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

in a galaxy far, far away...
Hi 'sus. If you happen around, I seem to remember long, long ago, discussing Open Uni short courses with you and I mentioned there was a proposal for a short course on writing to which you expressed an interest.
Well, there now seems to be one and it's here: http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C02A174 if you're still interested.
Or, my memory could be completely wrong and I've just made a fool of myself. In which case please ignore and I'll go away.
A.M.

Hi A.M. Thanks for that. Think I may have had a look at that one and bookmarked it for the future taking thereof. Certainly sounds like it should be of interest. Is the first presentation currently underway do you know? Is it one you are taking, or thinking about, yourself?

I'm actually doing S194 'Introducing Astronomy' at present (or should be, if I damn well get on with it!). You did an astronomy course too didn't you? Which was that?

I'm also signed up for U316 'Environmental Web' as of February, so will be busy busy for the next 9-10 months. Assuming I manage to cope with that (I did a summer school, but dropped out of my main course in 2003) then I will probably look towards doing A174 in November, during the 'winter break'. Certainly one I'd like to do.

So have you been doing any other OU courses yourself? And how is life and the world treating you generally? I'm not around here much any more, but I do drop by from time to time, and actually log in, should needs be. And I can still be contacted on ye olde email address, being h2g2pegasus at hotmail dot com.

Hi 'sus, It's great to hear from you again
I've only done the one course with OU which was, as it happens, S194.
It certainly wasn't as easy as I thought it might be and to tell the truth, that and real life intervening, rather put me off for a while.

I went back to it a couple of weeks ago and I've signed up for S196 Intro to Planets which starts in Feb, as I thought it might get me back on track to see if I can cope with something bigger. The main courses that I would like to do are rather expensive so I don't want to commit to them just yet.

I happened to see the A174 writing course along the way and I might sign up for that later in the year so I might be with you on that one. I took a night school course on that a few years ago and although that was a bit short on instruction, I didn't do too badly with it. The instructor seemed keener on getting the students ideas down in her notebook than imparting information. I'd hope this one is more informative.

Good luck with your U 316, It looks interesting. Thanks for the e/m addy, I'll keep in touch.
All the best
A.M.

Ah, my memory did serve. Here's what I was looking for earlier! How was (is?) S196? Another one on my 'maybe' list, but I think I'd like to give A174 a go first. I'm contemplating a switch towards literature/history at present.

Oh, and it's my fifth birthday in 3 days time!

Hi 'sus Happy birthday in 3. I remember that, and Waxer.

S196 Intro to Planets was quite demanding. I've recently sent in the end of course assessment and waiting for results.
S196 is more into solar system formation and planet/moons geology than astronomy. I found it very interesting. There's a bit of maths but nothing too formidable.

I've signed up for S198 Exploring Mars, another short course, and have just received the course work. A quick flick thro shows that it covers a lot of previous work in 'Planets' but there's more to the geology side. It also has a lot on the prospects for 'Beagle 2' which now will have to be taken as read I guess.

I had no sooner signed up for that, than I found an opportunity to get on a network course on lunar geology being run by Dr Charles Woods, who was associated with the US geological survey of the moon in the Apollo days. That's going to take a few weeks from September and I'm waiting to hear if I have a place, so the writing course is going to have to go on the back burner at present. If it doesn't turn out, then I may try to get on A174 for Nov.

All the best
A.M.

Hey hey! Nearly forgot my birthday, and never did sign in on the actual day.

Did you get on the lunar geology course? How's it going? Or are you signed up for anything else?

I'm signed up for A174 starting this November. I'm looking forward to it, and it gives me the excuse to read lots of books now and call it 'studying'. I don't generally get much time for just enjoying a good book when I'm studying a big course, but there are so many I'm dying to read. I'm reading Robert Rankin's 'Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse' right now, which is great fun, and has the odd dash of DNA-style humour in there. Hard to choose which book will be next, when there's so many at the 'top' of my list of books-to-read, but I think it may be Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere'. I really want to get hold of the DVDs of that too (it's out in the States, hoping it'll be here soon).

I'm also trying to get on to SXR208 next spring. It sounds fantastic. Have you looked at it (I'm sure you will have!)? If I do get a place, then I will also do S196 this autumn. From what you've said, it sounds like I'd enjoy it. I also want to do S198, but I thought I'd leave that til next autumn, in the hope they might update the course with some of the latest findings. Ooh, did you know that Spielberg is making a big budget version of 'War of the Worlds', due out next year? But also, completely separately, a CGI version of Jeff Wayne's musical is finally being made (over 20 years after he approached Spielberg with the idea... wonder where Spielberg got his ideas from...?!) 2005 is going to be a cracking year for sci-fi films, what with the two WotW's, Hitchhikers at last, and I think Red Dwarf and Star Wars 3. Plus of course, WorldCon is being held here next August.

I'll be doing DU310 come next February (environmental course) to finish off my degree. I really want to stroll up and collect that certificate now. Then with the occasional splattering of short astronomy courses, I'll be looking at tackling an English degree.

