Nostalgia

[Birchy]

Is it just my imagination, or was AB more interesting when paid answerers would answer their own questions? It seemed that more interesting articles would appear when these stage-managed questions were asked. There also seemed to be less guesswork deemed acceptable by the editor. My apologies in advance, as I know Ed don't deal with criticism too well.

[sft42]

Snigger.....I have to say I don't think there has ever been anyone paid to ask or answer questions on the site...but you got one thing right beyond doubt anyway.

[Hippy]

You mean before kippers and striped toothapaste were invited to Dale's Wedding?

[andy hughes]

Actually sft42, when the site was first running, a team of journalists were contracted to supply regular features on their individual sections - check the Archives to see them -and also to answer Visitors' questions. The features were written in 'Q & A' format because this fitted with the layout and aim of the site as a whole. Once the site was judged successful enough to stand alone, the writers moved on to pastures new, and now everyone gets to pitch in their answers and opinions. The questions were all genuine, placed by site users - as to wether the site was better then ... I can't possibly comment!

[sft42]

Yeah andy i remember that having cropped up somewhere before but were they actually PAID to contribute or was it done pro bono (or maybe even twisted arm) to help out till the site became more popular? Anyways it was a number of years ago now.

[AB Editor]

andy hughes is being modest, as usual. The work he and other category editors did was outstanding. As he says, times change but their Q&A features are still on the site and stil relevant and entertaining.

[bernardo]

Paid? Nobody said anything about being paid! Where do I send my invoice? Can I claim for the cost of the toothpaste tube which I dismantled?

[Birchy]

Shucks....Ed didn't take the bait. But on a point of order - Andy Hughes apart - the paid researchers often faked questions and answered them themselves. That is a fact. That does not detract from the interest created. Whether the questions were stooged or not, they still provided entertainment of sorts. I think the original ad for researchers went out in The Guardian the year before last. I'm just jealous that I missed that gravy train.....that's it ! The reason that our railways are so unreliable is because they make the trains out of gravy!

[andy hughes]

Thanks AB Ed for your kind words. As for Birchy's observations about 'designed' questions - I cannot comment on my colleagues' Sections, but I can confirm that all the Music ones were genuine. As for a 'gravy train' -you try tracking down a German band who were seen once on TV singing Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' in German - it wasn't always that easy! But it was fantastically enjoyable - I still miss the writing aspect, but as regulars will know, I have been a regular Visior since day one (which was early 2001 for anyone who is interested) and plan to remain so.