#editorial | Logs for 2014-12-31
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[15:34:54] <janrinok> hi guys
[15:45:16] <nick> ahoy#
[15:46:14] <janrinok> hello shipmate
[15:46:44] <nick> how goes
[15:47:23] <janrinok> nick: I once said 'Avast Behind' to a large woman who gave me a very serious stare - perhaps I should have said astern?
[15:48:20] <nick> ahhh, i needed a laugh
[15:48:22] <nick> thanks for that
[15:48:35] <janrinok> np
[15:49:10] <janrinok> true story - which always makes me remember it with amusement
[15:50:25] <janrinok> just editing a couple of stories that you submitted along with a _gewg offering
[15:50:45] <nick> true story makes it even better
[15:51:06] <nick> yesterday was a very slow news day, but i think the submissions i put in are worthwhile
[15:52:00] <janrinok> nothing wrong with the subs - I wish the community would put a few more in. I get the feeling that interest is declining. Not sure whether it is seasonal or a portent of things to come...?
[16:01:03] <nick> seasonal i think is part of it
[16:01:27] <nick> im actually surprised, on my return i expected it to be very quiet due to the holiday season
[16:01:48] <nick> but the stories that engage people still get a healthy response
[16:02:01] <janrinok> nick: are you aware that NCommander has handed over the reins to juggs? NC is still very much involved but needs to continue his work elsewhere in addition to SN. Juggs is looking after the Board matters for the time being - as well as the other tasks that he has.
[16:02:29] <nick> Was aware that NCommander was stepping aside, didn't know juggs took over.
[16:02:43] <janrinok> There is no discernable change to the day-to-day operations
[16:04:04] <nick> i will continue as normal as no one has complained yet lol
[16:08:04] <nick> i find it very hard to decide though, the submissions are very important but with the way we work, it does mean stories are late more often than not and it's 'old news'
[16:08:25] <nick> that can be good, because people have had time to digest and form an opinion before commenting on SN, but it's also bad because people have seen it already days ago and have moved on.
[16:12:29] <janrinok> I agree. But we can only put out hot news if someone is on the site 24 hrs a day watching the stories come in and keeping an eye on the news sources.
[16:13:55] <janrinok> There have been several ocassions recently - for good, undestandable reasons - when 1 or 2 eds have had to cover for a week or more. LamX has had to do the brunt of the work but I have been absent quite a bit after being told to take complete rest for 1 month.
[16:15:06] <nick> it's understandable indeed
[16:16:10] <janrinok> I think everyone has chipped in at some time or other, but we don't get the same coverage that we had say 6 months ago. The editor role is important but it can become tedious and a bit demoralizing when the community are not submitting and we get criticised for publishing the few stories that we do receive.
[16:16:11] <nick> the process is part of the problem, as well as everyone having stuff to do outside of the site
[16:17:11] <nick> we are more like an oldskool newsroom, but for that we're always losing ground to the 'new ways'
[16:18:12] <janrinok> I have had to accept the fact that, as long as I put in my fair share of effort, I cannot be held responsible if we do not get a good coverage. There has been at least 1 ocassion when I logged on to find nothing in the queue, nothing in the subs, and no story having gone out for about 6 hours.
[16:18:30] <nick> i dont mind submitting stories, especially when there is nothing worthwhile in the queue, but then having submissions sit there for a long time waiting for another editor (no ones fault) doesn't help the site really
[16:19:18] <nick> there are advantages to it, but i think the main disadvantage is a bigger factor
[16:19:37] <nick> well, i've never seen what you have experienced
[16:19:39] <janrinok> I'm having a mind blank - occasion! occasion! occasion!
[16:20:13] <nick> but i know the feeling
[16:20:24] <janrinok> I was reading what I had typed and thinking that it didn't look right....
[16:20:37] <nick> ive just managed to sign in an hour after the last story and managed to catch up with whatever there is in the subs queue
[16:20:44] <nick> but it's not a perfect system
[16:21:20] <nick> and the couple of times i have put a story (breaking news) straight up without submitting it, no one has noticed or complained
[16:21:26] <janrinok> its hard to see a way to correct the problem when you have to rely on a volunteer effort
[16:22:15] <janrinok> I've done the same with breaking news. I think if you put BREAKING: as the first word in the title it is accepted as being less than perfectly edited and proof-read
[16:23:19] <Blackmoore> o.O
[16:23:27] <janrinok> hi Blackmoore
[16:23:47] <nick> I dont think i even did that. But in my opinion, i dont think it's a real issue if we go outside the submissions process sometimes to keep the site current and relevant
[16:23:49] <Blackmoore> sorry i havnt been around much. end of year here and stupid busy
[16:24:04] <nick> but at least putting the story in the queue to be signed off by another editor, rather than pushing it straight away
[16:24:35] <nick> discretion and objectivity does need to be used in such instances though
[16:25:25] <janrinok> Blackmoore: we're just having that conversation, as you probably noticed. Everyone is chipping in where they can but we have had manpower gaps at a few points
[16:26:09] <nick> work took over for me, for a few weeks and i didnt have the time to visit the site, editing was sadly quite low on the priority list
[16:27:32] <janrinok> nick: yep, you're right. The problem is that it musn't look like that is the normal way of doing things otherwise we will all end up just pushing out stories which will, with the pressures that we have, undoubtedly be below acceptable standard at some point.
