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

You probably saw today that Gnomon has stepped down as one of h2g2's Guide Editors. Thankfully for us all, he's staying on to help out with curating and sub-editing. I wish his replacement on the editorial team (when appointed) the very best of luck.

Hey, hold on a minute, there's something wrong with that paragraph. Have you spotted it?

It's not the spelling or grammar, particularly. And I think the meaning is clear enough. It's just the style: nobody wants to read me writing that stuff - it's for the Communications Team to do that sort of thing.

When the Community Consortium first took over from the BBC, and the senior volunteers were finding their feet and jockeying for position in Mrs Zen's gloriously complex organisational structure, we would get weekly updates on what was going on in each team. It was factual - and interesting enough, if that stuff interests you. But it needed livening up. I figured the best way was to write my own version "Before It Happens". OK, it was all made up, but the reports I got were that it was uncannily accurate.

The Powers That Were clearly decided this had to stop and took the only course of action open to them: they invited me to join the team as a Guide Editor. My credibility disappeared overnight.

I subsequently left the editorial role earlier this year, following an unexpected career event. I'm still too busy to apply to take it up again, but there's nothing to stop me relaunching the Before It Happens newsletter.

And if I did, one section may look a bit like this:

* * *

Guide Editors
--------------------

We are sad to announce the loss of long-standing Guide Editor, Gnomon, who has left in order to spend more time with his notion of perfection. We wish him all the very best in the future.

We seem to be having a run of bad luck in this role lately. A number of talented editors have resigned in recent months, and we were worried for a long time that there would be no suitably qualified replacement left in the community.

Thankfully, the management team have identified the last remaining candidate and we are happy for announce that the new Guide Editor is … No, hold on, we'll let them introduce themselves in their own words:

---

? BoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoBBoBBoBBoB BoBBoBBoBBoB

everybody do the Hoover, yeah, everybody do the Hoover yeah, everybody do the hoover, like we did last year zoom
Mmm bacon Need more bacon in pier revew

There is something uncannily familiar about some of that text in the opening post in this conversation.... I just can't plaice my finger on what it is...

In other words, 2legs is running EVERYTHING now...............

yea! unleash the new update to Pliney; the nighthoover skin!
Right... where did I put the nighthoover button...

Mind you, we could then run the site on baguette...

Actually, getting 2legs involved would be no bad thing - we blame him for everything anyway

sure.... I meen, speling and all tat izn't to importent ore anything in guide entrys is it? I'm probably perfectly quackified for the job.... quick comma here, quick misplaced smiley there, hey presto, its hmm.... maybe not...

Um....


Is anyone else a tiny bit scared?

It'll be fine... just as soon as the new nighthoover buttons and graphics are up, adn the nighthoover skin... sparkly stars and flying hoovers... then the fun can start

I think I'll stick to my trusty "badger" skin, thanks.

there is a badger skin?

It's got a few bugs in it. But badgers eat bugs, don't they?

how true.... If I stand in front of a computer screen though, with h2g2 up, in the badger skin, I kinda fade out of view and blend into the screen picture

()

The return of "Before it Happens" would be welcome.

BoB would be ....