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

Hello and welcome to the guide on the BBC. Hopefully this version of Douglas Adams dream will prove to be his greatest legacy to us all.
If you wish to leave condolences to his family you can do so at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A5932.
I'm Androyd and the ACE bit stands for Assistant Community Editor. My job is to help you as a new/returning user find your way around. If you are a new user then please click on this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A503849

If you have problems converting your old account (such as if you didn't set a password for your old account), then please email [email protected] with your h2g2 U123456 number and/or your h2g2 email address, and we will email you your details to enable you to do the conversion.
Also get in touch if you have problems such as inadvertently gaining two identities. This is where problems can be sorted out.

In the unlikely event you have content removed by the moderator and you want to query why then please go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Moderation-HelpDesk

Please let me know when you write your first guide entry so I can check out the latest additions to the guide! Click on reply or my name to get in touch.

Enjoy!

What a great welcoming. Thank you very much, Androyd. Are you, in fact, an android (automated) as your name suggests, or are you flesh and blood, like we are?

I didn't think the BBC would allow 'subversives' like Zaphodistas to be ACEs? Whatever next.

A subversive! Oh dear, my first day and I've fallen in with the wrong crowd

They believe in the whole free speech business. When h2g2 moved to BBC loads of stuff got hidden pending moderation. The Zaphodistas contend that this is wrong.

*floating in, in her vague, elf-like manner*

Greetings, Arlecchino! I saw you posting at Lil's atelier (one of my favourite h2g2 places) and was intrigued by your name...

And don't worry too much about us Zaphodistas - it's not like we're doing anything illegal, we're just not quite happy with the BBC house rules, which are very different from the h2g2 house rules before BBC...

...and I don't see any contradiction in being an ACE as well as Zaphodista - I've even got a friend who's both an ACE and a GA (h2g2 Guardian Angel)!

Oh, yes, the Guardian Angels... (looks at her new title, not having gotten quite used to it yet)... I'm also the Patron Saint of Mythical Creatures...

Perhaps I should look into this Zaphodista thing. What was different before the change?

*taken by surprise*

Sorry, you weren't online when I first posted...

Oh - ok, I'll try to make it short:

- We were allowed to post in other languages than English (and English is not my first language)
- We were allowed to supply URLs in conversations
- We were allowed to use our own pictures in our user pages and not-edited entries

...at least, that's the points I mainly object to...

English only? Merde! My nickname's Italian, and I sometimes lapse into French.

Yes, where can I find these Zaphodistas?

English only? Merde! My nickname's Italian, and I sometimes lapse into French.

Yes, where can I find these Zaphodistas?

Oops. I didn't mean to post that twice...

This is the Zaphodista home page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A520769

Several researchers dropped out however when Subcomandante Deidzoeb got carried away and went a bit too far, critisizing the Italics, when it is in fact the BBC that makes up the rules - Mark, Abi and Peta are and have always been on the researchers' side, but they have to follow the rules.

And don't worry about the double postings - those are bound to ocurr every now and then - simulposting (posting simultaneously with one or several researchers) is worse, finding yourself asking questions that have already been answered, among other things.

Human like us........well at what point does an intelligent machine get the same rights as any other sentient life-form?......ever watch Star Trek TNG ?

Look, I'm sorry if I offended you. I don't usually take on an "us and them" mentality, honest. And yes, Data was a great character on that show. What I wanted to know is if I were conversing with a "sentient life-form" as you put it, or rather recieving an automated response from the website. Either way, by taking offense you answered my question.

I'll look into those Zaphodistas when I have the time. What are these "italics" of which you speak?

Whenever you come across a user with their name in italics, you will see a member of th2 hg2 team:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A132986

Most of these people were around long before the BBC take-over, and have chosen to stay, and are very helpful

- but they do not appreciate (and I understand them very well) being yelled at, or blamed for the BBC rules, because they didn't make them up, BBC did, and as staff they have to follow them

- one of them even became a Zaphodista, fully understanding the users' frustration over the new rules.

*after an absence, returns, still dressed in motley*

Okay, I put my name down on the Zaphodista thread. Does this mean I have to start listening to bands like Rage Against the Machine? Or can I just be me?

That's entirely up to you, dear... be as rebellious as you want!

To begin with, I made a couple of postings here and there at the Zaphodista entries, but lately I've limited my engagement to just keep the 'Zaphodista' in my name, and occassionally fighting my own, private, and rather pedagogical war against the moderators...

Sounds good. I'll probably put something on my page, and then support the cause mostly in spirit. But then, if I find any moderating that really bugs me, I'll make a stink.

Well, as long as it doesn't stop you from discovering all the interesting parts of h2g2 - on the front page you'll find something mentioned as '5 Busiest Conversations' in case you feel like exploring other conversations than Lil's atelier...