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

Hi,

I'm dropping around because I want to hear your opinions on the proposals for the new h2g2. `As you know that there's lots of opinions and lots of threads around the site and Ben's worked really hard to draw the conclusions of the threads together into one great big document:

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B2ZHau0jbhEIYTEwMjkzMmUtNzA0NC00YTY1LWJhMDYtNDNlOWQwNWZmNDNk&hl=en&authkey=CLvWzbIH


We know that you've not commented much, but we'd really like to know what you think, we want to make sure we hear all voices, not just those that shout the loudest..

Z

There are a number of unanswered questions

In fact there are a nunber unasked questions as well

I will have a think and comment later.

A Question - Just curious not hostile I am trying to understand the process behind the request.

Why have you chosen me/us for comment?
I am in good company
Blue Bottle
Shagbark
Lanzababy
Bel
And an unaddressed message to Sprout

Again why us and what is my/our qualification for comment?

Hi

I'm wanting to get comments from people who are involved in the Peer Review as writers or scouts or sub editors, but haven't commented much on the current threads. I just went through the Peer Review and saw who was commenting on the threads and hadn't popped onto the threads I was on.

Then Ben decided that I should bake some scones, so I stopped...

PS
I have read the Gt Big Document and I have questions the answers to which I feel would colour my comments.

Completely at random my question are –
1 Why a Rupert the reason is not clear.
2 The division between the old and new membership once clear of the BBC it will be illogical to drag the baggage with us, all members will be the same unless the committee and post holders distinguish between them, new members should not even be aware or the differences.
3 The ACES appear to be underutilised in the proposed new role, and should be active in supporting the new users as mentioned in 3 above.
4. The proposed new skins are wonderful and Tav has done well, however it must be asked can the new server cope with that much choice, and will it affect or limit our chances of adoption.
5. Just how many members do we have.
6. Advertising? Yes, no or maybe.
7. A traffic monitor (hit counter) as well as a like button to gauge the true interest of a piece/entry. This would give an indication of what readers want, not the quality maybe but what’s popular. We need popular to stay alive don’t we?
8. Are there any other proposed areas of promoting H2G2 that have not been mentioned.

That will do for now thanks

Oh and Entry A82647165 is a mock up but I feel this whole thing needs a hub, we all need to know where to go for information or there is a possibility some will become disillusioned. It also allows everyone to voice their supply and feel a part of this, if you don’t there is a chance that we will all sit back and see how you get on, and do nothing to help.

Can I have cream and strawberry jam on my scone please.

1. Why a Rupert?

The term rupert was used for the time when the site went down before the BBC took over 10 years ago.

2. The Division between old and new members?

I guess that pre change members will always have a status, and if we are swapped by new members, which we will need to be to survive the old members may need something to make themselves feel special.

3. The ACEs will still be there supporting new members, though there has been a proposal that there should be an automatic message giving the essential information and the ACEs can concentrate more on chatting and starting a dialogue to answer questions.

4. The technical types think that the server'll manage the extra skins, servers have moved on a lot recently and can do a lot of things.

5. Just how many members - we reckon about 200 active members, once we are further into discussions with the BBC we'll find out as part of the due diligence process.

6. Advertising - I think it's a maybe, if it's community-led then we may have to if it's the only way to pay the bills, but we'd rather not.

7 Hit counter - yes! We need one..

8. there are discussions on promoting the site to students with witting competitions for sixth formers. We'd also try and set up a lile with a major search engine or something like that!

A80173361 is what we have been using as a hub so far - I've tried to keep ev

My answers to your answers.
I know you have thought of this before but for clarity.

1. Why a Rupert?

The term rupert was used for the time when the site went down before the BBC took over 10 years ago. Why cant we have a seemles transition even to a basic site My concern is loss of members.

2. The Division between old and new members?

I guess that pre change members will always have a status, and if we are swapped by new members, which we will need to be to survive the old members may need something to make themselves feel special. I am happy with that.

3. The ACEs will still be there supporting new members, though there has been a proposal that there should be an automatic message giving the essential information and the ACEs can concentrate more on chatting and starting a dialogue to answer questions. Sounds Good though more detail would be nice.

4. The technical types think that the server'll manage the extra skins, servers have moved on a lot recently and can do a lot of things.

5. Just how many members - we reckon about 200 active members, once we are further into discussions with the BBC we'll find out as part of the due diligence process. That sounds like an untenable base from which to work. We need to up the anti somehow, and I hate to say it we need a chat site. The stubent idea is fine but how about a site along the lines of a 2 tier structure with hootoo taking the higher ground and a less serious youner mass social and chat site with a similar name such as hootooyootoo aimed at every one under 19 and appoint some 19yr olds as sub eds.

6. Advertising - I think it's a maybe, if it's community-led then we may have to if it's the only way to pay the bills, but we'd rather not. At a membershop of 200 no chance.

7 Hit counter - yes! We need one..
That will help sopport advertisers.

8. there are discussions on promoting the site to students with witting competitions for sixth formers. We'd also try and set up a lile with a major search engine or something like that!
Well get the student population we have to do that hootoo Unitoo ask and get help with your thesis, course work and exam advice also the best student pubs in your area.

And links here
scholar.google.com/
and http://answers.google.com/answers/ has been closed perhaps we could fill the gap for them or at least have a redirect to askhootoo


Thats all for now

Oh and get our entries linked to what they are about, just a note on the website or guide book will do.

Portchester - Curator Pam Braddock - HQ Keysign House.
HMS Victory - Curator I cant remember his name but he took me out (with riends) to a meal in Nelsons dining room on Victory - HQ Portsmouth Dockyard.

Come one chaps some of you must know some people like them.

1. Why a rupert,

We'd aim to minimise any downtime, ideally to only a matter of hours, if you're transferring from one server to another you do need a little downtime, we'll be able to sort this out at a later date.

2. Advertising,: the membership may be about 200 but that's different to the number of readers, at the BBC MOT they stated that there were about 150,000 views a week, but most of them don't post. Advertisers would need our stats, but they wouldn't have to be public, just visible to advertisers. A hit counter would encourage authors that their entries were being read.

3. We certainly need to up the anti- but I think we can manage the editorial side of things for a few months with the membership we've got. Also t here are a number of very committed ex-members who have drifted away because of disillusionment with the BBC who would be likely to come back.

There are *loads* of ways that we can promote h2g2, and we're doing some behind the scenes negotiations with some of them to explore options. We also think that h2g2 taking over it's own site would be a huge story in the technology press, which would hopefully bring in lots of new members.

Right that seems fine please make the excellent GBD a little more clear.
I thing you are on thr right track the main outstanding thing to do is clear the backlog of pending entries prior to hand over and get more through. Get some meat on the society's bones and add value.

Great Big Document. Opinion time, my verdict is excellent work with excellent coverage of all aspects of H2G2 - It adds value to the site and all the members well done.

So you have an opinion what do you think.

What indeed did the others have to say. Feedback time please

Hi Bob

I tend to do the updates on Saturday and publish on Saturday night, so you'll see the changes later today or tomorrow depending on when folks get stuff over to me for including.

B

... er.... make that Sunday.