This page contains information on setting up an account and getting started on h2g2, as well as guidance and rules on contributing to Conversations and on-site. If you have any sign in problems, please email [email protected]. If you have any questions that aren't addressed here then please send them to us via our Feedback pages.

Contents

1. Why should I register an account on h2g2?

2. How do I register with h2g2?

3. How do I change my password?

4. I've lost my password. How can I retrieve it?

5. I've changed my email address. How do I change my details to reflect that?

6. How do I delete my account?

7. I don't want to write for h2g2, but can I still join in with Conversations?

8. How does moderation on h2g2 work?

9. Can I swear on h2g2?

10. What happens to non-English content?

11. What if I disagree with a Moderator's judgement?

12. What is pre-moderation?

13. Will my nickname be moderated?

14. What is the difference between my username and my Display name?

15. What is H2G2's policy on privacy?

16. Can I register with h2g2 if I am under 16?

1. Why should I register an account on h2g2?

Anyone can read the content on h2g2, and in fact a great many people browse the site without ever taking the plunge and signing in. What's different is that when you register an account with us can you add your voice to those Conversations and start creating Entries of your own. Once you sign in to h2g2 you become one of our many Researchers and will also get your own Personal Space. This is your own personalised page for you to keep track of all your Conversations and activities onsite and to use as a hub to stay in touch with all the other h2g2 Researchers you have made friends with.

Your registration details and contributions are covered by the h2g2 House Rules and Privacy Policy. Please read through this regularly to keep your knowledge up to date.

2. How do I register with h2g2?

To register simply click on 'Sign in' at the top of any h2g2 page, and follow the instructions. If you are having difficulties, please email our volunteers at [email protected].

3. How do I change my password?

You can change your password by clicking on 'Settings' at the top of the page. From here you can click on 'Change your password'.

4. I've lost my password. How can I retrieve it?

We do not have access to passwords, but if you get your password wrong click 'Forgot your password?' and you will be asked for your username or email address. Enter this and click 'Continue'. You will then be sent an email with your username and instructions on how to create a new password.

5 I've changed my email address. How do I change my details to reflect that?

Sign in and click on 'Settings' at the top of the page. You can change your email address from here.

6. How do I delete my account?

To delete your account, sign in and click on 'Settings' at the top of the page. You can delete your account by clicking on the red DELETE button at the bottom of the page. Please note we will not remove your Entries or any postings you might have made, unless they break the House Rules.

7. I don't want to write for h2g2, but can I still join in with Conversations?

Of course. Although a lot of the activity on h2g2 revolves around the writing and editing of Entries, there are plenty of other things you can do to participate. The h2g2 community is a bright and friendly one, and many of our users devote the time they spend on the site to talking to each other, rather than creating and collaborating on Entries. The best place to look for these more general Conversations is among our Forums, which include Ask H2G2, SEx - Science Explained, Games Room and Miscellaneous Chat - see our Forum FAQs for more detail on these.

You can find lots more places to chat on-site, and you can leave messages for other users on their Personal Spaces (just click on their display names wherever they appear onsite to go to their Personal Space and click on LEAVE A MESSAGE in the 'Latest Messages' box). Remember, anyone can read the Conversations on h2g2, but you have to register and sign in to reply or post messages yourself. And, who knows, once you are comfortable with the community and the way the site works, you might be tempted to start writing an Entry of your own (for more information on doing this see our Entry FAQs).

8. How does the moderation on h2g2 work?

The content on h2g2 is reactively moderated. This means that the volunteer Moderators do not read all of the content on H2G2, but rely instead on the Community to alert them to any content that breaks the House Rules. You can do this by clicking on the right-hand column on Entries. On Conversation posts you can alert us to anything potentially offensive by clicking on the 'Complain about this post' exclamation mark. The Moderators read the complaints and will act accordingly - but only content that is deemed to break the House Rules will be removed. In some very specific cases the Moderators will edit content to fit the House Rules, for example by removing personal details, or unsuitable or broken links. If you have a piece of content edited or failed by a Moderator, you will be emailed with an explanation of which rule has been broken.

It is important that h2g2 doesn't publish anything that is unlawful, obscene, offensive or any other material that breaks the House Rules. Please make sure you read them before contributing to h2g2.

9. Can I swear on H2G2?

H2G2 has never allowed hardcore swearing. Occasionally it may be allowed (for example, quoting a poem for the purposes of writing a critique), but in general we prefer our Reserachers to remain polite and friendly. Swearing that is referred to the Moderators is usually removed.

10. What happens to non-English content?

As h2g2 is a UK-based site we ask that contributions are written in English. Where appropriate, foreign language words and phrases can be used, but only if an accurate translation is provided when the meaning is not obvious. The Moderators cannot moderate content that is not in English so whole messages written in any other language will break the House Rules and be failed.

11. What if I disagree with a Moderator's judgement?

Moderation decisions are usually final and cannot be appealed unless exceptional circumstances prevail. For full details please refer to Moderation on h2g2.

12. What is pre-moderation?

If a Researcher breaks the House Rules seriously, but not seriously enough or repeatedly enough to be suspended or banned outright, the Editors may put them into 'pre-moderation'. This means that everything they contribute to the site has to be approved by a Moderator before it appears. How long a Researcher remains in pre-moderation will be down to the Editors' discretion.

13. Will my nickname be moderated?

Your nickname - ie. the Display name that you choose to be known as onsite - is subject to moderation. Nicknames will be failed if users try to impersonate others, such as other community members or public figures. Adopting inappropriate nicknames that are likely to cause offence is also not allowed, and if you do pick a nickname that isn't acceptable, we will simply change it to a default, which is your user ID number. Please note that we do not allow website or email addresses to be included in Display names.

14. What is the difference between my username and my Display name?

You create your own unique username when you first register an account. This is the name you will sign in with on any subsequent visits. Your Display name (also known as a Screen name or a nickname) is the name you choose to share with the rest of h2g2. You can amend this by changing it in your Preferences.

15. What is h2g2's policy on privacy?

You should always remember that everything you post on h2g2, including journals, can be viewed by anyone on the internet, so don't give away any personal information that you wouldn't want to be public. However, any personal information you give to us will remain private unless we are asked for it by relevant authorities. Please see here for more details.

16. Can I register with h2g2 if I am under 16?

Sorry, no. At present you cannot register with h2g2.

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