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

Hello Tom, my name is Agnes, and though I have been around H2G2 for a few weeks, I haven't really been using it very long. Seeing that you were new, I though I would welcome you. Hope everything is going ok, if not, look out for one of those handy researchers with ACE at the end of their name, they are there to answers any questions you might have and such. Actually there will proberly be one along to visit you shortly, maybe, perhaps...

I understand Pastey has a page or two on the alcohohilic beverages - you should meat up with him, although I don't think there are many on h2g2 who wont join you for a drink. Most likey at Finks Drink Bar. I have been around h2g2 for a while but have not made many postings - I thought I'd start and make a few more and welcome you to the site.

Hi to you to Agnes

hypno

Hello and thank you. I've been here for almost exactly one hour and here I've got visitors already. I didn't bake a cake or anything. Forgive the dirty socks, I've been meaning to do laundry for days now...

I've been trying to figure out the "GuideML" code, so I can create my first entry (on Tom Collins, the alcoholic beverage, naturally). It's perhaps a bit much for me to start absorbing right now (it's midnight in California). I'm about to call it a night, so: thanks for the welcome, please keep in touch. Maybe you can give me tips on creating entries. Have you done one yet?

Also, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't Agnes Nitt a Pratchett character? Sounds so familiar, can't place it just now.

I was going to write a separate greeting to Hypno but apparently I replied to both of you at once. So, Hypno: same as above, without the Pratchett.

I can help in a small way to help you with GuideML but Bruce is the expert.

Start slowly with a few simple things - There are two formats you can view h2g2 in. The new alabaster skin and the Original GOO.

You can change to which you prefer when updating your Details/Preferences - I prefere the GOO although it is a bit slower.

GuideML is really XML with a few added tags which is like HTML except all tags have to be closed.

If you do not understand any of these then from scratch - we will start.

a Tag is always encompassed within < > the larger and lesser symbols

The first to learn is tag and tag

These two tags will give you paragraphs

You put one in front of your paragraph and one at the end - you will notice that the second has a */*. The forward slash is what as known as the closing symbol. so /p = closing paragraph. In most cases the */* goes before the command tag as with

but some tags have them afterwards. if you want to force a BReak in the text then you would put at the end of the line of text you want to break.

One other tag will help with the design and we will leave it at that for this time whilst you experiment with these. The Tag is Put your text here

This will center the text on the page , rather than start on the left.

You will notice that I have done some tags in lower case like and some in UPPER CASE - It does not matter which you use but you must use the same all the way through - it is no good doing this text - it wont work - h2g2 recommend that all tags should be in UPPER CASE so its best to follow their guide in this and do it like text


Happy playing to you both
hypno

Oh, it is so nice to be recognised *smile*, yes indeed we are from the imagination of the most great Terry Pratchett. I didn't introduce you to Perdita before, she is always with me you know...

Just popped my head in to say hello again to you both
hypno