[16:28:21] <janrinok> it's been the same for us all. Try telling your familly on Christmas Day that you want to spend an hour on the computer rather than sit with them....
[16:28:42] <janrinok> family* My brain has stopped talking to my fingers...
[16:28:59] <Blackmoore> yep;
[16:29:21] <Blackmoore> and that why i stepped up in the first place
[16:29:58] <janrinok> other than being stupid busy, how's things Blackmoore? And thanks for stepping in - it wouldn't have been done if you hadn't done it.
[16:30:00] <Blackmoore> there was a need at editor; as i saw the same 3 people doing everything
[16:30:32] <nick> it's a careful balance to strike, but it always comes down to a personal decision whatever reason to justify it and i'm willing to state my case on these issues if someone does object, and admit i made a mistake if i have done.
[16:30:46] <nick> we are never going to be able to rely on the 'process' to make all the decisions for us.
[16:31:24] <janrinok> We have a good bunch on the team - but it is obviously a difficult time of year with many personal demands on each of us.
[16:31:28] <nick> most of the time we will get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. but when we get it wrong, we have to state our case and/or admit an error in judgement.
[16:32:21] <Blackmoore> and we have to accep t that some people will always complain
[16:32:38] <nick> yup
[16:32:47] <janrinok> I've done that a few times in specific threads - usually in response to criticism. If I'm wrong I put my hands up - but if someone is just being a dick then I have to (tactfully) point it out to him/her
[16:33:21] <Blackmoore> i just let it be if it's just an asshole. no point in arguing
[16:33:57] <nick> dont feed the trolls
[16:34:00] <janrinok> My first NY resolution: try to be more tolerant....especially of dicks.
[16:36:09] <nick> lol
[16:36:38] <janrinok> I thought for a minute there it had gone unnoticed...
[16:38:20] <nick> one must always be tolerant of intolerance
[16:39:41] <Blackmoore> I'm not tollerant; i just accept that it would be baiting the troll
[16:39:51] <nick> trollerant
[16:39:51] <Blackmoore> do i dont let them win
[16:40:44] <janrinok> Blackmoore: you seem to entering an encrypted mode with your typing. Have you started the NY drinks a little early? :0
[16:41:11] <janrinok> brb 5
[16:41:43] * nick ponders on alcoholic beverage possibilities for this evenign
[16:41:49] <nick> evening
[16:46:07] <Blackmoore> if i could drink while at work i'd be a satisfied worker
[16:46:22] <Blackmoore> no; i'm just a lousy typist
[16:48:47] <janrinok> I'm going to have a beer tonight - just the one but I'll enjoy it.
[16:49:18] <nick> i never made it to the shop yesterday, so im about to head down to the wonderland that is lidl and see if they have anything that grabs my interest
[16:50:11] <janrinok> how about a tin of 'hot tuna'?
[16:50:31] <nick> i tried lidl tuna before, not so good.
[16:50:40] <nick> tuna yesterday was good, but not worth buying again.
[16:50:54] <janrinok> did the square tuna last night taste ok?
[16:51:09] <janrinok> we crossed inputs
[16:51:52] <nick> wasnt hot enough, but it was actually much better than i expected as far as being canned tuna lol
[16:52:27] <janrinok> I'll try to avoid it unless there are no other options - thx for taking the risk on behalf of us all...
[16:52:45] <nick> got to try these things
[16:52:52] <nick> anywho, will be back shortly, time to shop
[16:53:36] <janrinok> we need people like you, prepared to risk all to further the community, those who laugh in the face of danger, etc
[17:24:46] <nick> lol
[17:26:04] <nick> crumpets and bovril for the win
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[18:40:15] <janrinok> yum, yum - crumpets and bovril. (I would prefer marmite but, what the hell, bovril will be fine)
[18:42:26] <nick> what about vegemite :o
[18:45:13] <janrinok> foreign copies....
[18:47:55] <nick> i like vegemite and marmite the same, they're both good
[18:48:16] <nick> so "you either love it or hate it" slogan annoys me, because i like it but dont really care either way
[18:57:26] <nick> although saying that... "you either love it, hate it, or prefer bovril" isn't the best slogan
[19:04:08] <Blackmoore> eh.. no.. doesnt matter what name that has; it aint something i like
[19:04:55] <Blackmoore> and that's fine. I'm not gonna tell people that they are wrong for liking it
[19:05:26] <janrinok> If you don't like it, no amount of advertising will ever change your mind. It is definitely a like-it-or-loath-it taste.
[19:06:59] <nick> i can totally get why people dont like the stuff
[20:01:09] <janrinok> bye guys
[20:01:33] <janrinok> ...before I go - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL AT SN!
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[20:04:03] <Blackmoore> ty!
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[20:33:50] <juggs> Little while to go here yet :)
[21:06:19] <Blackmoore> only 4pm hehe
[21:06:22] <Blackmoore> hera
[21:06:27] <Blackmoore> *headdesk*