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

Entry: From A “Weak” Mark in the Sand, the World Changes - A87767130
Author: AE Hill - U14997160

Please welcome AE Hill to Peer Review, and to h2g2 itself. I've brought this here from the Edited Guide Workshop, for wider appreciation.

(I intervened as it appeared there was a glitch preventing the author being able to do this)

Lanzababy Guide Editor

and I further apologise for the glitch that shows Guide Editors as the author of this piece in the column where it should say AE Hill. I've logged this error too.

Sorry for any inconvenience

AE Hill is a newbie, so please be gentle with her

lil x

Hi AE Hill

Welcome to H2G2, we are always glad to have more writers here.

There are many here far more able to give technical replies on spelling and grammar, I tend to look more at content.

My first comment is that you should not quote your link about Monty Python word for word. You should give us a brief summary in your own words and let the link speak for itself.

The fact that your link to the Python programming language is broken does not help, at first reading I thought that was your intended subject, I believe you are trying to tell us about the source of the name. It would be better if you explain what you want to tell us and then explain why this is true. Sometimes we try to be too clever and the point (and interest of the reader) gets lost.

I am not trying to be negative, just sharing a few of the things I have learned the hard way myself.

The only thing worse than a negative comment is no comment at all

Looking forward to reading more of your work.

FS

This is about the origins of [the name of] the programming language Raspberry Pi.

Its subtext is that programming languages are more important in The Scheme Of Things than comedy. Is this so?

After all, evolution came up with programming languages (RNA & DNA) long before it came up with comedy, which only appears after the advent of humans. Therefore comedy is a higher-level artefact.

*Grins* And just to illustrate the vvonderful vvorld of h2g2 perfectly, I am going to respectfully disagree vvith Florida Sailor in that I quite enjoyed the uncertainty of vvhere you vvere going vvith this at first. And that once I did knovv the build up made perfect sense to me. Perhaps a small hint early on might be useful though.

VVhat I did think might be an issue is that although I have a vague idea of vvhat a Raspberry Pi is, I didn't really understand the bit about the universities - is Python the sort of thing you mostly only use at Uni vvhen studying computer science, but nobody bothers vvith it much in the real vvvorld? VVhy did that lead to the Raspberry Pi being developed?

Another subject of interest, "him and her."

In my lifetime "him" has wavered from having the possible connotation of referring to both genders. Alas, AE is a “him” not a her, no worries though. No need to correct the situation.

I assume you are her, right?

I really do appreciate your ace activity.

Thanx

AE

Thank you for your welcome and for reading my entry.

As to content, I come from a technical background. That means that direct quotes have much more weight than abridgements. Add to that fact that the site requirement that “it should be truly well written, factual and informative.” With my background, factual requires facts, not abridgments. Quite likely I need to mold my perspectives. Nevertheless, I knew I was close to sounding too editorial myself.

My intent was to say all that was quoted - without being qualified to make such pronouncements. After all, I am a long way from GMT. I live in a -10 GMT zone. Or in other terms, what right does a Yank have to speak to such British matters.

Also, I thought the direct quote had a certain entertainment value as it stood.

I am not sure what you mean by, “…your link to the Python programming language is broken.” In modern parlance, that could be a technical reference to the fact that clicking on the link it did not take your browser where you expected. I tested the link after you made your comment and found the link to be good.

Therefore, I assume you could be referring to the fact that there are two direct quotes in my entry. The quotes are not one quote broken into two references.

Am I missing your point or did I fail to write my entry in such a way as to make my intentions clear? I am sorry you got lost. I really do care that some readers may get lost reading my writing style.

I do agree that the only thing worse than a negative comment is no comment at all.

Thank you again for reading and commenting on my work.


Æ

Sorry, I failed to get my main point across to you. I assumed you knew of the recent world wide sensation from the UK called the “Raspberry Pi.” I assumed the reader would be familiar [or would check the internet].

I am critical of the many assumptions technical people make that tend to alienate the general populace. Alas, am I also guilty? I will look into correcting this.

A Raspberry Pi is a 16 Quid computer that runs the Python language and is intended to stimulate the development of more geeks in the coming years.

In truth, the Raspberry Pi story is only a vehicle for my message that what we do now can have powerful effects on the future. In the story, Comedy [as it should] has changed the future. It has changed the future in ways Monty could scarcely have imagined. Can you imagine other ways you have been affected?

Thank you Solnushka,

The clue I meant to offer you was in the Title.

I want to change the Title.

As I have figured out, the Raspberry Pi story is a vehicle for my message alluded to in the Title. There are volumes alluded to in the story, but if real interest is piqued, my purpose is complete.

A quick look into the subject “ Raspberry Pi” should inform the reader that it is a £16 computer that springs from efforts of people at Cambridge University with hopes of bring more geeks to the admissions clerks.

