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

Just out of interest, approximately how often do you:

a) read all the front page entries,
b) read at least one front page entry,
c) skim the front page entries?

My answers would be:

a) once a month
b) once a week,
c) twice a week.

As the Edited Guide is this place's reason to be, I feel a little ashamed by that!

I have a look at them every day (but not usually at the weekends cos I'm usually too busy to get on the computer!)

I don't read every one though. If the title looks like something I am interested in, I will read the entry, and I tend to read the ones which sound obscure as well.

I'm subscribed to PR, and I skim through most of the works in progress as they are entered, so lately, I've seen most of them before they get onto the front page!

a) Most days - it really depends on the content.
b) Every day.
c) Never - by implication.

Yes, the EG is the reason we are here, but the Guide wouldn't be as well written as it is if it weren't for the Community. The 'best' researchers, IMHO, are those who don't lean too far in either direction. It is no coincidence that the people I admire most online have written - say - 20 to 40 entries but have a prominent place in the community also.

B

The Front Page is one of the tabs that open up when I start the browser (yes, you can more than one home page in Mozilla ), so I see it every day. Whether I look at (and subscribe to) any of the new entries depends on what they're about. I did have a look at today's Antonin Artaud entry, mostly because I worked on that one a lot with the author in PR.

I agree with Mu Beta(?) about the symbiotic relationship between the guide & the community. Whether or not I look at an entry is largely down to personal interest. One of the great things about HooToo is that people I get on with online write so many entries I'm *not* interested in.

I don't have a fixed schedule either; I see the front page every day, but I only read Entries that look interesting to me.

a) it depends on time/interest in subject. Probably at least once a week
b) every day
c) If I don't have time to read all of them I sometimes skim through the ones I didn't read properly, if you see what I mean.

I very rarely read all three, but I look at the page every day and read the ones I'm interested in.

What's more lacking is the amount of people posting to the entries. I try to remember to post to the entries I read, but I sometimes read them at work (at lunchtime of course!) and then forget to post when I get home again.

It takes a rare entry to get me to post to it. Some entries ignite an interest. If it's over 2000 words I'll usually lose interest unless I'm already interested or it's very, very well written (well, I've got guitars begging my attention). To be honest, most of the entries that pop up on the front page *don't* interest me (historical/political/geographical)*, but I'm glad they're there and occasionally have a read later.

*all these things interest me, but only when I'm of a mood for 'em!

Sometimes but it depends what they are and if they interest me

A wet bird never flies at night.

B

I agree. Birds of a moist disposition refrain from nocturnal aviation.

RF