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

I like your personal space. How did you find mine (I'm the Natasha you wrote to a lot)?

Have you written anything on twins?

Nice badges. What did you do to get them?

I've answered most of your questions other places, but about the badges...

Subeditor is the first one I received - Subs are the volunteers who help the paid staff edit all the entries that go into the Edited Guide. We're responsible for editing most of the stuff in the Edited Guide (of course, we're also responsible for most of the mistakes and typos! )

The ACEs badge came next - The Assistant Community Editors are volunteers who help to welcome newcomers to the site and help them find their way. This site is really quite large (we're approaching 70,000 registered users) and it's quite easy to get lost. So we kind of hang out and help with questions and stuff like that.

The Guru badge was rather unexpected - One of the full-time staffers approached me one day (online of course) and asked me if I'd be interested in volunteering to be a guru. The gurus help the paid staff by answering questions about the site, primarily in the feedback forums. They are selected because of their knowledge of the site and willingness to answer the same question over and over again.

The Scouts help build the Guide - These volunteers go around the site and find entries that deserve a place in the Edited Guide. If they find something really good, they submit an entry to the Peer Review scheme where the community has the opportunity to discuss the merits of the entry. Each Scout makes three recommendations a month to the paid staff about entries that they feel should go to Subeditors for editing.

The Field Researchers are another volunteer group who write in-depth entries (or series of entries) for the h2g2 University of Life. I recently completed a project on the Moon and helped with one on Near Earth Objects. I've got another project due to be featured on the Messier Objects just before X-mas.

Wow!

That's quite a long post, but I guess that answers your question.

Most of those badges are the result of spending a lot of time on-site and doing a lot of writing. People who write a lot generally attract notice because their names are constantly coming before the community. Of course, people who don't write are just as important as they run the 'virtual community' that has formed on h2g2. If you don't know what I mean, you will shortly as I'm sure you'll discover some of the virtual coffeehouses, bars, taverns and beaches...

Cheers!

- X

Wowee! How many badges are there in all?

I would do a lot more writing except

1. my personal space never works (I've told everyone this about forty-two times)
2. internet time costs money

So, have you read all 5 hitch-hikers? Can I ask a question I'm not meant to ask? Pazz and I and a few other people are arguing about the ultimate question. Is it six by nine or six by eight or something completely different?

Hmm, I always thought there was no answer given for the Ultimate Question. Arthur pulled Scrabble tiles out of the rabbit skin bag and got the question "What is six times nine" And when Marvin said he could read the question in Arthur's brain pattern, he just abused Arthur for having such a small brain.

I don't think DNA ever says anywhere "Here is the Ultimate Question..." So I reckon that we'll never know. You might want to try the forums at http://www.douglasadams.com or at http://www.floor42.com and ask at one of those sites.

As far as I know, there are five or six badges.

And as for the trouble you're having logging in to the site, try setting a password in your preferences and that should cure your ills.

Cheers!

- X

No, I didn't think it was ever told to us. I jsut relied on the scrabble letters.

No, I don't think so either. Yes, I've tried some of them. Very interesting!

A lot.

I've got a passowrd but I finally managed to log on so I am never logging off!

- HL

And another addict is claimed by h2g2...

I reckon there's some 50-100 poeple who never log off. I see them online around the clock. Welcome to that elite group of h2g2 junkies.

Only 50-100?! I thought there'd be lots more. Unless there are two different things called logging off and we are talking about different ones...

Hello again

I'm an ace now

Congratulations!!

Hee hee hee

The hysteria of being an Ace is starting so soon?

Hee hee hee *Niwt can't stop laughing even though he's not at all ticklish*