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

My name would be far too easy. A spork and a key.

So many conversations, so little time to respond

Well, that's the problem with h2g2 - isn't it?

Sometimes, when your usual conversations are slow, you go hunting for new ones - and then one day you discover ALL of your conversations have been busy, forcing you to wade through 3 MP-pages just to find the last time you posted anything yourself!

The naming of CLI bots:

Ampton - named by Affi. Etymology unknown. Ampton is the chief factotum, lab assistant, stand-in pilot and break dancer. Rather small, purple, has a head shaped like a boombox.

Chesworth - head of security. You can see a picture of Chesworth at http://www.asterlil.com/h2g2/CLI.htm . I don't know where the name came from.

Minoova - no longer in commission, Minoova was my first maidbot. Garius did the external finish and, in a whim of masculine aesthetic, gave her the classic French maid look. It wasn't but a few weeks before a researcher hijacked her identity, registered it, and began acting out his own dark intentions. Most annoying, as he had not adequately researched Matina's personality, and she began behaving quite out of character. At my request, Garius and Affi reluctantly took her back down to the labs.

Matina - current maidbot, name thought up by Odradek. Matina wears native Greek costume, at my insistence -- comfortable for her, if bots can be aware of such a thing, and unlikely to cause disturbances in male hormones, unless the man has oedipal tendencies.

Chloe - maid-of-all-work-bot, named by Affi. Practically transparent, made of translucite, she glows green when she moves within the range of an electromagnetic field or one of Munchkin's waistcoats. She lives in the linen closet, over the contents of which she presides, and where she likes to do watercolours.

We also have a gardenerbot, but I don't know his name. He never speaks. And there are lots of securibots, the tall slender ones, and workbots, too.

Calling cards - you know... []

I think this is the only place I've found so far where calling cards are usually used for:

- I need to check backlog from *here* to [here]
- or I have checked backlog up until [here] will be back later
- or I'm too busy to post right [now], but will be back later

I'm growing pretty tired of conversations, or rather, attempts to keep up conversations, when the only thing that people respond with are smilies, giggles, burps and YAYs...

Is this an age thing?

Titania, I would like to think it's an intelligence thing. We have our share of play here, but I hate to see all what you mentioned fill up whole LED's. The bookmark is civilised and versatile, as you describe.

Not bookmark, calling card.

Intelligence thing? Sounds flattering...

...but it annoys me that even when I spell it out to them, they just don't get it, do they? <./>F65289?thread=106849&post=1731735#p1731735</.>

[]

busy, busy.... *sigh*

Nice little potted history of the bots there.

I don't use any bots up in the Space Station, but I do have a number of CompliGrams - identical copies of me, more advanced than clones. PCT1 (and old model, out of commission), PCT2 (taken over by the Morphs and destroyed in a clash between dimensions), PCT3 (who takes over for me when I'm not in San Beta) and PCT4 (who's just around and about doing various things).

T, I know that some conversations can degrade dreadfully to the use of smileys and inapropriate verbs, but I can't remain in intelligent conversation all the time!

[BB]

Presents his calling card and regrets he doesn't have the time to stay.

Amen to that last part, Prof.

I'm not sure why this subject came up, but criticism of the quality of Atelier postings seems to crop up now and again. I can't speak for everybody but somedays there's too much going on to encapsulate in x-amount of paragraphs without it becoming a long unmanageable ramble, so sometimes it's just best to post fluff (read: jokes, smileys, etc.).

Sorry if that breaks someone's idea of netiquette.

Calling cards are the only way that you can polietly say "Yes I am here but for various reasons am unable to contribute to the conversation at hand, please await my return and I hope to more fully contribute to the discourse." The use of the calling card here is one of many reasons that I still make time to visit the atelier on a daily basis. I have seen my own creation, the CotTB disolve into the muck that corrupts much of the fora on teh guide. The Atelier is my refuge from teh baser elements I guess.

[Amy] - I'm excused posting. I've got a note.

the atelier's conversation is being criticized?! certainly not by salonistas. anyone who spends time here understands that sometimes, the b*log takes up all your posting time!

That is a fabulous drawing Lil, I like it a lot. Did you say you drew Titania's name badge? What did that look like?

The "baser elements"??

Jeez, Marv! Doesn't that describe everyone you know? Including me?

*wonders when the high horse was sat upon*

Frankly, sometimes the smiley is appropriate, but yes, I agree that sometimes iconography replaces real conversation....

On that note, my grandmother's official diagnosis is something something something glumonephritis type II. It is apparently very rare (6 in 100 thou), and is supposed to hit you before you're 50. So my grandmother's kidney disease is just another piece of proof that my family is all a bunch of genetic FREAKS!!! But the good news is that although she is not a candidate for transplant, because she's 80 and just had a mastectomy, she is perfectly suited for dialysis, which apparently can manage the disease quite well for up to 10 years. So if she decides to do dialysis, which is a big if, she could be around a long time. My cousin and I are getting in touch with everyone, and we are planning a huge bash for her birthday this summer....get everyone together and just play. She'll say she hates all the attention, but it will make her day.

Someone asked about the BLM --that's Bureau of Land Management. Out west, it's the folks who actually get stuff done. Parks and Rec has no money, and the forest Service is in court too often!

Marv, did you notice the US sweep of the halfpipe? We are tied for first in the medal run....and I hate winter sports.

I did notice about the US sweep of the half pipe but I just have to say one thing. I HATE SNOW! sorry had to get that off my chest. I really feel like I should try to see something olympicy but I just cannot get into the mood to do so. I feel as the only active Utah researcher that I should ast lest try to write something about it but I just cannot bring myself to go to any of the games since I did not get any hockey tickets.

Yeah, and where were you going to get the money for that? FG told me the prices...yeeeouch!!!!

I just tore into a bunch of folk discussing American faults. FG was doing a valiant effort, but I read some of the stuff posted after she wrote last, and I just wanted to rip someone a new one. Pot calling the kettle black sorts of things. Okay, the government isn't perfect, and we all know it. Does that mean we must be ashamed of being americans? Frankly, given the conditions in other countries, I am feeling rather blessed!

No offense meant. Just needed to say it. And Loony, dear, it's not directed at you. You're in NZ....