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

We're pleased to announce the launch of a new DNA community - Collective.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/

If you're interested in new albums, films, events, books and would like to make a recommendation of your own, or join in the discussions, they will be more than happy to see you. The Collective community is focussed on new stuff rather than retro sounds, so if you're a big fan of Wham!, keep it on h2g2!

You can find out more about the Collective by reading this page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/about

Please do try to stay on topic if you're posting on Collective because it'll help newcomers to understand the aim of the site - topic drift is so much more confusing and obvious in a new community. We'd also like to ask you not to refer to h2g2 or h2g2 clubs when posting, as we'd like the Collective to be given the opportunity to develop its own distinct community and identity, rather than become an annexe of h2g2. So if you do go over there, pretend you've never heard of h2g2 and act Collective!

You'll see that the look, style and even the functionality of collective isn't the same as the other DNA communities (for instance, they've chosen not to have a Who's Online tool). That's totally deliberate, as they're hoping to set a different vibe within their community. So please don't point out to them that it isn't the same as h2g2 - vive la difference!

The Collective Editors are enthusiastic about taking care of all things Collective themselves, so we've asked the Aces and Gurus *not* to Ace or Guru on their site. In time they might set up some volunteer schemes of their own, although they'll almost certainly have different jobs and different names. Right now though, the Editors are looking forward to the opportunity of interacting with their own members, so they get a feel for how their own site is developing.

The collective team have set up a feedback forum at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/feedback so if you have any questions about the site post them there and the Editors will get back to you with a response.

Groovy.

i liked the "vive la difference" bit... hehe...

no seriously that sounds great...

loup

...and they've got some funny 'square' smileys as well

So if 10000 people with low U-numbers appeared on Collective and each individually recommended the HHGTTG DVD... that would be frowned upon, right?

Oooh... I checked it out when it first went live and I'm definately doing some more exploring... quite .

*very deep sigh*

I was just about to post my first message there - when my compter spotainiously resetted itself.

I think I want to cry. *bangs head on desk repeatedly*

But it does look very good - can't wait to spend some time there.

Cool skin too. - More like that please Towers

*puts pillow on desk so he won't do himself a damage*

There there Clive, it's obviously Zarquon's way of telling you not to.

Groovy skin

They don't seem to support all the smileys though, like and f'rinstance. Is that deliberate or will they be appearing later?

Can't wait to check out the content and see how it develops

It's interesting in the wake of the DNA hub going live and the advice for other budding DNA site editors how the basic structures that underpin this community are applied to other arenas (outside of the 360 and Sense of Place projects.)

For instance the House Rules got a tweak. It is now 4 strikes and your are out.

Yeah I'd spotted the <> smileys not transfered. and I'm not totally convinved by the sqaure versions - looks just plain weird but you get used to it I suppose.

Thank you for the pillow 'manda.

If you are right E.V and it is Zarquon that delights in tormenting me through technology - I want his address.

Personally I think the computer gremlins are in league with the f-up

The square smileys are in their own way, but the animated blob on my U-page breaks on the grey background...

Just posted my first reccomendation.

he-heh - not that I'm turning my back on hootoo (yikes - never!)- but I think I prefer the more ..personal style you can employ in that situation than I have even attempted in a Guide Entry.

I like that recomendations idea too. There was mention of books here somewhere, could someone tell me where the book section of the site is as i couldn't find it.

I think I'm going to use the site occasionally
for recommending new books and films that I
have enjoyed.

The ever-present Frankie Roberto posted this link in answer to a query about book reccomendations. It appears to not have a separate category like music and films do (an ommission in my opinion, seeing as books surely out-number both! ) but here you go:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/C973

Clive

Whao

That was scary! All blue and white and brown like the flag of India for crysakes! All that's missing is the big wheel thingy in the middle of the flag - but I could feel it spinning, off.

And wassat link called "help fags" doing there?

I tried 'my space' and my h2g2 homepage came up in blue and white and brown but it got all crumpled and zitted and de-smilied. I don't know which was worse, the presumption that I would use the same homespace in that realm (I guess ya havta register as someone else and that's a problem for me - I yam who I yam!) because it's impossible to create a homepage that's compatible on all the DNA sites, even the three skinned hootoo. ...Or, the fact that crushing and crumpling my homepage makes me feel jostled, bruised and unwanted.

Well full points to them for honesty. They say they don't wanna hear about Les Brown and his Band of Renown. Or Charlie Parker. Or Donovan. Well, fair dues, I won't mention anything ...friggem I say!

There, is that what they wanted me to say?


~jwf~

Check my user space here and on collective - seems fine to me. I just included the bit about me, and left out the h2g2 stuff by using the tag.

re: post 12, it's not just a case of "<>" smileys not being transferred; some of the non-<> codes are still being parsed and ignored, as when I typed (without spaces) ": - /" in a posting it showed up as "< erm >"...