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

The introduction to the Guide is supposed to go like this:

"Space," it's supposed to say, "is big. Really big. I mean you just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. You may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space. Listen..." and so on.

Eventually the style is supposed to settle down a bit and start to tell you things you really need to know, like the fact that far off in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western spiral arm of the Galaxy, lies a small unreguarded yellow sun, and that orbiting this is a little blue-green planet whose lifeforms are so amazingly primitive, that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea, and that this planet is the subject matter for this book, the Earth-bound Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or the Hitchhiker's Guide to Earth.

But what's here is all wrong, and I don't think we, as respectable towel-carrying interstellar hitchhikers, should stand for it.

LATER:

Also, the example links in the tour should be to "the Ultimate Answer", "God's Final Message to His Creation", and "Future Perfect," in order to make shure everybody knows them.

Ah, but this is the Earth edition of the Guide - Ford's version wouldn't have been the Earth edition, presumably it would have been the Small Planet Somewhere In The Vicinity Of Betelgeuse version. That's why the introduction is different.

Mind you, that doesn't explain this: A18541

My argument still stands. Ford Prefect didn't have "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Beetleguise Five," he had "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

Since this is the only Guide that exists in this particular slice of the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash, it is still a version of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," and thus, like all the other versions in different dimensions, even when Earth was replaced by NowWhat, and should have the same introduction.

P.S. The Mostly Harmless bit was totally froody!

My argument still stands. Ford Prefect didn't have "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Beetleguise Five," he had "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

Since this is the only Guide that exists in this particular slice of the Whole Sort of General Mish Mash, it is still a version of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," and thus, like all the other versions in different dimensions, even when Earth was replaced by NowWhat, should have the same introduction.

P.S. The Mostly Harmless bit was totally froody!

Oops, it got posted twice!

I suppose, in the end, it's down to the editor. Unfortunately, the editor who decided on the introduction to this version of the guide has popped out for a ham croissant, and won't be back for several years.

You mean the guy with the little sign on his desk, saying "MISSING, PRESUMED FED?"

Gandark

Exactly.

I just changed my nickname to Nerd 42, which is my alias elsewhere on the 'Net, a couple minutes ago. I'm really suprised that it wasn't taken.

I still think the first page of the intro should be changed, and the example articles.

Nerd42

Excuse me,

Gandark
was changed to
Nerd42

And in the book earth no longer exists, OK so Ive yet to read the next book, do we return in some unimprobable ? Well I'll have to find out, meanwhile Ill continue to enjoy this place as it is....untill it changes....

The correct introduction to the Guide is quite definately and definativily discussed somewhere in the first half of the third book in the Douglas Adams "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series of novels, the book in question being entittled: "Life, the Universe, and Everything" which I think makes it even more appropriate for H2G2's introduction, or in other words they should start off the same, and start the technical "how to use this website" stuff somewhere after that, and even then, the entries linked to as examples should point to the Ultimate Answer (forty-two) the Earth (mostly harmless) Milliways (the restaraunt at the end of the universe) and Future Perfect.

All this is to make sure any newbies know all these facts because they won't understand a lot of stuff about H2G2 unless they know them. If you people cannot find those entries I mentioned in H2G2 (they all have their own entries, though they're all un-edited for some reason) then I can give you their numbers, though it would take a bit of work, and I'd have to do it on MY OWN PC instead of the stupid Mac I am reduced to using normally, due to the total incompitence of the world.

Nerd42

Oh, and I found the name of that out-to-lunch editor: Lig Lury Jr.

I really am trying to get over my bad habit of posting several times instead of saying it all in one. Really.

Nerd42

I know and remember the entry and its a little hand held device and wattisname gets the guy to lay in the mud and the part where the missile is about to get them was very cool, still....earth does not exist any more....see ... we are not here. Oh , did I mention you won me over? Lets start a petition... is that acceptable eddicate ? Did I spell edicate correct? Lets start a pettition....

I'm all for starting a petition, and not shutting up until they relent! How do I (or we, if you're helping) get started?

Also, if the Earth really HAS been demolished in the Real World, then what are we currently standing on?

Nerd42

One never knows what one will find in a plural zone...

Very true. Here are two other things nobody knows:

1. the trouble Marvin's seen (a joke on the song "nobody knows the trouble I've seen")
2. what will happen when you use the Infinate Improbability Drive.

By the way, hitchhikers, check out this article I wrote only two minutes ago: A853102

Eh... Nerd42 - have you read Douglas Adams' welcome message?

<./>Welcome-DNA</.>

Hi Nerd 42

I am Abi and I am a member of the inhouse Editorial Team. When Douglas set up h2g2, he wanted people to make a real Guide to Earth - his welcome message says 'And here is the idea: to make a Guide which is created and compiled by the people who use it. Real people, in real time.'

Douglas wanted h2g2 to be about real life, rather then the fictional universe he created. He looked forward to a time when people would use h2g2 as the ultimate travel guide, constantly updated and written by the people who know best. He didn't want h2g2 to be a fan site, but a practical guide to life today.

I hope that explains why h2g2 differs from the way the Guide is portrayed in the books.

Incidentally, you should not quote wholesale from Douglas's books or any other published works as this is technically a breach of copyright, which is against the House Rules. You can find out more about copyright on h2g2 and other BBC communities at http://www.bbc.co.uk/copyright

Hope that helps

Abi