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

Hi speckly and welcome to h2g2,

I am Mort, <./>ACE</.> (assistant community editor) here to meet and greet you, and help you find your way around this site.

Don't be nervous we are all very friendly here! h2g2 doesn't work like most message boards - its much much better.

There is tons of things to do and once you get to know the site a bit better you will soon feel at home.

Feisor has compiled a list of links at A719840 to make it easier to familiarise yourself with some of the most helpful entries, but here are a few to be going on with…

Take the <./>DontPanic-Tour</.> - its free and very useful!

If you want to get some feedback from the community, (such as world affairs or something less serious ) then the best place to ask is <./>ASKh2g2</.>, someone will always have an opinion there!

Visit <./>ThePost</.> our weekly newspaper and <./>frontpage</.> to see what’s happening in h2g2.

A690518 has tips and help spicing up your page! (along with the full list of <./>smileys</.> available )

If you want to visit my page for a chat or you need any help finding areas of specific interest to you, or how to contribute to the Edited Guide, then click here U204689 , leave me a message and i will get back to you as soon as i can.

Happy Hiking!

Mort

Is this an automated message?

Are you really Mort? How's Death treating you?

no its not an automated message, thats why i make spelling mistakes in it! and me a sub-editor to
We are just researchers that have volunteered to officially welcome new researchers to h2g2 and help as it can be a bit much to take on board at first.

DEATH is being his usual self, Can I take it you like Terry Pratchett?

You can visit my personal space (or anybodys )by clicking on the name at the top of conversation posts, or by clicking here U204689

A989508 there are some links to places i like to visit on that list, a couple of terry pratchett links are on it too.

How have you been getting on? Found any places of particular interest yet?

I keep finding more stuff everyday!



Mort

Wow, service with a smile.

Indeed I do like that Mr Pratchett. Doesn't everyone of good taste and breeding?

I'm still finding the site a bit daunting and haven't really jumped in at the deep end yet, but I'm learning. Thanks for the advice ad the warm welcome, it's much appreciated.

Speckly

You are very welcome! Just give me a shout anytime you need anything!

The site is huge so i am not surprised you havent jumped in at the deep end yet!

And yes, everyone of good taste and breeding does like TP. And if they dont then thats only becaus ethey havent read him yet

the <./>search</.> is quite good, anything that has edited next to it means it forms part of the official Edited Guide - the encyclopaedia of earth that was Douglas' Adams original concept for h2g2, the rest are entries people have created about anything and everything!



Mort

You know you really shouldn't be so nice, it encourages people like me to pester you. But you are so I shall

I've enjoyed what I've seen of the site so far but I do have a few problems. I'm sure I'd work it out eventually but I thought I'd see if you have any advice.

I'd like to write a guide entry or two, but I'm not sure how polished it would need to be. I've read a bunch of entries and they all seem to have different standards, so no help there. Can I use quotations and referances? will either a lighthearted or an academic style be frowned upon? I would also like it to be presented well but the information on GuideML confused the hell out of me. Is there any dumber version of the instructions or would someone else be able to gussy it up after I finished writing it?

I would also like to be involved in the community here. Get to know people and have conversations and suchlike. I'm mostly on here out of boredom at work. Messageboards are nice but focused on a single subject, this seems like a better bet for talking to lots of different people. But it's difficult to find people who are already talking about the things I'm interested in. (I'm allergic to starting conversations.) Where would be the most newbie friendly place to talk about any of the following: books(literary and not), writing, Buffy, Discworld, self harm and depression, lesbianism and relationships, education, folklore. (sorry for the long list, I would have given you the short version, oh no...wait...that was the short version.)

Feel free to ignore me if I'm being too much bother.

Oh thanks for saying i am nice - as you can tell by my name i am having a sense of humour bypass at the moment!

