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

I'm curious to know what determines the default order of Researchers on the Who's Online pop-up. Italics are always at the top of the list, I'm usually about 10-20 names down (though I have been as high as fourth from the top before now), while others always appear down near the bottom. If there's a pattern, I can't spot it...

And while I'm in questioning mode, why have I disappeared off the list while I've been writing this?

Hi Dolt ,
I think that when you first open it ,then it is the order of when you logged on,
but if you look at the top of the popup you will see that you can change it to order of ID number or by alphabetical order

manda

Hi manda! Fancy meeting you here... How's life?

I thought it was the order people logged on, too, but even when I've just logged on, I'm right there about ten names down. And on the (not-so)rare occaisions I've been logged on for hours at a time, and crept surreptitiously to near the top of the list, there're still people appear above me, seemingly out of nowhere.

As I say, I'm just curious... you can probably tell I've got far too much time on my hands at the moment!

Hi Dolt,I am fine thanks
sorry I took so long
I just logged out and the logged back in as U201567 ,and you are right I was nowwere near the bottom
and then I waited for it to show " manda " as not here (thats what tacken so long )
and when I logged back on I was half way up (or is that half way Down )
so I am now curious

manda

I always thought it defaulted to ID order, that would explain the italics being at the top. I am always near the top, and have a fairly low ID (32077). I'll check, hang on.

It starts of in ID order, but this is probably a coincidence as it doesn't last long. I don't think it can be logon order, as I am always 4 or 5 from the top, however long I've been logged on. Mina's online, maybe I should go and ask her.

Definitely not U-number order; I'm U195965 and right now there's Jimi X (U53353) just above me and Phil (U55494) 4 below me

It's never been fully explained despite the fact that it's been questioned before. Italics, can you shine a light on this dark corner of confusion?

I asked Mina, don't know if she'll have time to answer tonight, though.

I should doubt it - it's a bit late for official business now. Well, we shall find out in the morning, in that case...

Whoami?

It defaults to 'No Order' which means the records come out in whatever order the database finds them in. Italics (or low numbers) *tend* to appear near the top, but it's not actually sorted. I think long-standing users will be more likely to appear near the top of the list.

But there's no *magic formula* - it really is entirely up to how the information happens to be stored on the database's disc.

Thanks JIM

at least I now know that in the Database we are all equal

manda

Thanks for sorting us out, Jim.

It's true that really small U-numbers tend to be at the top, but ultimately it seems rather random. I guess if that's so, there's no answer to "why do 'New this week' researchers appear in a big block abou a third of the way down", or "why..." ah, never mind. Too much time, and too little to fill it with.

*wanders off to find another pointless question to ask*

I had always been under the now apparently misguided belief that the order reflected ones brains, wealth and good looks. To find out now that it is set to 'no-order' has come as a bit of a blow.

Thanks for that. Wouldn't it be easier to have it default to some sort of order?

That'd completely ruin my chance of one day being at the top of the list! It could never happen if the order was anything but random, and even then relies on a significant chunk of h2g2 Researchers being offline.

I can't imagine there'd be any great technical difficulty in setting a default order, but we could probably argue for months what that order should be. In the meantime, I'll dream my dreams of being no. 1 among equals

I am top of the list NOW, here is the first few names:

Order by: ID Name
50 Researchers are logged on
Tango (Guru)- Help out GuideDog, the GuideML editor, at A745887
Lady Scott † Keeper of Long Afternoon Naps
Feisor - ACE- Another Sydney Meet 02/11/02 - Go to A592049 and sign up
Peet (the Pedantic Punctuation Policeman, Muse of Lateral Programming Ideas and Zaphodista)

See, I am TOP!!!!!!!!!!!