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

How many researchers does one need to maintain a Hitchhiker's Guide? I was just wondering about the actual number of actively contributing researchers on H2G2... How many are there? Was the first one actually called Reasearcher 1? Are researcher numbers recycled after they terminate their account?

Okay, Researcher numbers dont' start from 1 because all numbers of four digits or less are reserved for "special" people (like DNA (U42) and Peta (U24 - I think) and Mark Moxon (U1 - again, I think). And Abi, and all the rest of the staff). There are also, I believe, some other numbers (60000 and the like, probably) which are also reserved for special use. Researcher numbers can't be recycled at the moment because it's impossible for someone to terminate their account, at least using the standard h2g2 features. The staff can probably get it done but it's not designed to allow that to happen.

Maybe in the future it will be made possible. Probably when we start seeing 8 or 9 digit Researcher numbers!

I see. But how many researchers are there really? Or is this one of those closely guarded secrets that gets security bots on your tail, just when you left your towel at your desk and start asking about them?

Well there are currently 62622 registered users, but how many of those are actually active is anyone's guess. Not many, I would say.

One way of getting a feel for how many Researchers are active would be to check the Who's-on-line feature regularly. Then you will also get to know exactly who the most active people are; and you will be able to visit them, while they are active, for a chat. It is accessible from the front page, or you can add it to your Personal Space by adding...

Click here

Make sure you have selected 'GuideML' for your style choice.

JTG

Btw Mark Moxon is U13...

Okay. So who's U1 then? Is there a U1?

Yes there is, his resercher nickname is Slacker and I believe his real name is Tim Browse... although I may be wrong. He's one of h2g2's founders with DNA

All becomes clear (or at least slightly less muddy)

Just wait until you see U2's page.

What's so special about it?

U2 = Bono

*falls over laughing*

It depends on what you mean by 'active'. Freeserve, a UK ISP, classes active users as those who log on once a month or more. By that token, we have loads of active Researchers.

We tend to think in terms of 10,000 active Researchers at any one time, when 'active' means regular visitors. That's quite a lot, when you think about it...

It certainly is. I was thinking more of the Researchers who actually remember they're h2g2 Researchers and who haven't drifted away to other things, never to return. For them, it would be nice to have an "unregister" feature, although it could seriously muck up the Entry credits and forums if not done properly.

What do you mean "active". Sexually active? Mentally active? Physically active? If it's either or all of the above I think I dont count!

Yup, as clear as Rice Pudding.

I like rice pudding. This is a good place. Where is the rice pudding?

Of course, the object of the game is to be so big and huge and generally indispensible later on that the people that did sign up, post two things, then drift away will eventually filter back in. Right, Mark?

As far as Researcher numbers, anything below 10000 is reserved for h2g2 staff. The reason, also, that Researcher numbers are not re-issued is, of course, a question of crediting the right people for writing the right things, as you'll occasionally run across something written by a one-timer made it in the Approved Guide and if that number was re-issued, or was singled out for specific non-re-issue as they'd written something that stuck, it'd make for a bookkeeping nightmare with what to do with this or that. For instance, Peta (now U24) started out as a plain ol' Researcher (although positively *brimming* with Peta-ness ), got a job at h2g2, and her stuff was transferred over in its entirety from U15551. In fact, if you go to U15551's page, it'll just forward you on over to U24.

Which hasn't stopped certain enterprising people *nudges Jimi* from starting threads over there anyway...

Also, as a little side note, U42000 through U42999 aren't taken, as, I suspect though I haven't checked, U142000 through U142999 aren't either. Or have the Researcher numbers not gotten that high yet? *is too lazy to look* Anyway, those are set aside, from what I remember, for something or other but I now can't seem to remember what it was.

*topples over from all the nudging*

Thanks Spart! Right then. What was the question?

42 (000) must be for all the answers, so whats the question?