Hi! :-) My name is Clive and I am one of the ACE's here at H2G2. ACE stands for Assistant Community Editor. We are the official Meeters and Greeters of this wonderful site and basically we try to be nice and friendly, answer all your questions and appear knowledgeable about stuff. Occasionally, on those rare occasions when we are totally flummoxed ourselves we will endeavour to point you in the direction of someone else who can help. The ACE's are researchers just like yourself who have signed up to this volunteer scheme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Aces We flit from space to space and I've popped over to say a big friendly "Hello". :-)"HELLO!":-)<----- (BIG & *FRIENDLY*) Following the tragedy in America at the WTC and Pentagon on the 11/09/01, the Community has opened a Book of Condolence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F76594?thread=140830&latest=1 H2G2 is huge and it can be quiet disorientating for new arrivals. Therefore I've got a couple of links to places around the site to kick-start your adventures. May I suggest first off looking in Preferences http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/UserDetails and sampling the site in it's more groovy state of Classic Goo. I'm not bias, promise. While your there you can also change other things about how the site is viewed on your computer like turning Frames on or off as well as editing you user name. This is all explained in more detail in a welcome message for all new researchers here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/welcome-newcomers Douglas Adams was intimately involved in the foundation of this on-line community before his sudden death earlier this year. He has a page on site that you can visit if you like to read more about him, the stuff he wrote (for and about The Guide) or even leave a tribute: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/U42 If you are wondering how to draw those little smiley faces and pictures that I've been flinging about with glee abandon. This site has loads of 'em and you can find out all about how to use them in conversations like this on by clicking on this smiley face ---> :-) There are many, many different conversations being had here so try doing some investigating (or "Lurking" as it is known here on-site.) You can join in by clicking the Discuss Entry button to start up a brand new conversation or if you want to reply to a message in pre-existing conversation just hit the Reply button (9/10 times it doesn't hit back! ;-) ) at the end of the appropriate posting. We have our own newspaper - published weekly. With editorials and regular contributions from researchers all across the site as well as feature articles and not forgetting the superlative H2G2Life Cartoon strip. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/thepost Those nice people at The Post have also gone to some lengths to gather their own list of useful links for researchers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A616718 As well as a list of the wacky clubs, societies and WSOGMM* that goes on around site http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A626069 To see where the community is talking http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Talk - hosts a comprehensive list. Seek enlightenment here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/HowdoI Another good place to start here is http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/askh2g2 - here you can post a question about more-or-less anything! These are some of the popular forums where you can engage with the rest of the community. The forums form one half of the site, they are were researchers meet and chat. Forums stem from particular Guide Entries written by researchers. For instance the AskH2G2 forums all stem from a page set up by the staff who run this site. The Powers That Be - fondly known as The Italics because their names all appear in bold italicised font - Gawd Bless 'em :-) all have pages on site. You can learn more about the team that runs the site here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/Team