It is not an embellishment to suggest that the Raspberry Pi is already a world wide phenomenon.

I want the Title to let the reader know that what Monty did was far more than make me laugh. I want to tell the story of “connections.” In this case, I want to make the connection between a comedic name of ill repute [smiles, that being a hyperbole] to what may be determining the future of technology as we speak.

Thank you again,

Æ

Hi AE Hill
Once again let me welcome you and assure you I am only wanting to help you improve your entry.

>As to content, I come from a technical background. That means that direct quotes have much more weight than abridgements.

Too large a quote from someone else can become plagiarism, that was probably my main concern. there is a GML code for < BLOCKQUOTE >, spaces added so it will display in the new skin "Pliny" In retrospect, with your reference it is probably within the guidelines.

I live in -5 or -6 GMT or to be more current zulu time myself.

When I say "broken link" I mean that when I click on it I get the screen:

>Unable to find your page<

I am using simple windows explorer under windows 7 and it may well be that other systems may have surpassed me, but I am what I am, and it is not unlikely that others may be using the same software. (not your problem)


I am sorry if it took me a little time to understand your point, as I said I tend to be a bit more direct in stating my goals. Good luck and I still look forward to reading more of your work.

I have read a bit about the Raspberry Pi in Edited Entries here, but have not really followed it to any extent as I do not see myself involved in such a project, I have spent enough time programming in PC and Main Frame Assembler to satisfy my interest.

FS

>> him not her <<

OOoops! My bad!



Raspberry Pi! Here's a link for you: A13735596




lil x

Thanks 4 everything!

I read the A13735596 link and the four associated entries.

I especially enjoyed one of his links to A57728.

Focus seems to be the advanced lesson for me to learn.

Thanx [smiles]

Æ

Hi AE

I'm replying here as this may be a bug in the new programming, I know a few of the eds are watching here.

>As to the broken link, I use Windows 7 and I just went to M$ Explorer and the link worked. This link is special in that it refers back into another entry within the same website AND it is auto-generated by h2g2.com.
Computers are wonderful… if you make money fixing problems.


The 1st link works fine, it is the 2nd linl I have problems with, the link works in Pliny, but I get the "page not found" in all three ripley skins, I normally use Alabaster.

I see the code is < a href="...

When I site a local link I use < LINK H2G2="A######....

But I am old school and put all my links in manually.



FS

Don't worry about the links, as long as Æ indicates to which h2g2 Entries, or external references piece should be linked to, a sub-editor will assist.

For ease of reference, the second link in the Entry goes to: A699005

and the link should be made here:

Our plot turns where we learn about [“Python - the Programming Language.”]


Æ - should you wish to ask any questions about the way h2g2 is written, please pop over to my personal space by clicking on my user name and I'll be very happy to assist.

AE -- this is a reply to your Post 9 which I take to be a reply to my Post 5 (the screen layout doesn't make this immediately clear).

Pardon my ignorance in misreading your Entry and mistaking the Pi (a computer) for a programming language. I had heard of the Raspberry Pi but had forgotten the details.

When I clicked on your link to the h2g2 Entry on it, A13735596 using the Brunel skin in Chrome, I got the very unhelpful 'Oops' message which I will bring up with the Editors -- clearly this is not your problem.

My gripe, such as it is, remains: being a technophile you regard the emergence of a revolutionary computer as more significant than the phenomenon (Monty Python's Flying Circus) that gave it its name in a very roundabout way. Is this so?

@Recumbentman, you don't need to bring this to the attention of the GEs or tech. We are aware of the problem of links in conversations.

If you need to link to an Entry from a conversation, please use the A number of an Entry, as this shows in whatever version of the site you are using.

Links to conversations, from one version to another, and in Pliny, and posted in conversations, remain on our buglist.

cheers

@Lanzababy, I have written to Editorial Feedback, not about the linking problems which I know are being addressed, but about the appalling wording of the Oops page.

Recumbentman said in part:
My gripe, such as it is, remains: being a technophile you regard the emergence of a revolutionary computer as more significant than the phenomenon (Monty Python's Flying Circus) that gave it its name in a very roundabout way. Is this so?

My answer was, in part,
In truth, the Raspberry Pi story is only a vehicle for my message that what we do now can have powerful effects on the future. In the story, Comedy [as it should] has changed the future. It has changed the future in ways Monty could scarcely have imagined. Can you imagine other ways you have been affected?

I have edited my entry to reflect your valid concerns as well as a concern that I am trying to write about CONNECTIONS rather than Raspberries.

In truth, I am alluding to the fact that Comedy changed the world in ways we should be more aware of in our day to day activities.

Please review my changes and if you care to, I would appreciate your additional comments.

Thank you. Makes more sense now. I'm still puzzled, though, by the use of the word weak, and particularly "weak" in quotes. Can't really fathom that. Is there a direct way to say what you mean by a "weak" mark?