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

$: indicates that this item is part of the user's responsibilities as a BBC employee
*: (star) indicates that this item is part of the user's responsibilities as an official volunteer
^: (hat) indicates that this item is part of the user's responsibilities under some unofficial scheme (guardian angels, etc) or personal project (donut stall, etc)

i think the h2code2 should have an option to use smileys instead of letters, since people totally overuse smileys here.

So:

+++
++
+

-
--
---
?

(and so on)

I agree on the smileys as an option. I don't agree on the location thingy. Maybe it's just that I don't want to be lumped with the Danes and Swedes of this world, but what's wrong with the standard two letter country codes?
Besides besides, I think the first bit of code should read something like
R123456 I'm a researcher
RA123456 I'm also an Ace
RAGS123456 I'm an Ace, a Guru and a Scout
RAGSSe123456 I do all the volunteer work possible
RI(or R where that works)123 I'm an italic, but that doesn't mean I'm not also a human beeing.

Good work so far

Re: Volunteers etc. They will come later in the code. I told you I'm not finished.

I will definitely include a smiley over-use bit at the end...great idea!

The idea of using someone's Unumber as part of the code. I'm not altogether keen on it - to me it just feels like it should belong elsewhere.

B

Sorry, misunderstood Post 2. Maybe not such a great idea in the light of the fact that people may want to use it as an email sig. Also the fact that the whole idea is to emulate PGP as per Geek Code etc.

Re: Italics. Surely the $ symbol says it all... Besides, I've got to persuade them to use it first

B

I still think the smileys are neat. What Lucinda is suggesting is a one to one relationship between certain smileys and the --- - +++ scale, if you can't or won't do smileys you wont, but if you're a smiley-nut and on h2g2 you can.
And you are probably right about the researcher number and such, but I still think country codes is a better approach to location.

If you have only RGB$ = Italic, then you don't specify what kind of italic, which is bad.

If you have RGB$ pr+$, then you specify that this is an italic who is paid to work on PR (rather than on, say, programming DNA)

The other advantage is rather than having all scouts be PR+, you can distinguish between active scouts (PR+++*) and inactive scouts (PR-*). And so on for other categories.

-Martin

The whole idea of the original Geek Code was never to define _exactly_ every person. By leaving little vagaries, it was open to interpretation and hence created conversations.

If you're going to define everyone _exactly_, then the code become null, void, and pretty much useless. Sorry.

B

Well, your code. I'm just suggesting stuff that occurs to me...

the geek code uses '>' for aspiration, not '^'. If you do have an aspiration modifier, you shouldn't have aspiration in categories, EG "I'm seriously considering being a volunteer/my application has been submitted" should be more like "I'm not currently a volunteer".

It'd be better to have 'a' rather than 'ASK' for ask h2g2 - most categories should be one character, where possible, in this kind of code. More compact.

OK, I agree with that. I couldn't remember the HTML code for >, though.

B

>

I knew it had a 't' in it.

For some reason, I could have sworn it was ct, though. I suppose I ought to change it now.

B

Just one point.

There's code for the HHGG books and TV series, but not the original radio series. Neccesary to show a true geek, I feel.


Geggs

D I am Douglas Adams!
D I knew Douglas Adams personally
D I once met Douglas Adams
D I spoke to Douglas Adams online
D I never met Douglas Adams
D I never met Douglas Adams, and I'm glad.
D I'm glad he's dead!
D Douglas Who?

The idea is definitely sound. I don't think the 'I'm glad he's dead' category would go down too well, though.

And I'm still not going to use smileys

B

Oh, and Geggs: I did consider the radio series, but thought it probably didn't have a big enough fanbase. Sorry.

I might include a category for 'opinions about the forthcoming film' though.

B

I was considering suggesting a category on the film. I'd have to come up with a combination of symbols to signify 'I'm definitely going to see it, if it's ever made'. I have no confidence in Hollywood after Good Omens stranded.
The radioseries needs to be in there. Then I could have r>++ I haven't heard them but I'm considering getting them on CD.

RS++++ I am Geoffrey Perkins
RS+++ I heard the first broadcast of every HHGTTG episode on Radio 4 and I have them all on tape with the continuity announcements by Peter Donaldson.
RS++ I heard the repeats of the first series and the first broadcast of the second.
RS+ I heard HHGTTG only on repeats
RS Someone told me it was on the radio once.
RS- The books are better

That's kinda what I was thinking of, as I heard it first in repeats, but then went and bought the tapes (CD being just a fevered dream at the time). Bought the radio scripts book as well.




Geggs

Sorry, it still doesn't work for me.

B