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Mu Beta

Listed below are comments made by Mu Beta between Tuesday, 3rd June 2008 and Friday, 7th August 2009.

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MOTs: Putting h2g2 through its paces 7:49pm on 07 Aug 2009 <popcorn> Strategic fit: How does this site fit into the wider BBC Online service? Does it serve the BBC's public purposes clearly?

Actually, I'm quite surprised at how well it does fit the Public Purposes. There is a strong case for h2g2 having made a better job of fulfilling those purposes than any other part of BBC, online or otherwise, and perhaps this should be a selling point.

<popcorn> Place in the market: Where does it sit in the wider UK market? How does it relate to external sites covering similar themes?

While there is no doubt that h2g2 hasn't fulfilled its initial remit (which was, more or less, to be what Wikipedia is now), perhaps it's time to play at one of its strengths. The general consensus is that it is getting far too difficult to get people writing for the guide and there are a whole host of pretty good reasons (not least a set-in-their-ways Peer Review system and the fact that the Guide is filling up on popular topics). But, and I say this as an Internet user of fifteen years, there is no other community out there that is as tight-knit, well-organised and coherent. Sometimes, logging onto h2g2 is like walking into a pub full of your friends, and IMHO there is no other website, forum-based or otherwise, that can do that. Perhaps if more time was spent playing on the community aspects of h2g2, then good writing would grow out of that. It used to be that someone with something intelligent to say was encouraged to write a Guide Entry; this is an activity that sadly seems to have stagnated.

<popcorn> Audience: What is the key audience need that the site seeks to meet? What is the target demographic?

Widely agreed on here in this thread. h2g2 is for everyone. I'm no Douglas Adams fan, and I've been a member for 7.5 years. Obviously, in the community sense, it does no harm to recruit anyone and everyone. In the sense of producing writing (and I say this through gritted teeth), we need more people like Psycorp (Post 12) was when he signed up - intelligent students with time on their hands who aspire to be journalists or writers one day and want to have work in the public domain. They don't all have to be Leeds United fans, mind.

<popcorn> Quality: Does the site clearly display the BBC's editorial values of accuracy, independence, impartiality, taste and decency.? Does the sit adhere to our publisher principles? Does it meet best practice technical, UX and accessibility standards?

I won't pretend to understand the second question. In response to the first, I ask you which other set of blog comments on this site would contain as many careful, educated, high-quality and thought-provoking comments? You won't find discourse like this in Ben Dirs blog, that's for sure.
Bill Frindall (1939-2009) 6:55pm on 30 Jan 2009 This has come as such an unexpected shock. Bill brought a lot more to TMS than just the voice of the numbers. I'm not a sentimental type, but I was genuinely knocked back when I saw the news.

My thoughts go to his friends, family and the TMS team who will be missing an important lynchpin.
TMS changes explained 5:14pm on 20 Aug 2008 If we're on the subject of TMS voices, could I add my congratulations to Tuffers for his stints during the final SA test?

OK, sophisticated he isn't, but I thought he gelled very well with the team and he is of course a raconteur of note. Much better than Alec Stewart.

Phil has had his detractors round and about this blog; I for one think they're totally unjustified. More, please!
You Are The Ref #13 4:56pm on 04 Jul 2008 I'm going to play my 'gain control first' card again. You can tell I'm a teacher, can't you?

Who on Earth do these people think they are telling you the laws of the game? You're a trained referee, for pity's sake!

Step one, before making any decision on the defender, is to leave the opposition captain and manager in no doubt that you are in control of the match and that they would be extremely unwise to try and tell you what to do. You should ask them to consider themselves formally warned. You could add a booking for the captain or a sending to the stands for the manager, but this would be a bit harsh, unless either have already shown signs of dissent previously.

This should ensure that, whatever decision you make, you will at least gain a grudging respect for the rest of the game.
You Are The Ref - the final 4:38pm on 29 Jun 2008 I think you'd be jumping to an awfully big assumption to accuse anyone of match-fixing. And abandonment would be tantamount to that.

Put it in the match report and let UEFA decide.
You Are The Ref - the final 2:16pm on 29 Jun 2008 "At half-time you are fortunate enough to see footage of several clear goalscoring opportunities that were ruled out by your assistant"

Is this permitted? I thought many referees went out of their way to avoid watching replay footage and prejudicing themselves until after the game.

I don't know if there's anything in the Referees' Code of Conduct about it.
You Are The Ref answer and suggestions 7:36pm on 24 Jun 2008 18. I almost certainly imagine that it is a trick designed to circumvent the rules of the game, and a yellow card or two for unsportsmanlike conduct would be in order.

But it'd be bloody hilarious to watch. :D
You Are The Ref #10 2:02pm on 23 Jun 2008 I think an important point to be added to the above is that the referee is in danger of losing control. He needs to make a priority of establishing his authority over both players and managers, and clearly refuse to be instructed by them in the rules of the game. He may wish to include a yellow card for dissent if he feels that the captain's protests are over the top.
You Are The Ref #1 11:22pm on 03 Jun 2008 Post 208 - I cannot believe for a minute that a referee is obliged to follow his mistakes through. Surely the referee has the right to stop play at any time when he is convinced that a breach of the rules has occurred?

If he has committed that breach, so be it. Otherwise he has just lost control - the worst accusation you can point at any ref.
You Are The Ref #1 11:18pm on 03 Jun 2008 I think the intelligent people on the thread have realised that the referee has committed an unforgivable crime (God help the rest of you) in allowing an advantage, but that is not what the question is asking.

The answer, therefore, is that the referee should blow AS SOON AS HE HAS REALISED HIS ERROR.

If this is after the ball has gone into the net, so be it. Disallow the goal, take play back for a direct free kick and send off the offending player. Prepare your excuses for when the FA ask you what the hell you were playing at.

If a referee doesn't realise that he has made an error, then he is Rob Styles, and should not be allowed to continue in any case.

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