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

I only just found this conversation. I'm in two minds about the idea, but then it doesn't look as if something's going to happen anyway, does it?

Hello all,

Ahh...summertime...wasn't it great?!

Just a note to say we really would like to support this. Though we still don't have scope to develop polls and the like, we don't really think they're in the spirit of h2g2 anyway. We want, if possible, this to be a spur to get people to read and discuss Entries. And, of course, to write them!

We would be happy to give this 'official' backing - we'll definitely promote it on the front page and *may* be able to get the limited amount of development required for an on-site badge - but we'd certainly be able to offer the splendid h2g2 enamel badge and a T-shirt and button badge, to the author of Entry of the Month.

There are other things apart from the method of counting to be sorted out, though six7's suggestions look the most workable with the resources at our disposal. Do university Entries count, for example? But - we just wanted to say that we think we could experiment with this.

h2g2 Editors

Hi Eds. Thank you for bringing this one to life again.

While I appreciate that Six7s idea is the most easily incorporated, I've seen similar ideas (even with official backing) disappear into the background too frequently in the past. I can see it being 'big' for a couple of months and then just becoming another page that no-one bothers with.

If, and only if, an official badge were to be incorporated, I would be prepared to take over a large amount of admin (in exchange for my ailing Scouts badge):

1) A Post article on the last week of the month where I nominate my favourite Entries and allow people the opportunity to do the same.

2) A dedicated voting page, updated on the first week of the month, where people can easily get links to nominated entries and vote for them in fora.

3) A brief Post article announcing each month's winner.

I desperately think that, for the idea to have any status, an official badge should be created for either the author's PS or - preferably - the Entry itself. Surely it wouldn't be a mammoth task for Mr Lynn to change the database so that EoTMs would get a special category (for searches and suchlike) to themselves.

B

Thanks for this, MB - it's really helpful feedback. We're going to see what we can come up with and will get back to you as soon as we can.

I very much like the idea of a badge for the entry itself.

Yes, so do I.

Me, too

Emmily

In that case, there'll be some goodies (as mentioned in Post 42) going spare.

I wonder who might want those...

B

And, to add a Tim Vine joke:

"Volunteering? I wouldn't do it if you paid me"

B

Sounds good!

Seems to me that if there's going to be badge, it would be nice to put it on the author's PS too.

My thought is that this might start to look a bit silly if an author wins two or more EoTMs.

B

Yes, I prefer the idea of a badge being on the entry, not on the author's PS - just imagine how many badges you'd otherwise need for a collaborative entry

I was thinking of just one badge, regardless of how many times the author achieved it. I take your point though.

I would write more if I felt that entries weren't just going to be incorporated into the amorphous mass that is the Guide, so the idea of badging especially worthy entries and/or authors gets my vote.

I realise the Guide isn't a competition, but we all have a competitive nature after all.

Any more thoughts on this front? Especially now the Front Page is being utilised for new and old Entries?

An Entry of the Month from the past will highlight old Entries, reinvigorate writers into updating (by finding a possible Entry of the Month and thinking 'hang on, this is pants, I'll update it' and generally provoking more readership/authorship.

As far as the badge thing goes, I think a badge on the Entry itself is the way to go.

I like the idea. Anything to encourage people to write more for the Guide.

Yes, if people think a badge is really needed, it should be on the entry.

'We're going to see what we can come up with and will get back to you as soon as we can.'



Carnduncan, pull ya finger oot!

OK then. Say we've got a badge. What now?

Is it October already?!!

Well, going by post 43, I guess the next step is to hope tha B is still up to helping out.