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

Robbie, the former CEO of h2g2 Ltd has launched his new venture, handheld history - http://www.handheldhistory.com. I think it's a great idea - you phone a number and you can listen to a short 3 minute talk on the history of a particular place, or a longer talk which will take you on a guided tour.

It's concentrating on Covent Garden in London at the moment, which is doubly interesting to me because I work just around the corner. As it grows, it'll add more locations and cities.

I think the idea is a great one. It's also interesting how many of the historical stories are 'unsuitable for children under fourteen' - proof if it were needed that filth and depravity didn't start with the internet. How better to kill half an hour than to wander around Covent Garden with Stephen Fry telling you all about Mrs Jenkins' flogging house.

And the former Editor of h2g2, Mark Moxon U13, wrote the scripts for some of the tours, too. Just before he went off on his Land's End to John o'groats walk. So it's practically an h2g2 family concern...

If only I ever was in London...

Looks like a very good idea!

Why not phone up and you'll feel like you're there?

Filth and depravity? Flogging? hmm...

As soon as I've earned more money!

Hmmm... how would a call from abroad actually be billed?

Sounds VERY interesting!

So Robbie is taking the original concept to a particular area is he. Good for him.

If he needs scripts about anywhere that I might know let me know.

Jim, you appear to have been 'd!

Whatever this thread is about sure sounds interesting, though...

those House Rules

It's about handheld history, a new site: http://www.handheldhistory.com/aboutus.html. Jim's post linked straight to the frontpage, so it counts as advertising since it had the phone number on it!

spelugx -- a for the moderators

That moderation was certainly, err, unexpected.

RhoMuNuQ

All I can guess is that maybe it was seen as too commercial?

I've put the Posting back.

The way we decide if a webpage is commercial is if you can buy something directly from the page - eg, it has a shopping basket, and this one hasn't.

Most phone numbers cost money to call, and we've never failed a website because there is a phone number on it; you can't get the service from this phone number without an access code.

Forgive me if I think that this was a show of sour grapes on someone's part.

If this Posting is complained about by the same person again, it will be considered abuse of the complaints system. Anyone who abuses the complaints system repeatedly may have their account suspended.

But why should we complain about post 14? Seems perfectly normal.

And if all of the thousands of researchers should complain once, which one would you grab?

What a great idea...

And nice to see someone's giving that no-good layabout Moxon something to do with all his free-time as well

Now... should I try and sell Robbie French & German translations of his work

Just bookmarking!