Chat again soon.



The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one, he said...

Hi 'sus
The geology course seems to be a non starter at the moment. I've sent an e/m reminder in case I've missed something but it looks as though it may be a washout... pity, I was looking forward to that. I'm holding back at the moment so that if I don't get an answer or it all comes to naught I might try getting on A174 instead. I've quite fancied that for a while, but I guess I just can't do everything. Strange how these things all come together.

I got a good pass on S196 'Planets' and added 10 points to the total and I've joined up and started S198 'Mars'. The course work hasn't caught up with the lander's failure yet, but maybe by next year... You should find S196 a breeze, but it is interesting.

SXR208 sounds ab-fab. It's just the sort of thing I'd love to do with real telescopes an all, but it's level 2 course and I haven't done a proper level 1 course yet.

War of the Worlds is one of my all-time favourite books, probably 'cause I live near the locations that HGW writes about and can relate to them, albeit in a different age. (Horsell Common is about 5 miles away). Did you know that Woking has a Martian 'Fighting Machine' sculpture near the town centre? It's about what I would imagine to be about half scale, but brilliant. It really shows a bit of empathy on behalf of the local council. I hope the Speilberg film version is better than the last one, I enjoyed it well enough, but really it was c**p.
It must be good to be nearly at the finish with a Degree in sight. I'm still undecided whether to start on it all yet. I don't really think that I've got the commitment necessary for it. I'm still thinking about that one.
All the best
A.M.

Well, I seem to have missed the boat all round. There was no response to my e/m so I guess that the geology course is a non starter. I've looked again at joining up to A174 but the Nov course is gone and the earliest one now starts Feb. B****r!

A small questionette. One thing about OU degree courses in general which seems to elude me and which perhaps you could enlighten me on, is if there is ever any formal written examinations on the main 'proper' courses. You know, like in a classroom with invigilators an all. Did you ever have to sit one on any of your courses? The reason I ask is that all the short courses I've seen have only required an ECA thro the post. I don't really expect on the 60 pointers but there doesn't seem to be anything mentioned about that in the courses I'm interested in.

Have you listened in to the new radio HHGTG yet? Seems quite good, I laughed like a drain at the Mattress sound effects and I've even started re reading my old copy.

All the best
A.M.

Hi A.M.

Yup, I've seen the Martian monument, courtesy of Munchkin whom I stayed with in Woking, to go to a London meet a couple of years ago. Horsell Common looked a little different to the story though... a big housing estate from what I saw!

Sorry you didn't manage to get on A174. I'm also signed up for S196 in November now too. I still need to sort out my registration for SXR208, but am working on it! As for the 60 point courses, the majority of them do have an exam at the end. The exceptions are those for which you submit an ECA/report instead. If you look on the OU course choice site at the course(s) you're interested in, it should say in the 'assessment' section how many TMA/CMAs there are, and whether there is an exam. Which courses are you thinking about? The 60 point/nine month courses are quite a hefty commitment, and you have to be prepared to put other things aside for a while (not easy!). Maybe it would be worth trying a 30 point course first? Still nine months worth, but only about half the number of hours studying per week of a 60 pointer. I think the main astronomy level 2 course has now been split into two 30 pointers. The 'search for life' one sounds quite tempting... one day!

I have been listening to the new radio series with great enthusiasm. Another episode this evening. I shall be wearing my dressing gown again and drinking as befits the occasion. I've got the original series on audio tape and recently got the anniversary edition book of the scripts. Despite reservations, I am looking forward to the film version too, which could be out as early as May next year. For once, a film I'd like to be at the premiere of.

Let me know how you're getting on with S198. When is the ECA due in? Can't wait to get started on my courses... should receive some mailings in the next couple of weeks.

Better go finish reading my Need to get stuck into some proper sci-fi now I reckon.

Hi . there really should be a smiley for that.

Yeh, any Martian container landing at Horsell would certainly plough a few back yards, but I think there are a couple of green spots left.

I'm sure you'll enjoy S196, It explains a lot about the amazing diversity of the solar system planets and moons and the reasons they came to be like that, which panders to my latent interest in geology.

Thanks for the advice on the course assessments. My thoughts on OU are centred around a science degree and most of what I've read is pointing toward S103 as an unavoidable level 1 start, which is of course a 60 pointer. I realise it's quite a commitment and don't particularly want to start something I can't finish, so my hesitation in taking it up and toying around with the short courses. Anyway, I'd prefer an October start so I'll finish the one I'm on at the mo, probably try the writing course next Feb and go for S103 next year. (That's Plan A)

Do you get the Sesame paper? there's a very positive article about A174 by one of its former students. I missed all but the last 5 minutes of this weeks HH on both nights due to working late. I'll try to hook into the web broadcast later today if I can get the speakers on the old 'puter fired up agin.
( Will everyone going to the film premier be in dressing gowns, and will they be serving tea in the intermission? )

S198 progresses well at the moment, but I like to take my time and have opted for the March ECA. I need all the time I can get.

