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

It sounds to me like the BBC has taken all the great ideas and formats that h2g2 developed, adopted them for its own benefit and is now going to "reassign" the staff - is this the next step into letting h2g2 slide into mediocrity?

I have always trusted the italics to do the right thing - but, in this case, I wonder whether they can help....

Worried .....

My thoughts (and hopes) are with them ...

One could see this as a backhanded compliment. You have done such a good job developing h2g2 that BBCi is desperate to make full use of the editorial team's talent in other, less successful, areas of the website.

However, whatever the bureaucratic reasons behind this decision, those that will no longer be directly involved with h2g2 on an official basis will be greatly missed, and i hope they continue to enjoy the site as researchers.

I shall wait to see the out come of this before making further comment, but wish everbody the best of luck.

Mort

PS - bet this means they will be putting the license fee up too, the wee *******.

"those that will no longer be directly involved with h2g2 on an official basis will be greatly missed, and i hope they continue to enjoy the site as researchers."

I would like to echo those sentiments.

"bet this means they will be putting the license fee up too"

If paying a bit more lecense fee means hootoo and BBCi are more secure then I am all for it.!

"those that will no longer be directly involved with h2g2 on an official basis will be greatly missed, and i hope they continue to enjoy the site as researchers."

I would like to echo those sentiments.

"bet this means they will be putting the license fee up too"

If paying a bit more lecense fee means hootoo and BBCi are more secure then I am all for it.!

...just when I was beginning to like the BBC.

Same here, Jodan!

There are certain researchers who thought that the day Auntie took over the site was the beginning of the end - I wasn't around here at the time, though, but I'm starting to believe they had a valid point.

Please, BBC, don't ruin it!

I am looking on the changes as meaning that we have shown that we are an exisiting community that is sensible enough to be allowed to get on with things by ourselves.

Look at the changes over the last couple of years: we are now allowed to post links to outside sites; there is less moderation, generally and we aren't such a bad bunch after all.

The BBC for all their faults, saved h2g2 from going the same way as many other dot com compainies, - down the pan. If they hadn't come in there wouldn't be an h2g2 and wouldn't have been for years.

In the end, I could care less about the Guide when compared to the worry of our employed italics friends who have mortgages, kids, etc. etc. etc. to worry about, on top of being compelled to be at their brilliant, creative best in figuring out not only how to make do with (a lot!) less but how to make it better!

I have a bad feeling about this.

A staff of 2? Including the producer?

Agreed. Let's hope Auntie continues to do the right thing ... and let's assure all the Italics of our support, and appreciation of what they've achieved to date.

Have fun 'discussing the coming changes' and I hope they make them changes for the good of the community and the site. Anything else would be a blow to h2g2, we lost a fair few researchers during Rupert and if things did change for the worse we'd probably lose some more 'old hands'

From the looks of the announcement some of our 'hardened' staff are going to take their expertise elsewhere on the BBC

Good luck to those who go but I have a feeling that those that stay may need it more

Mel

I remember hearing in the news recently that the whole of the BBC web sites would be going under Review, to see if it is up to scratch.

Based on my experiences of posting to the various message boards, they are not "up to scratch".

Perhaps they are worried that when the review is through, the web-based BBC site would basically lose a lot of money on the whole.

Perhaps the thinking is that it is better in the long run that the talents of the h2g2 staff are distributed in an effort to make the whole better, and keep the money (or even get more money) currently reserved for h2g2, than to keep all the staff who are working for h2g2 there, and the rest of the web site be deemed "not up to scratch" and lose money.

Perhaps, while this is not ideal, it is for the best in the long run

I just hope we can get through these slightly worrying times

h2g2 is a strong site with a strong community, I don't think the BBC 'saved' it as such.

But it makes sense that they may just leave us be - after all, we are one of the oldest, if not the oldest, BBC online community.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F19585?thread=314930 :)

I am relativly new.... what is/was "Rupert"?

Rupert is the tenth planet in the solar system - however, I suggest you read Mostly Harmless for a further explanation

Lo, she [Jowell] hath become death. Destroyer of virtual worlds.

Rupert on h2g2 - see article in here: <./>A521920</.>