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

and once I have discovered h2g2's simplicity, I may well not be able to stop myself but first I must decipher the abbreviations and code number references.....user friendly NOT.

Hello, a Man from Mars,

Not sure I understood your previous post. Are you referring to the A- and U- code numbers?

A(number) is an article reference - this could be the introductory article to someone's home page, or any other article they could be compiling.

U(number) is a user page reference - like U225620 for my home page.

Are you a BBC Messageboard exile like many of us around these parts?

Icy

(04/08/03 15:55)
Boards mind-numbingly slow, and cannot post as connection to server times out on preview. I've seen very few messages posted today.

Yes, Icy North, I am a BBC messageboard refugee, maybe banished or exiled for my thoughts. All I know is that it has become almost impossible to post. Strange that they think it can silence us just when we get started.

I did find them user friendly and i thank you for the explanation of the prefixes and numbers as shown here on h2g2. Shame about that as a name is easier for me to remember than a number. Must be my inbred sense of common compassionate humanity

The great debate boards were still on pre-mod at closing time.

(Tue 5 Aug 08:37)

Boards open for reading, but there's not a lot to read, as no-one has been able to post anything of significance for almost a week.

Welcome message is:

"We're sorry for the recent disruption to our messageboard service. In order to monitor their performance most of the boards will be queued and checked before they go live. Many thanks for your continued patience."

Man from Mars,

A little more on those references. As you know, they are used as links in articles and messages, but they only display the code number so you have to explain what the link is in the adjoining text.

The way around this is to use the GuideML language rather than plain text when you write your articles. This has commands which allow you to do more descriptive links. The drawback is that it's not for the faint hearted. If I wanted to write a link to my home page in GuideML I would need to write:

Icy North

The other drawback is that you can't use GuideML in discussion threads like this.

(Tue 5 Aug 11:27)

Boards open and posting. Premod delays of approx 10-15 mins. Boards sometimes hang for long periods. Some brave souls are attempting to use the facility.

Saw this message on the Virtual Soapbox:

"re: The Great Debate - bye bye Alice MC - HOST - 1222nd post - 5 Aug 2003 09:28
Moses - we'd really miss you, so please don't go. The boards are greatly improved this morning - and we've been promised an ongoing technical overhaul. Sorry it has been so frustrating for you. "

I've asked Alice where we can find out more about this ongoing technical overhaul.

Icy N - 12.45 - have tried to reply to your post on MC - well actually I tried to read it and it failed to download quick enough - so I gave up.....

I am very busy with work at the mo and will not be able to post much in bbci working hours - I will try at least to post something every day - as Alan Storer is right - if we don't use it we will probably lose it.

For me, this is why the loss of the our of hours facility is a real bugger (can I say that on here?).

Despite almost zero traffic - the boards are like treacle yet again - what are they playing at!

bye for now,

R5Live boards are really slow again, despite little traffic. (5/8/03)

Hi CG,

The board hosts have been on a charm offensive this morning, and I've been reading a few interesting ones on the Great Debate, Science and Members boards. From what I can gather, the servers are running at 75% capacity, and premod is still on until they can judge whether the servers will cope with taking it off. This "shouldn't be long now" according to the Members board.

There are various excuses being bandied around, ranging from blaming the software to blaming the number of posts, which apparently are trebling annually.

Worse than useless right across the boards! Impossible to post or even access unless you have half an hour to waste seeing one page. Totally discouraging.

Well said, that man!

You mean like this....?

a Man from Mars

Exactly like that.

If you are interested in GuideML, then search for the "GuideML Clinic" page on h2g2 - it lists pages which explain the syntax of all the popular commands. You can have different fonts, colours, tables, headings, guestbooks (like the ones on the BBCi Monitor main page which post replies into discussions), scrolling text, etc etc. I can send you the GuideML for this page if it helps you get started.

Cheers, Icy

Icy,
Your help would be much appreciated. I shall, of course, research what I can but if there is a short cut which would allow for speedier participation then that is the way to go. Crossing the t's and dotting the i's is something we can all do. Let's go for the fast track approach.

Man from Mars,

e-mail me at the address at the foot of my home page (just above the discussions), and I'll send you the GuideML source.

Icy

MFM,

You should have that now.

Cheers, Icy

No change from previous days. Boards very slow or connection timing out.

Welcome aboard Everyone! Faka fetai. That is a YES.......and do not fear, I only follow what you want to See!