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

Right, Just vaguely curious, who here has read the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy?

How many people know about how this website started?

Now not that this place should have a requirement to have a lot of Hitchhiker content, but there is next to no mention of it. In all the time I've spent on this site, since about Christmas 2002 I have had next to no conversations about the marvellous works of Douglas Adams.

And frankly I'm a bit bored, and sick to the back teeth of it. It feels like the "madness" has gone. It doesn't have to be stupid, but I feel there is something missing.

Maybe its just me ranting on a Friday night after about four days of posting next to nothing. But I've had an itch surrounding this site for a long time, and I have to scratch it.

There are groups on this site for nearly every type of program... except the story that inspired it. The Starship Titanic game, one of the greatest works of Douglas Adams, has no guide entry. Maybe I should write it, but frankly I should have written it over a year ago when I had the time. But when there are thousands (supposedly) of members on the site there has to be someone else who could write an entry.

*sigh*

Rant over

Ok, so what do you want to talk about?

Life, the Universe and everything... oh and tea

Addendum : Jodan, just lately I've been questioning why I'm still on here. I joined here because it sounded like an interesting idea to write stories for the hitchhikers guide.

But what does this website actually stand for? It feels like we're just using the name to try and do something serious. In reality we are neither for hitchhikers, or have sufficient articles about the Galaxy to be considered a guide for it.

The potential for this website is limitless. I feel that there are dozens of researchers who could be trusted to actually help develop the site, and many would do it for free. Which is why it annoys me that the suggested updates are now never likely to happen, despite the continued hard-work of Jimster. I would never question Jimsters hard word, but he is being paid for the job. Recently its just felt that we're being used.

I know I've contributed more to the community more than I have recently, but I just feel frustrated with the site. If its an internet library, then its far from complete - and there are better examples of it out there.

And so the use of the name "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" seems pointless. Both of the editorial processes seem to be far too serious to be a leisure time activity.

Well, the mission statement of the site is to be the Earth edition of the Hitchhikers Guide. So not having that many entries abouth the rest of the Univerase is not really a problem.

But I do know what you mean. I've been feeling recently that I've not been posting as much I a once did. I'm starting to wonder whether that because I've become too parochial - I've not been searching through the guide, but just staying in the places I know about like , the pages of groups that I'm a member of, and my friends journals. Maybe I should be looking for other places to hang out.

And you're right, there should be an Edited entry on Starship Titanic, as there should be on all on DNA's work. However, it would probably be better if they were done as collabrative efforts, as many people on-site will have an opinion on them. But anyhow, looking for stuff on ST, I found the following:

A584831 - Starlightlanes Employee Forum

*bah, I hit 'Post message' accidentaly. Ignore the previous post*

Well, the mission statement of the site is to be the Earth edition of the Hitchhikers Guide. So not having that many entries abouth the rest of the Univerase is not really a problem.

But I do know what you mean. I've been feeling recently that I've not been posting as much I a once did. I'm starting to wonder whether that because I've become too parochial - I've not been searching through the guide, but just staying in the places I know about like , the pages of groups that I'm a member of, and my friends journals. Maybe I should be looking for other places to hang out.

And you're right, there should be an Edited entry on Starship Titanic, as there should be on all on DNA's work. However, it would probably be better if they were done as collabrative efforts, as many people on-site will have an opinion on them. But anyhow, looking for stuff on ST, I found the following:

A584831 - Starlightlines Employee Forum - An edited entry on a thing tangentially connected to ST.

A5699 - Starship Titanic - unedited entry by Slacker. It's a good start but no enough, I think.

A217306 - Starship Titanic (the book) - unedited entry by Apollo. Any entry on ST would have to include the book, either that or have a seperate entry on the book alongside it.

Definately some stuff to consider.


Geggs

What does it stand for?
Well, the BBC people might say it stands for a guide to life the universe and everything. But I think that's just what they say as an excuse to keep it going.

If you come here, you have to enjoy yourself the whole time or you're not going to stay here. If you're not enjoying yourself, you have nothing to do but leave... or of course try to look for new things.

That's what h2g2 stands for. It's recreation.

"What does it stand for?
Well, the BBC people might say it stands for a guide to life the universe and everything. But I think that's just what they say as an excuse to keep it going.

If you come here, you have to enjoy yourself the whole time or you're not going to stay here. If you're not enjoying yourself, you have nothing to do but leave... or of course try to look for new things.

That's what h2g2 stands for. It's recreation."

Recreation Who provides it? Is it the developers of the web-site, or am I supposed to make it myself. I think I've exhausted my supply of self-made entertainment as far as I can tell. I need something back.

The site is a wonderful idea, but I fear terribly that it will never reach its full potential with the BBC holding the lead to the choker chain.

Perhaps I'm better going. I'll have to think about it. I enjoy the story writing side, but there is not enough magic left elsewhere. I've had a look at Get Writing and it still can't match the freedom of writing on here at its best.

Maybe I should start my own web-site. Thats an idea, but time... Maybe theres a way to make time.


Geggs: I've seen those entries before, and I think Slacker himself is actually one of the guys who was behind the Starship Titanic - though under a different name. Still perhaps if I do one last thing I might write an entry on the Starship Titanic, but based on my last visit to the edited guide they'd probably say something like (with due respect to any miners in the viscinity) "Its very nice but its not quite what we're looking for", quoting some rule about not allowing in anything to do with Hitchhikers Guide/Douglas Adams' work. Hmm...

