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

sorry to hear that you are not well. I am Abi and I am the Deputy Community editor. If I can be of any assistance just yell. If you are feeling sociable the newcomer's thread is at http://www.h2g2.com/forumframe.cgi?thread=62457&forum=617

Welcome

Thanks Abi, I was half-expecting an automated reply so a real-life is a real bonus! This looks a really interesting place and can see me making a lot of use of it as I spend half my life on the web - either working or socially.

Steve

Excellent - are you finding your way round ok? This place is pretty big.

I could do with a bit of help actually Abi.....

Firstly, if it's not a stupid question, where's all the actual info? I've found forums, discussions etc, but not the articles researchers are writing.

Secondly, I've seen the 'whos online' list, but is there a register of all researchers?

Thanks.

Steve

Right the actual info is accessible from the front page of h2g2 - click on the symbol in teh top left hand corner of your screen.

Or you can get to it through the catagorisation system - click on teh blue rectangle on teh top left hand corner of the front page.

There isn't a complete list yet - but that is a feature we are considering.

Any thing else?

Hi Abi,

Yet another one of my (probably daft) questions I'm afraid. I'm slightly confused by conversations (on h2g2, not outside). I came across a conversation on your personal pages regarding requests for unusual units of measurement and have one or two ideas - should I be replying to the top-most question on your page, should I be replying to one of the replies or should I go to the original questioner's pages?

I've just used the first option but it looks as though I'm sending my idea to you and not to the questioner, if you see what I mean.

Sorry for being a pain again.

Steve

Please don't ever worry about asking me questions or popping over to say hi. Scandalously that is what they pay me for!

In answer to your question, that is something that a lot of people have a problem with. There is no formal netiquette on h2g2 so where should you post it? Well I think that you did the right thing - you posted your idea in the relevant thread which means that all the relevant people can see it. Equally you could have posted it on Duncan's page - he is a friendly chap - and said at the start of the posting that you had seen he was looking for unusual measurements and here were your contributions.

Sometimes it is best to start a new thread if you are thinking of a different topic, but on the whole just trust your instincts. Sometimes it can be a bit offputting if people don't reply. A good rule of thumb is if you do something rude or offensive or break the unseen rules, they will tell you.

But you seem to be doing ok to me. Anything else?

You get paid to help people like me????? I thought it must be fun welcoming people and generally being incredibly friendly voluntarily, but to get paid as well.....

I do something similar in my job as a computer system manager but have to deal with most people face to face which, believe me, takes most of the fun out of it.

Thanks anyway.

Steve

I used to be a researcher on site and then they offered me the job. It was a dream come true.

Hi again Abi,

Confused - you will be.....

I think I'm still missing something about this conversation business.

Someone just replied to one of my journal entries, so I clicked on the 'reply' button on their contribution and sent off a reply to them but my home space now lists my journal entry as having two replies and what I've just written doesn't appear in the list of conversations etc. of the person I've just replied to - if you follow all that.

Steve

hold on heading over to your page to check it out.

its all there as far as I can see