itself has been given a new lease of life with some cool new hardware, and our very own code-geniuses are actively revamping the geriatric gears of that algorhithmic beast that is E2. Additionally to the obvious infrastructural changes, Lord Brawl has been able to keep tempers under control during the heated discussions that were started by the maus's daylogs last month. I think the resulting subtle changes in editor policy has been for the best and should suit all noders, regardless of which side of the 'bar'/'fun' debate they should find themselves.
Being the eternal optimist that I am, I predict a second golden age for E2. It's about time.
It has now been almost three months since Our Dear Leader has made me part of the admin team. This was specifically not for the quality of my writing (which is pretty below average) but for the work on the podcast. I am aware of this and leave many editorial decisions to my colleagues and rather perform other admin duties. This 'artistic deficiency' means that I mostly don't judge your writeup for it's artistic content or value, but rather focus on the more obvious things and specifically look for:
- Cut and paste writeups. My access to the University of Otago's electronic library makes checking cut and paste jobs from text books a doddle, so don't do it. And if you think that I am picky, you will see that Jessicapierce is probably even more minutious. I have no problems to request penalties from a high level admin if this is a recurring issue. And just because you took a Wikipedia article and changed 3 out of 100 words doesn't mean it's not cut and paste.
- Formatting. Even the most beautiful prose is impossible to read without some strategically placed line breaks. If you learn N-Wing's E2 HTML tags node by heart your w/u's will be more beautiful and you will feel the noderlove flowing towards your XP.
- Linking. Hardlinks embed your masterpiece into the database, while pipelinks give it a third dimension. Use them extensively. Add softlinks that you think add something special to your node. Let your imagination run wild and associate freely.
- Cite your sources! How do I know that you're not talking out of your arse when writing about the mating habits of the nepalese bush rhinoceros? Read the E2 FAQ: How to cite your sources and use its vast expertise.
Remember, if you feel hard done by me or my colleagues, have a word with a sympathetic god who will try to resolve issues.
And now, enjoy the golden age of E2 while I continue the celebrations in honour of my ascension to the throne of New Zealand.
Peace,
H.