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

The YFRA (A826959) has declared war on the current R* format of the H2G2 Researches code. The YFRA will conduct a campaign of nagging until a change is promised for the next issue of the code. The YFRA strongly suggest the change is to the format R where is the ISO standard two letter country codes defined in: http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/iso3166ma/02iso-3166-code-lists/list-en1.html

If a change is not forthcoming the YFRA will encourage civil unrest and unilaterally start using the R format.



Sign. Generalissimo Yenool

>> The YFRA is not connected to the Researcher NAITA in any way whatsoever, except that Generalissimo Yenool might probably definitely be his alter ego. <<

I agree. R.uk would make much more sense. And be geekier...

I'll help the YFRA out here and point out that ISO3166 isn't equal to the two letter country codes of domain names. There is no 'dot', and the code for britain is GB. So you'd keep the RGB, the aussies would keep RAu, and everyone else would get the code of their country.

And I could lie and use RBV.

If you're going to lie - what's the point in me chaging it?

B

I didn't say I _would_ lie, just that I _could_. And it would be a funny lie.
To prevent you having an aneurism I'd stick to RNO, but I'll explain the greatness of BV.

Apart from a few codes that are kept for historical reasons (uk instead of GB, at least) the two letter country code top level domains are today defined by ISO3166. Because of this Norwegian domain authorities control three tld's. .no for Norway, .sj for Svalbard and Jan Mayen (Svalbard is inhabited (<3000 people), Jan Mayen has only a small crew for the metereological and radio station (a couple dozen))
and .bv for Bouvet Island.
The CIA world fact book has this to say about the island:
"This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825 when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island."

The Norwegian claim was made to secure a base for whalers operation around antartica, unfortunately the 60sqkm large rock has no natural harbors, so it was completely unsuitable for that purpose. It does, however, have its own country code. Yay!

So as a Norwegian I can claim a ... connection with Bouvet Island, but it would absurd to say I live there.

Well...thanks for all that.

To argue my case again - I wanted the Geek Code to be self-containing, so people didn't have to look up multitudinous other sites to understand it.

B

Well, it will only be slightly less self contained. You currently have eight lines describing geography, five specific countries (well American is semi specific), three generics (scandinavian, european, other) You can keep the same number of lines, and the same number of specifics, and have:

RGB I am a British Researcher
RIE I am an Irish Researcher
RUS I am a US Researcher
RNL I am a Dutch Researcher
RAU I am an Australian Researcher
RNO I am a Norwegian Researcher
RSF I am a Finnish Researcher
R** I am a Researcher elsewhere, se ISO3166 for specifics

It wouldn't be very harmfull to add another few lines to keep Swedes, Danes, Icelanders and Canadians happy. And I suppose it can't be wrong to create a h2g2 entry for ISO3166 so people don't have to go off site. Well, maybe it would be wrong to copy it directly, but they can't deny us the right to research the matter... all we need then is to travel the world and not the country codes.

The difference between decoding RO to Researcher Elsewhere, and R** to Researcher Elsewhere isn't really that big now, is it. And having it this way makes it possible for those who _do_ want to know to check which particular part of Elsewhere someone resides in.

** - two letter country code that you don't know and that you don't want to go offsite to research

OK - how about a compromise?

I'll keep the code as it is, but you can describe yourself as RN, RNO, RNorway, or however else you feel fit, and I won't complain. How about that?

B

What kind of compromise is that, you _allowing_ me to abuse the code. I might do it though... but not yet. I still have hope that you can be brought to your senses before 1.2.

You think there's going to be 1.2?

I need some decent ideas first.

B

It may have escaped your notice that we have a new skin.

SP+ If only everything in life were this plain and simple.
SP I use plain.
SP- I have a digibox, but if I didn't I'd be altering my preferences faster than you could say, "Where's the flaming search box gone then?".

Why not issue a version 1.1.1 if you don't have enough stuff for a 1.2?

It hadn't escaped my notice - but I really should get round to adding it. Thanks, Rich.

B

"i am a french [digibox user who uses plain for accessing conversations and goes back to Goo when having a rest from posting useless err posts about the meaning of "deja vu"] researcher living in essex..." me thinks...














err... i didn't really expect you to think about that one...

just passing and saying hi...

talk soon...

loup