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

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Greetings, new Researcher! Care for a cup of ? *Elwyn bustles about, setting out the and too*

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And remember - !

Hello MungKe

I hope you can forgive me!

I missed your reply in the 'How does this impact..' thread. I'm so sorry! Especially as you were paying me a compliment!



And then I came over all arrogant in reply to your kettle q, and then called you a sock-puppet..

I'm an idiot, I hope you can forgive me!

Jomahi.

Ok, ignore me then .

:P

Hi johami

I wasn't ignoring you, just don't fully understand how the h2g2 "maze" functions fully and I hadn't noticed any messages from anyone except the first one from ACE...

I note your a UNIX/LINUX bod then...? I thought you may be, just something in my little fat fingers that tells me these things. Actually, my fingers aren't fat, but you know what I mean.

I haven't got a lot of free time at present and I share an office space with someone that knows my partner, so I try and keep the unofficial work down to the minimum.

You are my first real, non-automated, poster on here. Do you know your way around h2g2 - got any time saving pointers for me?

Don't be too touchy if I can't reply straightaway now you know the situation.

See U Soon
Ke

Hi Elwyn

Thanks for the LOVELY welcome. I didn't fully understand how the h2g2 and BBC WoM and Science boards function. When I've a bit more time and have read up more of functionality etc, I may have a few Q's for you, if that's OK? Strange, me asking Q's, normally end users are mailing/posting me with them... It's like a spin of the tables.

Thanks a lot for the offer and I look forward to availing myself of your kind offer.

Regards,

Ke
BIG as a Thank YOU!

Ok, just had a pang of guilt when I saw your nice remarks about 'langwidge' and that I'd ignored you. I think Elwyn is a real person, btw.

You're trying to use the forum without your colleage and partner finding out? Sounds nefarious. Does this mean I'm hiding in a metaphorical electronic cupboard at the moment, then?

h2g2 is friendly, although the humour can be a little studenty. Some of the articles are quite good.

Sssshhhh johami... Not so loud .

Nefarious <- wasn't that an Eygptian God ? Tease, tease.

I'm not sure I'm being Nefarious (Infamous by way of being extremely wicked), I'm not Stalin afterall. Just do me a favour and pull that door, quietly shut behind you... You'll have to use the bottle to pee in if you need to go to the loo and mind you don't sit on my sandwiches.

Studenty humour eh... Wouldn't know anything about that myself I just want somewhere to put my feet up sometimes, which isn't one of my usual three hangouts. I use the Beeb site to check the news, so the IP and urls won't stand out too much on the server.

As for the hiding part of the statement - guilty as charged M'Lud. I work with a person who often speaks to my "other half" - although we are both WHOLE individuals in our own right so to speak. If we weren't, that would make me a living Damien Hirst artwork I guess.

Trouble is, this site nor the standard Beeb forums offer private messaging it seems, which is a bit of a draw back. It's a bit like washing your knickers in public.

I'm also a bit put off by the intensive nature of some of the contributors, squabble seem to rule the roost on some threads. I wouldn't care if it was good natured, fun, teasing etc, but it often isn't. The other trouble is, although I love the WoM radio show, some of the contributors are VERY keen. I spend more time back reading to make sure "I'm in context" so to speak, then actively participating. I often have to grab time to log in and end up spending it trying to figure out where the threads I'm following have gone. My usual online places are much more relaxed about mistakes - BBC Science, WoM and other boards - are all fairly serious places. It was one of the reasons I reacted as I did to you. I thought, "here we go...", glad I was wrong

I don't know what the h2g2 side has to offer, I've not looked around that much, but I don't like the layout. It looks like it was designed by a Windoze User after taking too many DoDo tablets and drinking far too much expresso cafe <- arghhh - back to the coffee accidentally there

I better get off, colleagues meeting is almost over and I must look like it's taken me longer to do the tasks I've been given this morning...

Bye
Ke

Hello MungKe,

I'm not really a computer bod at all, actually, mostly a maths bod, although currently an off sick with hepatitis bod. But I take it you're a computer (helpdesk) bod?

Glad you realise this is public btw, I thought maybe you were a noob and thought this was some kind of PM. Kinda wish it was in a way, what with all your risque references. Then again, the forums are just as bad. Or it could be me being prudish.

I hardly listen to R4 at all now, mostly R7 or R3. Always liked Michael Rosen, though. He had a programme on R3 recently, although it was on quite late for me (go to bed quite early what with the hepatitis and everything).

You were probably right about me, I can be quite up myself when I have mind to be . The first forum I posted at had quite a lot of death threats, so I find the beeb quite tame (I'm so tough!)

h2g2 was originally written in an HTML variant called GuideML (I still maintain I'm mostly a maths wonk, not a nerd), the layout's a little idiosyncratic admittedly.

