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

Counter-intuitive might not be the right word, but I do think that someone who has never seen the system before will not understand it. There are EG entries about Life, obviously. Just click C72. There are UG entries about the Universe. There are some EG entries that don't comfortably fit within "Life" or the "Universe" apparently, judging by C74.

I realize that your system involves a clever reappraisal of the terms we've been accustomed to. However I think that those terms, with all respect to Douglas, are useless for categorization in the current way that they're used, and become more opaque when they're used in this alternative sense.

Of course, this isn't something that is incredibly important at this stage. Perhaps my experience as UG Archivist, and now as a reader of the UG archives has made me unnaturally sensitive to issues of categorization.

And may I take this strange moment to briefly thank you and your husband for the work you two have been doing? Who knew that the life-injection hootoo needed was a death sentence?

>> Who knew that the life-injection hootoo needed was a death sentence?



It's not the death sentence, really. It's the chance of freedom....

The question of categorisation is moot, and I've no idea at all how much work would be involved in re-tagging, whether it could be automated or semi-automated, and whether it's practical in any way. I do know the current taxonomy sucks, and that we have professional taxonomists here on site who could do come up with a structure. I've also no idea if it's worth it.

But I wanted to promote the idea of "different and equal" for the different kinds of writing, and this was a convenient way to do it.

PS - you may or may not be interested in this:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-never-starting-story/14744345

I put it together earlier today, and only after I'd done so I realised that it'll be decidedly odd as a book - there's no frontispiece, no title page and no endpapers. It launches straight in at Post 1 in the thread. But then I thought that's oddly appropriate, really. And for what it's worth, I put it on Lulu at cost price.

Ben

Maybe it's a death sentence with the hope of a reprieve. After all, we're appealing and applying for pardons, and waiting for the word to come from the governor's office.

Fair enough. I certainly agree with the principle of "different but equal".

Some people without the applicable technical skills, including me, are looking for ways to help a new h2g2. I think that, whenever it's possible, tagging and categorization would be a very positive way to use some of that energy. Again, getting ahead of myself. It's hard not to.

I saw the book earlier. I think I can spare $10 for a nice little piece of nostalgia. We'll see if I have the time to actually reread the thing.

Just ordered it. Thanks for putting that together. It must have taken you some time.

More time than I had really, which is why I only thought about a title oage after the event. But an interesting exercise.

I suspect it's unreadable. No narrative arc. But I find I feel better about the site closing, if it does, knowing i'll always have a copy of the NSS in alabaster, albeit in black and white.