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

Welcome, welcome, welcome, to the wonderful site of H2G2 (otherwise known as hootoo - you will see this word a lot). This is not an automated message, I am an <./>ACE</.>, and I'm here to help you settle into your new home

H2G2 is a living, breathing guide to Life, the Universe and Everything, and it's something YOU can take part in. You can write entries on all manner of subjects, and if it's something you think would look good in our Edited Guide (where all the best research goes), you can submit it to Peer Review. Take a look at the <./>writing-guidelines</.> for more information on that.

I've created a little list of links, just for you, so click here <./>A4992357</.> and have a look at them (actually the links are my daughter's...but hey!! Hootoo is one big family )

If you click on each link, they will take you to parts of hootoo no sane person should ever go alone on this site.....

......but as it seems no one here is sane, it doesn't matter does it!

Have a look around, pop into my personal space and read some conversations that I have on the go at the moment and you will see how things work. Don't be frightened to jump in on conversations, hootooers don't bite (well, some of them do, but I'll steer you well clear of those), just be aware of the thread you are reading and whether or not it is a private conversation between two people.

Remember, if you get lost, shout for help and hopefully I'll be around to give you a helping hand. In case I'm not around, just leave a message here <./>ACE</.> and someone will be with you just as soon as they can. Failing that, just click on MY SPACE on the left hand side of your screen and you'll get back to your personal space.

Remember, I'm here to help.

lil xxx

Hi!
I spent some time yesterday reading through the help section, but I find it so much easier when there's someone around to ask for help! Saves all that time trying to find the relevant section...and then getting lost...and getting distracted by something else...and I tend to get distracted far too often!

So what are the journals and conversations about then?

Hello Black Raven. I do hope you don't mind me popping in. I'm lils rl daughter and I see mum is still in bed

Journals are where you write something that you've done, or annoyed you, or made you really happy. Sort of like a diary I suppose. When people have you on their friends list, they will get those journals in their own personal space.

Does that help a little?

Ahhh...ok...
I don't mind you popping in at all - I'd really like to meet some people. I've never done this online chatting thing before, but it seems to be pretty cool... And check - I've worked out the smiley thing too!!!

YAY!!!

you do have to be a bit careful though. Try not to give out any personal information online. Just be careful.

I introduced mum to h2g2 when she was about to give up smoking. She has agorophobic panic attacks, so I needed to keep her busy inside the house (I don't live at home though). That was it. She was hooked!

Agorophopbic? That must be horrible! I can't imagine not going out...
Mind you, I guess in a sense this can be classified as 'going out' in a different kind of way...

I think Dad used to see mum more when she went out to work!!!

Well, it seems like a nice place here...
And then you wouldn't get all those issues like there are in real life, like stereotypes, discrimination, etc. That's nice. I much prefer it.

Well, you do still get them here. There are those who join the site just to cause trouble.

If you do see a posting by someone that offends you and breaks house rules, then there are procedures to have that posting removed.

Would you like me to go through with you what those procedures are, and what pre-moderation is?

Yeah, sure, if you don't mind...

On the right hand side of each post, you will see a button which, when you put your mouse over it, it will say, make a complaint. If you click on that, another window will open. You write why that particular posting offends you, then you need to make sure your e-mail address is included in there. This is called yikesing. It's all completely confidential, so you don't tell anyone that you've yikesed a post.

You will then get an e-mail confirming your complaint. The moderators then look at the posting and decide whether it breaks house rules or not. If it does, then the posting is hidden. If not, it stays where it is. You will receive an e-mail saying whether or not they agree with you.

If a researcher persistently breaks house rules, they risk being put on pre-moderation. This means that every single post they make is hidden until a moderator can read the post. If it doesn't break house rules, then it is allowed to be shown. If not, it is hidden.

If the researcher then continues to break house rules once pre-moderation is finished, then they risk being banned from the site.

Don't worry, I've had postings of mine yikesed. Just because you've had them hidden, doesn't mean you're about to go on pre-mod!!! That's just for the most prolific researchers who constantly break house rules.

In the past, we used to have every single posting read by the moderators, but now we're on "reactive moderation" which means it's up to the community to alert the moderators to postings that break house rules.

On the left hand side of each post, you will see a button which, when you put your mouse over it, it will say, make a complaint. If you click on that, another window will open. You write why that particular posting offends you, then you need to make sure your e-mail address is included in there. This is called yikesing. It's all completely confidential, so you don't tell anyone that you've yikesed a post.

You will then get an e-mail confirming your complaint. The moderators then look at the posting and decide whether it breaks house rules or not. If it does, then the posting is hidden. If not, it stays where it is. You will receive an e-mail saying whether or not they agree with you.

If a researcher persistently breaks house rules, they risk being put on pre-moderation. This means that every single post they make is hidden until a moderator can read the post. If it doesn't break house rules, then it is allowed to be shown. If not, it is hidden.

If the researcher then continues to break house rules once pre-moderation is finished, then they risk being banned from the site.

Don't worry, I've had postings of mine yikesed. Just because you've had them hidden, doesn't mean you're about to go on pre-mod!!! That's just for the most prolific researchers who constantly break house rules.

In the past, we used to have every single posting read by the moderators, but now we're on "reactive moderation" which means it's up to the community to alert the moderators to postings that break house rules.

Well that was a mouthful VV!!

All this talk about s and ing first thing in the morning, had given me a

You never even offered and *tsk*.. kids today!!


lil xx

The dartboard I assume is the moderations...?

Except I quite prefer ...

Oh Yes!!!

Me too!! *hic*

My car blew one of its carbs yesterday and it's pouring with rain today and I had to get to work on my bike... Normally I prefer it, but not when it's so cold!

Poor Hunny

Just be thankful it isn't the middle of winter

Problem is, the faster you go, the more the wind blows you around...
And I'm a speed-freak!

I can imagine

My hubby is an ex-biker and both my girls are bikers, although VV now drives a car instead

Really? That's great!
What bikes do they have? I got a ZX10 - kicks ass!