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

If you're a shy, retiring type like me, it can be difficult to tell, because the test involves going up and talking to people.

then go up to the smiley faces not the nose looking-downers

To be honest, I can't remember having met the latter, at the wintermeet for example, I left the friends and family I had come with and really went to say at least hello to everybody, and everybody was very friendly

'kay. I did find things okay at the meet. Partly it was knowing that everyone was there to meet people, and partly it was being able to see the name tags and say "Oh, you're Thingamijig!"

Well, I attended my first London Meet a week and a half ago, and I felt very welcome! Of course people that know eachother tend to talk more in between than to newbies. But I was dragged into the friendly bunch, regardless my unability to mingle

Spring/autumn would be OK for me. Just need to know some time in advance to arrange with flight/accomodation bookings.

Coming from a country where there is a public smoking ban, I´d appreciate a non-smoking place to have the meeting.

...and walking around Kew with MMF was one of the highlights this London visit! He is an amazingly good guide!

Thanks for the warning, Seraphina. I will make it a point to force my presence on the nose looker-downers whether they like it or not.

I haven't attended an official London meet, but I have met quite a few hootooers in real life. Every single one was friendly and welcoming and made me feel like they were happy to meet me.

I came across this thred through lil's page.. I haven't read *all* the blog, sorry

I can only say: if you really move the meets to April and October then I'll never have the chance to go to one... at least not in the next 3-4 years or so. In October my uni starts and in April starts the exam-season.

*sigh*

It will be tricky finding times that suit everybody, but nothing's been decided yet!

We could do February & September, April & November...

We could try and fit them around UK bank holidays but that could cause moe problems than it solves.

There's always the German one, when it gets ed.

It would be good to see you there!

I know it's difficult. You asked for opinions, you got mine.


we'll see wether I can make it. Depends on when and where.

March and September would be my second choice I think. However, I don't suppose they would have to be 6 months apart. 5 and 7 could work as well.

What's the best time for fall color?

I think it was September/October when I were a lad but it seems to be getting later, so I'm not sure anymore. Probably October.

September would be ok for me. But only if I know it early enough so I can plan the holiday-jobs around it... I notice: that can never work

It would be nice if we could find a time convenient for everyone. Would it have to be the same months every year? Since we're fiddling with things anyway.

Erm...a small point-ette, but if we're going to have an experimental October meet, around about now is when we need to decide on a date so people can book flights, travel, holiday etc.

I guess what I'm saying, in the nicest possible way of course is "a little less conversation, aliitle more action". Has anyone spoken to Jimster to see about official BBC sponsorship?

RF

I was thinking the same thing myself\!but didnt want to be pushy n try nstart a date vote or anything

>> Concerning TPTB and 'official' meets vs community-sponsored ones, would someone explain to me please why that changed?


In short: the money ran out.

When h2g2 was a dot.com it was duty bound to burn its way through piles of investors cash entertaining the punters. When the BBC bought it out the money for 'hospitality' didn't last long - "Buying drinks for internet users? Are you mad!?", said the bean counters.

Plus we lost the Community Editors, part of whose job description was organising the meets. (I believe they got time and a half off in lieu for having to work the Saturday of the meet.)

Nowadays, and for a couple of years really, there have been no officially sponsored meets. What there have been are punter organised meets held at about the same time of year as the official meets used to be held, to which italics visit in the own time bearing items from the publicity cupboard ie t-shirts and badges.

Traveller in Time only aware of the BBC age
"It seems they managed to hand 'Vicky Virago' some badges. Sounds to me as contributing to the meet. "

Yep, Jimster was there for all of about 90 seconds. The date clashed with a visit by some friend of his from foreign climes. So in the circumstances I think it was very good of him to travel across London to do the doling out of stuff, even if his visit was the most fleeting it could have possibly been.

Nah!! It had to be longer than that!..I had time to focus the camera on him..