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

My name is Feisor and I am an ACE (Assistant Community Editor) here at h2g2. It's my job to welcome you to the site and hopefully show you around a little. I AM a real person, not an automated rely not an automated reply not an automated reply .

Welcome to h2g2 – not just the friendliest on-line community but an incredibly huge, living, breathing guide to Life, the Universe and Everything. It’s compiled by researchers just like you and it's something YOU can take part in. You can write entries on all manner of subjects, and if it's something you think would look good in our Edited Guide (where all the best research goes), you can submit it to Peer Review Take a look at the <./>writing-guidelines</.> for more information on that.

You have made a great start by opening your space I hope when you get to know us a little better you'll tell us a little about yourself - but there's no rush - and it's not compulsory

Just a hint - the conversation that you have started about bovril crisps has been posted to your own space - it's a little like leaving a message for everyone on the notice board in your own room - no one will see it unless they visit - you might like to repost it to <./>MiscChat</.> with an interesting subject line to attract replies

We ACEs are volunteers here to assist new researchers so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.
You can leave a message on my space just by clicking on my name at the top of this message or by hitting the reply button below - it won't hit back (usually).

I have made a "Hints and Links for New Researchers" page at <./>A719840</.> - if you go there it will lead you to all sorts of places which will help find your way around and get to know this wonderful place

It should keep you busy for a while I am sure that you will love this community as much as we do There's lots of things to see, clubs to join and people to meet - please don't be shy - just jump right in - this is a friendly place. But be careful - it can become quite addictive - believe me I know



Enjoy!!
Have fun!!!
and above all !!!


Feisor

thanks for your message, brand new to this, still feeling brain dead, i always thought computers were for bright people until i got one and noticed that i was right, so bear with me, when i enter the site how do i get to miscchat as there is nothing to click on that says miscchat

Anything in the Welcome message that s "highlighted" is a Clickable link - just click on the words MiscChat and it will take you to the page - try this one <./>MiscChat</.>

If you are very new - I suggest that you take the time to read the New Researchers page first - click on this --> <./>A719840</.>

If you have any questions you can leave a message on that page or on this conversation and I will answer it in due course.

Take it slowly - this is a huuuuuge place

what do i do to use different smilies other that what
appears on the list i can see when replying,
i have gone on the smiley index, but dont know how
to put them on the post i am sending, can i also save them to my visible list

If you have gone to the smiley Index you will see that next to each smiley is a "code" - for conversations simply type the code into the thread - for instance ...
ale < ale > or c |_| (without the spaces) either will give you

(Not all smileys have short codes)

No - you can't add them to the visible list

I suggest that you copy and paste the smileys and the codes all to a Word document that you can use as reference until you get familiar with them. That's how I learnt them.

< cheers >

Wanted to start a new conversation, but got a bit
lost, i went to write an entry, then put in the subject
and submitted it to peer review, as i guess i have
to do that, there was a space for me to write something
but didnt understand what i had to write.
As i said new to computers, and didnt want to make a prat
of myself, so thought i would ask you, if thats ok

What you did is to create a Guide Entry - I think what you wanted to do was to start a conversation - which is a very different thing.

If you want to start a conversation on "What Is your favourite song?" You should go to <./>MiscChat</.> - find the button that says "Start a New conversation" press that and a new window will pop up - type in your subject (or question) where it says "Subject" then type what you want in the box below - then hit preview - this will show you what your post will look like - if you are happy with it scroll down under the box where you typed and hit the "Post Message" button

The "thread" will now appear on your personal space and you can tell if someone replies.

NOTE: If you are very new to computers you should work your way through "Hints and Links for New Researchers" at <./>A719840</.> - it will really make things a lot easier to understand - I promise

If you have any questions you can either post here or on the New Researchers page and I will respond.

Thanks again

Good morning, just a question, sometimes when i go onto a conversation, the screen goes white and says "service unavailable" is that common?

Cheers

It is lately

Seriously, it's just server overload or something - it's been happening to me lately too - I just hit the refresh button a couple of times and it comes good

I suspect that someone has forgotten to feed the hamsters

ok, thank you, thought it might be my pc, refresh it is then

Hello, "any one fancy a chat" and "what just happened..." threads are on my personal space and when trying to chat or see last posts, the screen goes blank showing me all the circles at the top for previous posts, but does not show me the posts, any ideas

No idea .... could be just server problems again.

You could try another skin - which are you using now?

Have you tried refreshing?

What browser are you using?

thanks, seems to be working again now, some other posters have also had the same problem.

Not a great computer person what do you mean by "what browser are you using"

Browser is the program you use to view web pages - usually Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc

Yep - noticed other mentions of the problem - sounds like server problems again

Persevere and keep hitting refresg

yea, internet explorer, dont get angry though problems can always be solved, and you are the guys to do it

Me?? I can't do anything!! I'm just a user like you - just been around a lot longer .... years in fact

The Italics (bless 'em) are the ones who keep the hamsters fed - I just sit with fngers crossed and keep hitting refresh

I thought you were one of the main people, will send my problems to my mother in future

I'm more than happy to help - that's what ACEs do .....

As long as you realise that I have no power over anything

no power, i know the feeling, i'm married