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

Hi Researcher 240581

First, at the moment, when you post to a conversation, you will show up as "Researcher 240581" so if you want to change your Researcher Number to a nickname that is easier for people to remember, just click on the "Preferences" button on your page and you can change it there

Right, back to the plot

Welcome to H2G2, my name is manda (well its not really but that's another story) I am from Wolverhampton in the UK, I am your "ACE", (Assistant Community Editors), and I am here to welcome you to H2G2 and to show you around


A very popular place is the <./>ASKH2G2</.> , ( Don't forget to click on the "SEE MORE CONVERSATIONS" link at the bottom of that page ) that is were you can ASK what ever you want and maybe answer some of the questions that are there, or just join in with the conversations as they often go off topic

or you might like to look at the <./>FRONTPAGE</.> (there are a lot of links on the right of that page )

Or maybe you are interested in the Writing-Guidelines and the PeerReview

If you click HERE >> U193090 it will take you to my page, were you will find that I have put some links to other places that I thought you might find interesting, including the <./>DontPanic-Tour</.> page that is all ways a good place to start

And if you want to brighten up your page, then have a look HERE >> A1020592 and see if that helps

If you have any questions or just what to talk then don't hesitate to leave me a message on my page or click on the "REPLY" button at the bottom of this page

Have some and a cup of to keep you going.

Speak to you later

Manda

Thank you for welcoming me.

Your welcome

You will find there is always a lot going on here

if you need anythig just give me a shout

manda

I used the be a researcher for the guide (sounds just slightly pretentious) before, I even have an edited entry in the Guide. For a moment I was tempted to resurrect that incarnation of myself, but after reading my Journal entries I decided against it.
Remember, kids, even when you think all that shameful stuff you wrote is gone there is the google cache and the wayback machine!

Its like when I hear myself on a tap recording, I don't think I have ever heared anything so yuk

manda

Tapes never seem very flattering. I am guessing it's because one's voice seems flat and dull when it's not resonating inside your skull.
I did radio for a while, not enough to claim it as a skill, I afraid, so I had to get used to my voice. After a while I became quite fond of my voice.

I have a question. How is the score in the search results (when searching the guide) calculated?
At first I thought it indicated how good the entry was, and then it seemed obvious that it indicated how well the entry matched your search string.

Now I am not sure any more. If it's the latter then I don't understand why Ways to make Good Coffee should have a higher score then the entry simply entitled Coffee. Or why when you search on peanut the entry 'Peanuts' by Charles Schulz - a History should get 23% and the entry Wild Birds and Domesticated Cats 24%.

If it's the first then I am curious why I can't seem to find any information on the scoring system.

In most cases however it seems like edited entries get a higher score than unedited ones (except in the peanut query where the unedited entry Peanut Butter got a score of 45% beating the peanuts entry above).

My guess is that the search algoritm counts the occurrence of the search string in the body of the entry as well, but that will always screw the search result in favor of longer entries.

Oh, and I have already written an entry for the Guide. I am fast like that. The peer review process wasn't here the last time I did, but I look forward to being, umm, constructivly critiqued.

The score in the search results are what it thinks is closet to your needs


and if there are a few with the same score then it puts the Edited ones first

it is not the best search engin there is, but it is the only one we have

manda

Righty. I am sure some day someone will improve it.

Finally I have written a proper introduction. Something came to mind at last.

Again thanks for your welcome!