Random Ramblings
Created | Updated May 14, 2007
When you're reading this, I'll have been to the h2g2 London meet, which will have taken place on Saturday 28th April 2007, hootoo's 8th birthday1. At the time of writing, this very event is still three days in the future, so I can't tell you anything about it yet. I'm sure, though, that a great time will have been had2 by all.
But I can tell you about something just as exciting:
Did you read The Post's editorial last time? If so, you may have noticed the announcement of the h2g2 AViators3.
Oh, no, yet another volunteer scheme, I hear you cry, rolling your eyes! Oh yes, yet another one. The idea for this one was there long before the h2g2 Photographers sprang into life. In fact, the Photographers group was based on the idea of the AViators. This is how it came about:
Back then, people thought that it would be great to add audio-visual content to Edited Guide Entries. Smij, who was one of the editors at the time, set up a homepage, and ideas were collected. Alas, for the well-known reasons of lacking staff, lacking time and lacking money for new ideas, plus the uncertainty of the legal status of it all, nothing happened for a few months.
Then, all of a sudden, the h2g2 Photographer scheme was created, with Galaxy Babe setting up a forum for the group on Yahoo, and many Researchers joining it. It didn't take long before the first Edited Entries had a nice photo added.
And what about the AViators? Nothing happened for a long time. But then Skankyrich spent a holiday in The Gambia, came back and wrote some wonderful Entries about the country and its people.
One day, he wondered if it would be okay to link to a video clip about fishing in The Gambia, which he had published on YouTube. He posted a question in h2g2 Feedback and after an OK from the eds, he set up a group forum in Yahoo. Soon the first interested Researchers signed up as members, and ideas where discussed and their outcome published on YouTube. Since the very first
flurry of activity, it has gone a bit quiet again, but we got the ball rolling and are looking forward to an immense input of Researchers.
So what are you waiting for? Get your digicam out and join the group!
