Please welcome Argon0.

When did you join h2g2?

Hmm - let me check that. My automatic answer is 1998, but that can't be right. It was certainly before 2000 because I remember doing stuff pre-Rupert e.g. getting the Questions Only Thread up to 20,000 entries.

According to my sources, you joined in early September 1999. Since your UNumber is higher than my last 2 interviewees', I'm going to guess you joined somewhere between the 9th and the 12th.

While you definitely joined pre-Rupert, Questions Only reached 20,000 posts postRupert -wasn't I there, too? Didn't GreyDesk get post 20,000 on February 26, 2002? Wasn't his question rather apropos? Or was there yet another Questions Only thread that got lost¹? Oh, no, am I stuck in questioning mode now?

How did you hear of/find h2g2?

Wow That's really tricky, I don't remember now where I heard of web-sites minutes after I find them (well nowadays it is usually Google.) I can be pretty sure it wasn't anything other than pure luck.

Why did you join h2g2?

Love DNA, it seemed a fun place to be.

Did you jump right in, or did you lurk awhile first?

Oh, definite lurker for a bit, but then frantic poster in the Forums.

Have you written an Edited Entry?

No - never have the time, energy, or writing skill.

How many?

Well I haven't written thousands of entries.

What was your first Entry?

Non-edited? Probably something about Ski resorts. Nope it was an article about one of my other favourite authors - Arthur C. Clarke.

What is your favorite Entry (of the ones you've written)?

Probably one about Ski resorts - I really miss skiing.

What is your favorite Entry by someone else?

Ah. I don't think I have one actually.

Do you belong to/have you started any clubs/societies/what-have-you on h2g2?

Well... There's the University of Mice (I think I started that along with Benjy), the 42 spotters club (well that didn't work very well, 'cos I lost interest as I was setting it up). The dead thread's society (well actually I think that's just me...) Oh and the cabal of REAL researchers (anyone who has a valid 42ism)

Is that/are those club(s)/society(ies)/what-have-you(s) still active?

I really don't know - I've not been active recently - some of the games I play are still going on (Song Titles, Limericks, etc.)

Have you held any volunteer positions in the past?

Not really - unless owner of 42isms counts.

Are you a current volunteer?

No.

Which elvised researcher do you miss most?

Hmmm Elvised? At a guess you mean missing? I haven't come across any.

Have you been an elvised researcher?

Don't think so.

What brought you back?

The light.

Have you been known by other names on h2g2 (not necessarily other accounts)?

No, well, except one of the mice - can't remember its name now.

Is there anything from h2g2's past that you miss?

Yup - though it might be back now - being able to add pictures(photos) to my posts.

Alas, no.

Is there anything from h2g2's past that you wish you hadn't witnessed?

No.

What aspect of current h2g2 do you wish had been extant when you joined?

Hmmmm.... Dunno - I loved it back then.

Have you been to any meets, of any size, whether "official" or not (meet=over a dozen, minimeet=6-12, micromeet=less than a half dozen)?

Yup.

How many?

At least 2 - my memory of that time is a little hazy. Both in London, I believe the first 2 London meets. I believe I was the first researcher to make an entry (or possibly just respond to a thread) via a mobile device - this being a PalmIIIc, a Nokia Banana phone and a mobile modem.

Was my self portrait there?

Probably.

Well, not if you only went to the first 2 London meets. I didn't even find h2g2 myself until July of 2001.

How many copies?

Dunno.

If you've been to multiple meets, what's the farthest you've travelled to one?

20 miles.

Am I asking too many questions?

No.

Is this getting annoying?

Not yet.

How about now?

Nearly.

If I were to give you a mufflewhump, what would it turn into, keeping in mind that they can't turn into anything sapient nor anything that can act against the giver's (ie, my) interest, and that they only work on h2g2?

An impossible 42ism.

Had you even heard of mufflewhumps before the previous question?

Yes, but never knowingly received one, or given one.

Have I given you one before?

Hmm

Did you know me before this interview?

Vaguely.

Thank you, Argon0!

Next time, we'll hear from Asteroid Lil.

The Venerable Researchers Archive

Amy

17.02.14 Front Page

Back Issue Page

¹As far as I know, there are 2 Questions Only threads, as well as 2 Questions Only 2 threads, which made hunting down GreyDesk's prizewinning post fun