I make most of my recreation. And you can't ever exhaust your supply.
When's the last time you talked to a newbie and got the fresh perspective?
When's the last time you read through your first posts to see how you embarassed yourself? (or is that just me?)
When's the last time you made fun of an italic right to their face? (some never do it... for me it's usually a matter of hours)

"The site is a wonderful idea, but I fear terribly that it will never reach its full potential with the BBC holding the lead to the choker chain."

If I had a ridiculous amount of money, and I were around when h2g2 moved to the BBC, I'd have bought it. Unfortunately, I didn't, and no one else seemed to either. So we have the BBC. Better'n nuthin'.


(always willing to discuss DNA by the way)

I'm being very silly aren't I?

Which is probably a sign that I need to move on. I created a new identity about a month back to try and revitalise my enthusiasm, but in truth I either need a long break, or to quit all together. That Starlight lines Forum looks an interesting place, I might see if I can find a new cabin.

There is no such rule. There was recently a biog of Douglas in PR which was looked upon quite favourably, though it was noted that it had a lot of holes in it. But article did spark soon conversation on the lines that it would be good to have a biog of Douglas in the Guide, and some entries on his work too. So there is a fairly chance of an ST entry getting through.

But, as I said before, the problem is that there are so many of Douglas' fans around here, and that most of them would have something to add to the entry, that the person you decides to write such a thing is pretty much drinking from a poisoned chalice. So it would, I think, be better as a collabrative entry, so that it fairly reflects the considered opinion of the site (and those that reside upon it) as a whole.

As for wanting to be entertained, well, as someone once said to me (in a completely different context, mind you) you get out what you put into it. The internet is an interactive medium. If I just wanted to be on the recieving end of entertainment, I'd go and watch a film. When I want to contribute something I come here. Well, not just here, I have a life outside the net as well, but now I'm rambling, so I'll stop.


Geggs

"you get out what you put into it"

Yes but what exactly am I trying to get out of it? I fear we three are looking for different things, and are perhaps talking and thinking on different states of mind.

I've seen enough people making statements like mine in the past, to know how infuriating they can be to read. I always made every effort to make people want to stay, to pull everyone in the same direction. But I can now sympathise with many of them.

I forgot the reason I joined up, and it has taken me a while to find out (is two years a while?), but perhaps this is not the place to find it. Perhaps I expected too much?

Incidently Geggs, I've not been lacking in the effort department in my tenure on the guide. And I don't like blowing my own trumpet, but in my own time I would question many others have put as much effort in as I have.

Admittedly my effort has waned over the last half year.

I know Verc (oh, you've reverted to Terran! Sorry), I know. There are many around here who have never contributed to anything beyond the odd conversation or two. Losing a few of them would be no worry. But losing you would be a disappointment.

Mainly because you clearly have things to say, and I would like to get the chance to hear you say them. I went through I bad patch a couple of months ago when I was considering leave in the site, because I couldn't see that I would have the time to contribute to the site anymore. The reduction in my time wasn't as great as I'd expected it to be, so I'm still here.

I'm not sure I can remember my reasons for joining either. That was about two years ago as well. But my reasons for staying are that:

1) I've made some friends here. I don't really know whether they consider me to be a friend, but I think of them in a friendly way.

2) I like writing. And being here has helped me develop that. To create more of a style for myself, rather than just copying the style of others.

3) I feel that some of the writing I've done here has made a contribution to the Guide. Some other people have noticed my work, and (in a rare and unusual experience for me) praised it.

4) If I left I would miss all of the above. The day may yet come when I have to leave. But I'd like to delay that as long as possible. There would, at the very least, have to be something that could step in to fill the hole.


Geggs

"I'm being very silly aren't I?

Which is probably a sign that I need to move on."

No, it's a sign you are fitting in

I didn't have any reason for joining. I had to make that up as I went along.

Just to pop my two pennyworth in, as someone who hasn't contributed to the Guide proper in over four years (and then very meagrely)...

...The reason why I like H2G2 is the same reason I like living in a village rather than a city. There's a sense of community - not a strong or all-pervading one, I'll grant - that you don't get out in the internet proper.

To me h2g2 seems like a microcosm of the net of a whole: some people use it for 'proper' academic purposes (the EG), others use it to network andchat with likeminded friends, others use it to get their writing out to a bigger audience... apart from the more commercial and lurid aspects of the net, most things get replicated here in some form or other. Of course there are limitations. Of course there are frustrations. But I think the benefits of the fact that this is, on the whole, a friendly and mature community make up for that.

I basically come here and do the things I do because I enjoy it. If I stopped enjoying it, I probably wouldn't come here. I would miss you if you went, Terran, but I think that's a reasonable rule of thumb for most leisure pursuits.

Right, I think I've had some time to think, and to be honest I've got nothing to lose by staying (its not like I can delete my personality anyway). Oh and sorry for the name-regression, I'm doing a reverse Doctor Who .

I think I'm going back to basics, I've changed a few things that have been bugging me for a while I had the chance.

Awix : I've sent you an e-mail

The entity now known again as Terran and not Verc(ingetorix), or as Researcher201249 (as I was for a very brief time )

I've read it. Will comment later. Need sleep.