[HP4GU-FAQ] Two Responses to Tom and other stuff

[cindysphynx]

Hi,
 
Abigail wrote:
 
>>>>>>>>>>There is absolutely no requirement to present a theory in TBAY
format.  
TBAY is a stylistic designation, nothing more and nothing less, and a 
theory is no more or less valid because it has been created within the 
TBAY environment.  I want to be especially clear on this because, like
it 
or not, TBAY is a clique within HPfGU - a very open, inclusive clique,
but 
a clique nonetheless.  To insist that HA theories can only come from 
TBAY posts is essentially to limit HA to a specific sub-group of HPfGU 
posters.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
 
 
Well . . . 
 
Sort of.  When I was a member of the Moderator Team, I was the "Alley
Advisor" - the person in charge of Hypothetic Alley.  I had lots of help
from the TBAYers on MEG, of course.  Here's how we approached HA. 
 
The entire purpose of HA is to make TBAY more accessible.  That's it.
It isn't to memorialize the best theories or the most popular.  It is to
make sure people can get a base of information so they can understand
what is said and jump in.
 
This is why TBAY contains things like Yellow Flag violation and Flying
Hedgehogs.  The minute a theory is being referred to primarily as an
acronym or as metaphor, that is when it belongs in HA.  MD is in HA
because people use it as shorthand to refer to a huge and complex
theory.  But if people took to explaining the theory every time they
discussed Pip's theory, then it wouldn't have been included in HA.

>>>>>>The only qualification for a theory to enter HA is for it to
become popular 
enough to warrant the mention.  <<<<<<<<<<<<<
 
Mmmmm, not really.  Lots of people believe Snape is a vampire.  There's
no need to put it into HA because anyone reading a Vampire!Snape post
doesn't need an explanation of any terms of art.
 
Also, many of the HA theories don't come up much any more.  They are
still there, though, because they were once popular, so anyone reading
the archives may still need to know about them.  Popularity isn't the
test at all.
 
If we're thinking of changing the way we handle HA, that's fine by me.
Go for it! I say.  You might want to run the new policy past MEG,
though, because HA was written because of MEG's view at the time that we
didn't want TBAY to become a clique.
 
BTW, I don't see TBAY as a clique (i.e., a small and exclusive group),
primarily for two reasons.  HA, and the fact that TBAYers are welcoming
to newcomers.  I think our goal should be to keep it that way, to the
extent we have influence over that.
 
JMHO,
 
Cindy
 


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