From the editor's desktop: Your response

Pete Clifton, editor of the BBC News website, looks for a (hopefully temporary) replacement, gets a news update from a robot, and - historically and controversially - tries to remember something he read 10 minutes ago. And one e-mail response goes a bit too far... Read a selection of your comments.

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Your comments:

The most abused word on the BBC website is 'over'. Used to replace 'in connection with' or the like. Sometimes three words are better than one!
Daniel Allen, Salisbury, UK

Just a word advice for yourself and your fellows at the BBC ...people do not fall ill after being hit by a car, lightning, or any other physical object. They may be injured, yes, but ill? They are only ill after being infected by bacteria or viruses. Illness denotes a disease, not an injury. I personally lose all respect for a journalist who does not know the meaning of the words that he or she uses.
Debbie Quinlan, Luton

I've just read this editorial column for the first time, the very tongue-in-cheek style is very refreshing given the bulldozing us poor sods usually get from news reports. Keep it light and we'll keep on reading it (an sending feedback).
Shawn Forde, St. George, Barbados

I am amazed that in your chart of the top most over-used words, that of "devastated" did not figure. It seems to me that people these days use it to describe the way they feel even in the most trivial of circumstances - surely it should only be employed in truly tragic and awful cases!
Michael Burling, Arles, France

I think Oxford Circus would be a great 360 degree place to photograph.
Janet Ford, London

Who told you it was 4 weeks? A bit of CSS and you're done... and before someone says "what does he know", I should point out I'm under the age of 25 and it qualifies me to know all about everything, according to my mum... Should you require my services.....
Dominic Lund-Conlon, Matlock, UK

"We also set objectives for the department as a whole for the coming year, so I wondered if you would like to suggest one that I can pass on to all the website staff?" How about (tongue-in-cheek) "get a new editor".
Kyle, Southampton, UK

Overused term? How about "held over" (as in "Man held over murder"). Try to picture the situation: there's a corpse on the ground and one cop says to the other "Right, you take the suspect's feet"!
Barry, Greenock, Scotland

I missed all the spectacular storms here in Blighty, I was down-under in Melbourne for a business trip. Thanks so much for publishing those lightening photos, they are incredible - especially the on where the ferry to Cherbourg gets hit.
Dougie Lawson, Basingstoke, UK

My word, 4 weeks to fix the font size of inline links?! I'm a web developer and I just did it myself on a local copy of one of your pages in no time at all! Granted you may have a complicated go live process which may cause changes to take a while to filter through from development to the live site, but four weeks is just taking the mickey big style! Sack them all!
Luke Bennett, Stratford upon Avon, UK

Suggest using the 360 degree camera to get a shot of the stage and crowd at Live 8 in London. The HMS Victory tour was definitely first rate.
Candace, New Jersey, US

For departmental objectives, I have a single word suggestion: Continue.
Robert Holbach, Treforest, Wales

I found it a shame that you didn't have the time to reflect upon this month's closure of the BBC Cult website.
Tim Porter, Bristol

This is terrible...you have killed prognosticate.com! I suppose it couldn't handle so much unexpected traffic. Maybe a congestion charge would help....
Phil B-C, Maidenhead, UK

To all the people who complain about over used words - get a life! I expect BBC reports to be short, concise and easy to understand, and the use of familiar words ensures that happens. How long would it be acceptable to delay a headline for while a suitable alternative to existing words is found? Don't be daft! Some people might lead such dull lives they relish reaching for a thesaurus just in order to understand the cricket scores, meanwhile I'm happy to let creativity stay with the creative and keep the news factual and to the point.
Pat B, London UK

I'm in total agreement with Alan Simpson regarding the size of the link text. However I am astounded it will take the BBC's web monkeys a month to administer a two second job. Email me the style sheet and I will endeavour to change the link text size from a 10 to a 12, or what ever it may be. Honestly I do despair - web/IT people can be so dramatic.
Joe Harps, London

I seem to hear and read the phrase "scientists say..." or "British scientists say..." and also "new research...". Invariably these phrases are followed by the latest health scare/environmental issue!
Karen White, York, England

How about sending the 360 camera to somewhere lovely and sunny, so we can take our minds off the British "summer" weather?!
Alix Blockley, London, UK

Seeing as my name has appeared on your column multiple times in recent weeks (most famously for my novel photo portraying 'climate change', but also for the set of photos of my son with various computers over the years), I feel ready to move into your shoes for a couple of weeks! Promise I wouldn't do anything too outrageous! My family can vouch that I am a BBC news website addict. They are also all geeks, with the younger son recently falling in love with RSS feeds and podcasts (as a 15 year-old he should have a life really!). Remember, you should hand the reins to a female to prove that not all editors and geeks are male.
Marion Burkimsher, Chevry, France

How about sending the 360 camera to somewhere lovely and sunny Alix Blockley, London, UK

How about sending the 360 camera to somewhere lovely and sunny, so we can take our minds off the British "summer" weather?!
Alix Blockley, London, UK

Overused word(s): at the end of the day. Boy oh boy - is that overused!
A Patterson, West London

I seem to hear and read the phrase "scientists say..." or "British scientists say..." and also "new research...". Invariably these phrases are followed by the latest health scare/environmental issue! Have a nice time.
Karen White, York, England

How about this chart-topping story: A new Survey says that Controversy Blasts an Historic Action that Backs Chaos theorists. According to a new study, "Shock On the ground" Boosts Controversial Earthquake Chaos theories, but the Historical grounds may need to be overturned.
Caryn, Sussex

I've got something you can pass on to your website staff - SPAG. Spelling, Punctuation And Grammar. Please can we have content that is spelt correctly, punctuated properly and makes grammatical sense. There are too many basic errors. Many thanks.
Mark, An Examinations Board Somewhere In Southern England

Pete - I enjoy reading your corner of the site every week. And, since Steve Jenkins pointed it out... erm, yes, you're a handsome bloke!
Silly American, Chicago, IL, USA

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