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

Hi Vegiman

We were just talking about you in the office. Do you remember the FunRun? How did that start off exactly? I remember you and Zachsmind running it together. I couldn't check anything or even look at it, because it's all still hidden pending moderation!

How's things?

Hi Peta.

Glad its not out of site (pun) - out of mind.

Its a bit of a long story but in brief - Zach came up with the peer review thingy but was not willing to head the way in bringing it into action/reality.

He was told off with a threat from Jim for producing the Big Bang Burger Bar and did not want to tread on anyones toes again.

( I'd like to see that 'BBBB' revived as a tribute to DNA but I think Zach would have to be asked. It is in keeping with the site as it is today - Mabe I will make this my next project.

With the chapters being writen by researchers and the best going forward to make the story come to life by a voting system. )

I digress.

I took the reigns and came up with a number of ideas but no one wanted to put any work into it, although they were willing to back anything I did.

Finally I decided the The Fun Run was the way forward and advertised on the then (zachs) peer review discussions for 6 volunteers - who soon came forward with some great and different pages to review.

I produced a so the reader could read and review the pages at the same time and post it directly to a forum. I got Bruces help to produce this as my attempts at the time were not quite satisfactory.

Jim had a kinda rating system in mind at the time so I encorporated it into the scheme but it was not very well received.

It was the job of all entrants to review each others pages which ensured that each entry got at least 5 reviews.

but thats all history unless you know better
s
veggie

It started here - a few links on them may be helpful if you wish to re-enstate them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A120565

This was the home page now only editable by h2g2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A130852

This was the page where new fun runs had their start
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A161155

This is where new entrants were held ready for future runs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A190856

This was an overview of the first fun run
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A154739

Other related pages were deleted as and when they were not needed any more and I do not have the time to search for other unmoderated pages - it would help if old pages showed their headings and had the word re-edit insted of having just the page number and edit.

Hope this helps you win the h2g2 staff quiz.
catcha veg

Hi Vegiman

Thanks for that, it's kind of how I remember it to be!

The BBBB - Zach deleted it all didn't he, all gone now. I don't think Jim said that he couldn't do it per se, I *think* that Jim objected to the use of a graphic or something, and Zach got the wrong end of the stick, but I could be wrong. Jim's not here to ask at the moment, so I can't check exactly what happened.

Zach has been back recently, and he and I are in occasional email contact, so I could ask him if he'd like to contribute, or would be prepared to let others use the BBBB concept and continue with the fiction writing idea.

Thanks for clarifying the history - maybe someone should write this all up, what happened when and how, a social history. Maybe it should be me... It'd be interesting to read through in the future, so many people, so many ideas...

Speak to you laters...

Hope Mrs Vegiman is well.

That of course should have been posted from me personally. Working in two diffent browsers is *so* confusing!

Peta

Yes its a shame Col Sellers removed his links - they would have made a good ref point.

I could have a word with him but I am not sure I can change his mind.

Cant remember where I had the original Newcomer 2h2g2 page, and not sure I can remember the email address I used - I'll look it up cos there was another link to a page of what & where to go by some one else but cant rem who did it.

If you can have a peek at the old Newcomers 2h2g2 Space then you will find a link on there.

Margarets back seems to be getting worse - We have a week off at the mo and she is not up to going out very far - Taking her out to dinner tonight - hopefully cheer her up a little.

catcha
and good luck
Veggie

I found the page it is at
http://www.h2g2.com/U130387

but as I cant get to it - I cant un-modrate it but there is an interesting link there that may help you with early days and places to go.

catcha
ken

Have you sorted out the BBBB or similar idea as yet - if not I wish to do something about the history of h2g2 with your help and perhaps encourage someone with editing skills to take up the BBBB type idea.

all the best
vegiman

Hi Peta and Vegiman! Zach here. I've sent Peta a couple emails about this but am finding myself chomping at the bit. Perhaps this would be a better way of reaching you, Peta? I dunno.

I would be interested in composing the preliminary structure for QuadBee if it's actually a plausible concept now. I could hammer out the details of how it would work and the parameters within which participants would be asked to coexist. I don't know if it can fit inside h2g2.com. Submissions would not be intended for inclusion in the Guide. They'd be fictitious and should not get mixed up with the nonfictioin of h2g2.com. I thought before that was one of the reasons why QuadBee was kinda frowned upon in the first place. It didn't really fit in anywhere.

However, there is the 360 thing. That got me thinking. On a preliminary level, people could work on QuadBee and if it took off then sometime in the future a 360 like separate website could be developed which would be run on the DNA engine but not actually get mixed up with h2g2.com directly.

I do not know if I could participate beyond the initial design. It depends on whether or not I can find a job, and what free time my new job will allow. Work's become rather difficult to come by. If I can't find work soon I won't be able to pay my bills and I theorize at this point that I'm about two months away from losing computer access.

No worries though. I consider this a "learning experience." =)