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

>>"The earliest reference found was one in the Daily Mail (London) on 20 June, 2000. "

No, it was earlier than that. The first reference as far as I am aware was in the Guardian in the latter part of 1999, which is where I first heard about it. If you look here: A1157997 you'll see a big spike in new users in April when it was launched on Tomorrows World, and an even bigger spike in September 1999, with some smaller ones in October.

I do have the original article somewhere and I'll try and find in, but I recall Jack Schofield naming h2g2 as one of his favourites in about September/October 1999 and there are a few spikes there to account for people signing up after reading about it.

I've kicked myself ever since, because if I'd signed up when I read it, I'd have a 5 digit user number. But I lurked for a few months instead. I'll keep looking for the newspaper clipping and the date on it, I know I still have it.

Hi coelacanth.

I meant the earliest specific reference to a Guide Entry.

I've just looked up a few old Guardian articles - do any sound familiar?

'Arts: Take me to your viewer', January 15, 1998:

"...The Adams family is now beavering away at an 'insanely ambitious' Internet -based information and entertainment service called H2G2, based on the electronic handbook that gave its name to The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy. But for the past year and a half he's spent most of his time on a computer program called Starship Titanic, a beautifully detailed puzzle -solving game that immerses the player in a virtual starliner with the wildly inaccurate slogan The Ship That Cannot Possibly Go Wrong..."

'Web Watch', Oct 7 1999:

"Billed as the Earth Edition of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. www.h2g2.com has been authorised by Douglas Adams but is filling up with content from the people who actually use it. It functions like the guide from the radio series, is fully searchable and even has the 'don't panic' button. It is a witty andplayful encyclopaedia that renders contemporary history as if it was part of the ancient past. Bookmark it as soon as possible - you never know when the Vogons will decide to build their next intergalactic bypass. Take the test"

And 'Arthur Dent makes mobile impact', Dec 17, 1999:

"...Douglas Adams, author of the cult 1970s series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, has launched an online guide to life, the universe and everything, which users will be able to access on the move anywhere in the world. He has also held talks with mobile phone manufacturers about building a tailored device which would be branded the Hitchhiker's Guide...Mobile phone users will be able to connect to Mr Adams' website h2g2.com and access alternative facts on places and people or tips and advice on subjects ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to latex clothing."

I hadn't mentioned the latex and IBS entries in this list - maybe I should do that (and research a few more of these older references)

Icy

The first post-launch reference I can find is this TV review of Tomorrow's World in the Bath Chronicle (aka 'the Chronic'), April 29, 1999:

"...Douglas Adams, of Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy fame, appeared and asked more viewers to contribute information to a new H2G2 (acronym, geddit?) site which will be full of live, dynamic information on the world and everything. Presenters Peter Snow and Philippa Forester went back to him later in the show to catch up on the progress of this new, exciting, dynamic, futuristic information location and . . . don't tell me, you've guessed already. Overload, the site had gone down. The future's wired man, isn't it?"

I'm saying nothing

Yes, it was the 'Web Watch', Oct 7 1999 article that I saw and began to lurk although I didn't register for a while. The article also mentioned http://www.aldaily.com/ which is still my home page today.

I wrote up Jim Lynn's account of launch day here: A587892 He said that although the site had gone down, they had anticipated that it might and left a screen looking at a conversation from earlier in the day.