A.M.

Are you signed up to the BBC Space/Science newsletters list? Or the Cassini one? Actually, it might even have been another list altogether... but I got a mail the other day about the number of planets known/thought to be orbiting other stars outside our solar sytem, and it made me at the thought. I reckon I'm going to really enjoy S198! I've always had a bit of an interest in geology since I took S103's predecessor (I think you'd enjoy the course... definitely a good intro to the sciences), plus the whole 'search for life' thing is rather exciting, and it sounds like much of S198 could be applied in the 'what might be a habitable planet' theorising.

As for A174, it's already inspiring me, and the course materials haven't even arrived yet! I'm looking (hopefully!) forward to being able to develop some story ideas. Plus I suspect some other story ideas might come out of studying S198.

Yes, I read the article in Sesame. Quite positive and encouraging. I'm also glad to see the OU are finally offering some October start dates for courses, and hope there will be more on offer soon. I'm not sure I really believed the letter in Sesame which was apparently from a mum pleading not to run courses starting in October, because it makes it much harder organising study around school term commitments. To my mind, the reverse is true. I'd sooner get most of the studying done over the winter months, and have time to enjoy the summer (such as it is!) without the worry of TMAs looming over me. Oh well, if I get around to that English degree, I'm sure the OU will have it sorted by then.

I like the idea of going to the premiere in dressing gowns. I'd better start looking out for an appropriate one. I can foresee sales of said items rocketing in Marks and Sparks!

All the best, in anticipation of a mattressy kind of smiley.

Hio 'sus
Just when I thought it was all over, up comes the offer of the lunar geology course.
On to plan B
A.M.

Plan B indeed!
I'm in the course
A.M.

Sounds like you'll really enjoy it.

My course materials arrived for A174 yesterday. Somehow it seems I must have missed something in the course description, because it turns out that most of the course is delivered online, through a course website and conferences. Swear I saw nothing about that when I signed up! But I'm sure it will still involve lots of reading.

S196 is due to start a week after, so with any luck, I should receive the materials for that soon too, and I can start panicking properly about how much I've taken on.

Have you seen A3009142 ? Not too from you, so maybe you might be tempted to go? I can hardly wait.

Hi 'sus
So, how did it go with A174? Are you through with the courses yet?

The lunar geology course went really well, and since we were the pioneers on the first course we've been offered a rerun on the second course starting in March this year, and it's FOC as a bonus.

I had to do some smart work when it finished in December to complete the OU's A198, but just managed to get the ECA in last week. The finish date is Monday 31st. Close!
A.M.

Hey A.M.

Finished A174 last week, but due to system problem (think there might have been a few of us posting eTMA at last moment!) the system didn't accept my assignment until two minutes too late. Waiting on tutor now to find out if my submission has been accepted, or whether it was all a waste of time and money. As for the course in general, I don't think I'd recommend it. The course material was okay, but there was absolutely /no/ tutoring. If you fancy doing something like it, I'd recommend buying a specific book and working your way through it, and save yourself a lot of money.

I've just started my 60 pointer for this year (and should be studying right now, but couldn't concentrate today), and am yet to get stuck into S196 (second submission due at the end of April). Think I'm going to attend a 'study time management' day very soon.

So what's next for you now?

Ah,,. It's a b****r to hear the course was a bit of a let-down, I thought I might try that one next, but I also see there's a number of writing courses now for various applications including one at 400 plus quid. I'd hope to get a bit of assistance for that sort of money.

As I was one of the guinea pigs on the first geology course, so to speak, I've got a freebie entry to the second one to make up for any shortcomings while we all felt our way with the course content, so I'm looking forward to that starting in March. It was a good course and I've learned quite a bit about our nearest celestial neighbour and hope to expand on that in the next one.

I haven't got anything else planned at the moment except to convince myself that I want to do S103 bad enough to spring for £475. Anyway it doesn't start 'till August, so I'll save my pennies and make a decision by then.

Good luck with your other courses. All the best,
A.M.

Hey A.M. (can I still call you that?)

Sorry it's been a while, not been around. I actually completed a whole 60pt course this year! Have had to drop out of the one I'd hoped to start in October, but I'm signed up to do it from January now instead. Did you convince yourself to sign up for S103? How did the next geo course go? I hope to do the 60pt writing course too, though I think it won't be before 2008, as I've got other ones I must finish first. Still, it'll give other people a chance to test it out for me.

Hope to chat soon. Feel free to drop me a mail, as I might reply slightly sooner!

Sus

...we were having a conversation. The gaps got longer and longer and many years passed. At least one of us graduated from the OU during the intervening timeslip. Maybe two?

How have you been my friend? Where did the courses lead you?

Sus xx

Hey ‘sus! Great to hear from you again.

Congratulations on graduating, but it’s still only one. I’m afraid I never could bring myself to stump up. Just not enough commitment you see. Still moonwatching though. Well, somebody’s got make sure the thing stays put.

AM