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

This site had already raised my blood pressure! If you tell people to press the button labelled 'register' then give them a button labelled 'register' not one labelled 'create my membership' or whatever you've changed it to. Similarly if you direct them to a button called 'discuss' then don't label it 'start a new conversation'. We're not psychic.

Traveller in Time on his head
" < <./>DontPanic</.> >

It is just this site is too complex to say it in one sentence. There are on this site four alternatives to view your 'Personal Space', each with another placed or labeled button for the same purpose.
< U2252977?skin=classic > 'Discuss this Entry'
< U2252977?skin=alabaster > 'Discuss this Entry'
< U2252977?skin=plain > 'Discuss this Entry'
< U2252977?skin=brunel > 'Leave a Message'

After you accepted some minor inaccuracies you will get used to it. The alternative would be an incomprehexible mess of alternatives in the help files.

Your remark about the 'Single Sign On' registration system is more valid as even our sister sites use the same buttons and text.

< <./>/dna/collective/U2252977</.> >
< <./>/dna/hub/U2252977</.> >
"

What the previous poster (TT) has given you are links to the 3 official 'skins' (or background designs/layouts) for the site plus a bonus low graphics skin called plain.

Originally the site was mainly Edited Guide Entries, with very few community activities - so 'discuss this entry' was the right way to encourage a response to the articles.

As the site has grown the need for greater functionality also grew. So new 'skins' were created.

The community side that hangs off the Edited Guide also exploded in popularity and so 'discuss this entry' didn't fit anymore.

The latest 'skin' is Brunel. This has the benefit of being extremely user friendly and is also the skin that gets ongoing improvements and new features. It also has the button corrected to say 'leave a message' to reduce the confusion you experienced!!

The old skins are still available as people got used to them and liked them. But it is unlikely that too much time will be spent updating them, when the time can be spent on working on more new features for the currently recommended skin.

Not sure whether that helps clear things up a bit or not, but there is reason behind the apparent madness

Hi egranny,

Sorry you've been having problems with the site. As our other members have mentioned, there are so many things on h2g2 that it takes a long time to get used to it all, but the good thing is you can always work at your own speed, and there are plenty of people to ask for help.

One of our volunteers has left you a message on your Personal Space (click this link to find the message: F2691800?thread=1222348). You'll find a lot of the answers you need are there.

Best wishes,

Jimster
(one of the in-house team-members)