I have links for you

if you click here <./>search</.> it will bring up three options the second is search for a conversation - so you can find a place where people are discussing a subject. (this also happens if you press the search box on your page without entering a subject, or by using Advanced search)

The guide works on 2 levels as far as writing goes. There is the Edited Guide which is factually correct and edited to a very high standard. Everything else is what people have written and so can be as daft, made up ie fiction silliness etc

EditedGuide-Guidelines may help and it has links to other pages about writing for the guide including fiction. Entries can be simple (i mean doesnt need to be rocket science!) so long as they are well written and factually accurate. If you have a look at <./>peerreview</.> it shows the up and coming entries being reviewd by researchers ie US! It will give you an idea into the standard too.

The Guide Ml clinic does seem complicated at first - but the link to spicing up your page (in the ACE greeting) explains the basics. Thats the best page really to start. EG entries are best in guide ml but a nice sub will change it from plain text if it really is a problem at first.

books(literary and not), - this weeks talking point is actually on books. its on the front page but the link is A956432 and it has further links to the book groups on it.

Discworld - part of the talking point book topic has created a conversation on discworld - F113441?thread=272144

lesbianism - A290710

Buffy,education,folklore try the search conversation option as i had a quick look and there are millions on buffy!



F118972?thread=260485&post=3200434 is a conversation thread from 5 weeks agon SI. people will still be subscribed to it so if you posted it will refresh it, plus there are people that have posted that SI and if you visit their PS's then you make pick up on other conversations they are having.

A small convo is on someones journal page at ..F111528?thread=272862 - again the people that have posted may be involved in more conversations about it. It is perfectly acceptable to look at posts etc and nothing is considered secret onsite, however if it is a journal entry it is worth just saying, "hello, sorry to butt in etc but i found this thread and"... etc or something like that.

Finally - i have a page of places i like to hang about A989508 - you may like some of those links too!

I think that covered everything and if not it should at least keep you busy for a while

Its no bother, just shout if you need more!!!!

Mort

sorry the journal link didnt work its >>> F111528?thread=272862

Thanks ever so, I'm raising that nice to wonderful.

These all seem like good suggestions, should keep me busy for a while.

You're very welcome. It would seem we have alot in common anyway

I keep making typos as i am tired - must go to bed soon but cant drag my self away from h2g2!

Catch you later!

mort

Wow, you weren't wrong about having things in common. I looked up the self harm thread you pointed me to. It's very good, though I don't think i'm ready to jump in yet. Coming out of the sexual closet was way easier than coming out about mental health problems!

I saw your post there. I have self harmed for many years. The self harm is under control now, at least comparatively, though the urge doesn't go away. I also suffer manic depression. I've never been treated (or diagnosed) but I'm a clever cookie and did my own research and diagnosing. I don't consider that I have it very badly, by which I mean my periods of illness are short, sometimes only a few days and not usually more than a month or so at a time. And it can be several months between episodes. So I don't feel that I need medical treatment for it (plus I'm terrified of being sectioned or forced to take anti psychotic medication). Over the past few years I have gotten better at managing my state of mind and my girlfriend cares for me and stops me doing anything too dumb.

I've never talked to, or to my knowledge, met another person who is bi-polar. My family don't know, though we intend to tell my girlfriend's family one day.

As I said, I'm not ready to come out about all this yet, and while this is still a public space, it's not quite so public. Thank you for being so warm and open. I needed to tell this and It would have taken a lot longer if you hadn't paved the way already.

Just don't tell me you're a short welsh lesbian writer as well or I might become afeared for my individuality.

Thanks for being open, will reply tomorrow as i have just exhausted myself looking over wannabe ACE recruits!

short welsh lesbian? nope fortunately for you I am a average Scot (well adopted Scot anyway) Bi.


Catch you later

Mort

There are people who want to be ACEs? Haven't you told them they'll have to deal with pesky newbies who will think they're automated messages then pester them mercilessly.

Howdy and welcome to h2g2 I see you have made your self at home already I like the pictures you have chosen for your space

Oi you stop stalking me!
Create your own threads or else i will retract my to your audition

Well, that's a good lesson in nothing on here being private!
And a good lesson is always valuable.

Thank you for the hello optical. The pictures and other improvements to the page are entirely thanks to Sir Mort. And she only had to tell me how to find the dummies guide to GuideML twice.