h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi FM
I've read your offsite blogs about h2g2 http://straightfromthehorsesarse.blogspot.com/2009/04/hitchhikers-guide-to-bugger-all.html and there are some things I would like to refute:

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Just this month, you missed A49292779. Earlier this year: A46273430. I think the only entries Skankyrich writes now are his travel guides and history of the places he visits; A19441613, A27771348, if you're interested! My own field research A37879285 has garnered no comments whatsoever, although it did prompt the further writing of A40513312 which hopefully will be useful for anyone ever visiting my neck of the woods.

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That in particular I feel is a pop at me; which is unfair considering how much time of the past 9 years I have devoted to the site - both as an author, Scout, sub-ed and now Curator as well. Perhaps the constellation project (88 plus the overview) was formulaic, but each entry was different and they do have some quite brilliant artwork eg A41684457.

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'Writing By Numbers':
Your "Blue - the Pigment of the Chemist's Imagination" entry - which I link to every time I use the word "blue" - inspired me to write A20218718 (Green) A28768152 (Pink) and the collaborate A42694671 Yellow (the artistic BLOB on that was created by an 8-year-old girl) was put together by me. You inspired those because I loved your blue entry; even though I'm not a chemist it is understandable to the layman. I don't get the connection between each entry which inspires me (and others) to write other entries, being 'writing by numbers'.

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Who is competing with Wikipedia? I have this going through PR - A49782883 which is unique on the Web, because I MADE IT UP!
Wiki (nor IMDb) didn't help me when I was writing this musical bio: A49713375 - I was asked a question in PR that I couldn't find out the answer for on the entire web. So I went along to my library and scoured the birth, death and marriage records until I found out the maiden name of his first wife, then came back home and added it to my entry, delighting the person who asked me the original question.

Secondly: Evolve or die. H2g2 needs to rediscover its distinctive voice. Stop trying to be all things to all people. There is a niche for a comprehensive online publication that encourages opinionated, spiky writing about real world experience. Ordinary people like to know what others actually think about places, people, films, art galleries, visitor attractions and the suchlike. H2g2 ought to make an attempt to reach out to readers who would not otherwise have given it a second glance. It can achieve this goal simply by developing a sense of audience beyond its current catchment.>>
I think I've already answered that, you can click on the navigation banner in my Cleethorpes entries to find the best visitor attractions in Cleethorpes, all written and photographed by me. As for attracting new writers, I'm exasperated at the thought of how anyone not knowing h2g2 - reading your blog - would be inspired to drop in, read, sign up and stay. I certainly wouldn't!

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OK on my PS it says Douglas Adams inspired me to write. But I don't think I write like him, or even try to ape his style. A49254627 is the only entry I have pending, I'll leave that for you to judge whether it compares favourably with the current trend or not.

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I have no idea why you post 'community' in inverted commas as if the word is something offensive. The community here is h2g2's biggest strength. Witness the recent journal of Ivan, whose posts about the wildfires in Australia made it all seem much more real to us shivering in Blighty than anything we could witness on the news: you will require an exceedingly large vat of coffee to keep you going as you wade through this: F1697644?thread=6308208

However I have no wish to keep disagreeing with you - indeed I would not have responded to your blog at all if I'd thought you were a troll, which I know you aren't. We were never 'friends' but I did have respect for you as a fellow researcher and you have a legacy here whether you realise it or not, with the entries you left behind. I just checked your blog and this: <> makes me wonder why you bothered to write that, as if you're just trying to alienate everyone who is part of this community. DD enjoyed writing that and there were people who enjoyed reading it, the PR thread even brought Jimster out of hibernation!

According to your PS you haven't posted here since 2008, but I know you're lurking the Front Page so I hope you notice this. I hope you recover well from your operation.

Kind regards,

Annie aka Galaxy Babe

GB:
I cannot respond to this message under my old identity (FM) as I have deleted that account: I have only created this identity so I can respond to your posting. You've obviously taken a lot of time over it and I don't want to seem rude by ignoring it.

Now, if you want to take this discussion up with me, then I would be more than happy to do so, preferably by email. I will post my email address to my (new) home page. I don't bite, and we will hopefully have a measured, considerate discussion about these issues out of the limelight.

Regards
Clyde (aka FM)

I note that the link 'h2g2 in the Blogosphere' has now disappeared off the Front Page. Funny, that .