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

There are a couple of new features on the h2g2 <./>FrontPage</.> today:

The sections for "h2g2 groups and societies" and "Old talking points" have been replaced by the following:

* External links - links to QI, "Wonder How To" and Digital Spy sites.
* h2g2 on the web - links to h2g2 in the blogosphere, h2g2 on Wikipedia and h2g2 on Facebook

(I believe you need to subscribe to access the Facebook page)


So, are these valuable resources which complement h2g2 or is it the beginning of the end?

Link to editorial opinion here: F77636?thread=6463167 (thread closed there)

The beginning of the end? Why would it hurt us to see that yes, the internet has other places, and they seem to like us?

I can't see it being much of either; people will explore new resources, sure, but if people like it better elsewhere then they will end up in that place eventually, with or without the links.

All in all I can't really see the point, but if it's BBC policy then we'll have to go with it. *shrug*

I don't see it as an issue frankly. We link to external sites all the time in both edited and unedited articles. A lot of personal spaces have links to other sites as well. The fact hootoo is being talked about elsewhere has to be good.

You have to ask 'where is this leading?' though. Is it beneficial to h2g2 to devote half of that Front Page feature to external content? Does it add value?

Sceptics might see this as a way for the BBC to dilute h2g2's uniqueness to make it easier to offload, and using that soundbite from the Graf report as an excuse to do so.

The Graf report (see http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/4591.aspx for the full works - sponsored by Optrex) isn't just about draconian cutbacks. Among other things it specifies the online content genre services which the BBC should prioritise (see chapter 9.1):

News & Current Affairs
Sport
Educational Content
'Serious factual' content
Local and regional content
Distinctive creative content

Now, I reckon h2g2 satisfies the last 4 of these, so it's slap bang at the heart of the BBC's purposes, and there's frankly nothing remotely like it elsewhere on the web.

As ST rightly said, there are external links throughout the Guide which will be far more contextually relevant. I'd prefer we used this part of the Front Page to celebrate this unique resource and it's community. Any fool knows how to access Facebook or Wiki - that's not why they came to the h2g2 <./>FrontPage</.>.

I'm not worried by it (I like it) but it's always been considered to be against the rules to link to sites that you need to register to view, mainly because the mods can't register for everything to check the content.

I think there should be a mention that some sites might need us to register for, just out of politeness!

Now I'm off to do a vanity search for my entries in that blog thing.

Erm do these links appear in all skins? I am an alabaster head and I cannea seem to find said links on the front page....

FB

yeah, under the 'h2g2 Newspaper + Creative writing + External Links + h2g2 on the web' heading - there's only six short links, easy to miss

Ah right.....

So nothing really to worry about then?

FB

Oh joy! Oh wonder of wonders.

The Wiki entry on h2g2 (in the History section) refers to Rupert and the alternate site n2g2 (Nowhere2Go2) which was set up at Yahoo Groups during the Great Vogon Detour, lo these seven years ago.

>>
"Some members created an alternative site, 'n2g2', standing for 'Nowhere To Go To', in order to maintain their community while the site was down, and to complain about changes implemented by the BBC."
<<

If anyone here has knowledge Wiki workings perhaps they would be so kind as to have them highlight that as a direct link to n2g2 which is still alive and kicking. Who knows more people might find it useful.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/n2g2/


peace
~jwf~

"Where it's leading", presumably, is to a growing understanding from the BBC about what the internet *is*.

A few years ago newspaper sites, media corporation sites and the like were incredibly reluctant to publish anything on their websites for fear that sales would be hurt. As for linking outside of their own site - forget it. As one, then another, took a few cautious steps, they began to realise that that kind of 'protectionist' inward-looking website was a waste of their money because nobody bothered to look at it.

And hands up. Whether or not there's a link to Wikipedia on the Front Page, how many people can honestly say they've never looked at it?

Pretending the rest of the internet doesn't exist wouldn't be a great way to keep existing researchers - and definitely not to attract new ones. So I don't think it's the beginning of the end.

Unless, of course, it's the BBC's subtle way of saying "Look you lot - why don't you all piss off to one of these other places and leave us alone?"

I'd prefer the link to W*k* to be removed, as I would rather have my eyelashes removed internally than link to it, as my research has found it 75% accurate but 25% speculative, if not wrong!!!

But then if I am using links, then why not...

As long as the other other websites recipricate!!!
MMF

The first entry on the Blogosphere quotes the Marvin Gaye section from my "Stars of Motown" article.

One thing I don't like is the fact that the Facebook link requires login. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't get away with a link like that in an Edited Guide Entry, but it's fine for the Front Page.

Yes. Links that require a login should be anathema. And I'm not at all sure what the point of the Facebook group is, anyway.

TRiG.