Jo Hammy (my new name, I think)

Really sorry to hear you're ill with Hep, is it A,B or C < even the informal posts are sounding like WoM now . I know Hep is no joke, I've a few friends with it, two actually, and sometimes it strikes them down for a bit.

As regards the LINUX remark - often higher level mathematicians, chemists and other academics, get into UNIX/LINUX, hence my remarks. I'm trying to learn more of such issues myself, so I was tuned into remarks and misread them by the sounds of it.

I am actually a creative, but you are also partly right with your comment regarding Help Desk. I'm not meant to be a Help Desk but it now seems that's what I am; my job description and title still don't mention it.

Your ID name is interesting... Especially now you've expanded on the split - Jo Hammy. I wouldn't give your real name away online but do the words - Carrara 5 Pro, particle Illusion 3, Dual AMD 1900 (1.6 ghz), 1gb RAM - mean anything to you? If so, I've played around in Carrara a little myself, but a little is the right phrase. If connected with the character JH P'eye - hats off to you, GREAT LOOKING work.

Just so you know, I'm a bloke and by your forum comments, I'll stop "meeting" like this, 37yrs old in southern England, rapidly becoming part of Greater London.

You're OK, or you wouldn't have made-up over our little exchange. As you saw by my reaction, I'm perfectly capable of "biting back" if I have to...

I think the thing to remember is that the beebs forums tend to be inhabited by people really into the subject of the forum or the radio programme itself. They focus to closely on that and often leave their sense of humour at the login button. Other forums and communities vary, but it sounds like you've had a roller coaster ride experience. I'll refrain from asking what your comments were that caused such a response.

I listen to Radio 1 & 2 sometimes, but very rarely. When I can have the radio on, it's nearly always Radio 4.

I better get on, break nearly over and I didn't even get the Science and WoM boards read... Such is life.

Hi MungKe

It's none of the above, it's a special rare type, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant. If your friends' are like me then it goes through cycles and flares up periodically, which it is at the moment.

Words don't mean anything, I'm afraid - I don't think I am who you think (jomahi = jaguar, but people were transposing last 4 letters to make 'johami', so I thought I'd make it easier and switched them). I take it that's something to do with graphics? My drawings are not much better than a child's.

A bloke! MungKe, you cheeky monkey! What a series of transformations - amorous pseudo-sockpuppet, Asian IT slave, English bloke.. what next?

I think you're being a little hard on the other posters, you have to take things as you find them, and as I was trying to say above, anyone can read this, and most likely are, so if you want to **** your fellow posters off, this is a great way to do it! :P

Well, I have to get back to lying in bed wishing I was dead, , see you soon.

Jo.

What ever type of Hep you've got, I'm sure it's not pleasant and I hope it eases off a bit for you. You're right about not all USER IDs have meaning. Guessing User IDs and users interests is a globally recognised ICT Online Sport nowadays... ;). Jo Hammy, as you had previously referred to yourself, is a CGI 3D Animated character. I thought pointing out your name change was an oblique enough clue to be a hint - I was wrong! Am I feed up of saying that recently...? Rhetorical statement that really. Amorous pseudo-sock puppet - it is the first time I've been referred to by this term. I did say "kiss and make-up", but it's a common phrase, I should be able to get away with that, I'm confident in my sexuality. I don't really live in a closet, I'm more a heart on shelve sort. I only said I might be a BBC ( British Born Chinese), which I might still be... I never made out like I was a woman. Even the PRIDE remark doesn't make me GAY. I love going to Pride, I enjoy the atmosphere. I also don't think I was hard on our fellow board posters either. I do think some leave their sense of humour at the login button, but as I also said -> I think the thing to remember is that the beebs forums tend to be inhabited by people really into the subject of the forum or the radio programme itself <- I think this was OK and not that nasty a thing to say. Most the folk round these parts seem nice enough... You did see I set you a table at : The Restaurant at the End of the Forum - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F7157571?thread=4139548&skip=0&show=20

Hi MungKe,

I had no idea about 'Jo Hammy' pre-existing, but thanks, I'll check it out. Ta for the sympathy re the hepatitis, most people just stare blankly. It does seem to be slowly improving, so all is not doom and gloom .

Sorry if you thought I was getting at you! Good for you about being confident who you are. I've never been to Pride, I may have enjoyed it when I was younger, but I think it would just annoy me now as the curmudgeon I've become.

We must have very different experiences of message boards - I find this one comparitively laid back, I've known forums where there were threats of violence, death threats, people taking international flights to settle things with fists. Also forums with love trianles, things spilling into RL, restraining orders. And one which ended up in major Law Enforcement situation (none of the aforementioned involving me, I hasten to add). On the attitude front I also find it quite laid back - I've posted at some where you were tacitly assumed to subscribe to some pretty whacky beliefs, and any hint of deviation would result on a pack of zealots setting on you.

You were never nasty, maybe I have an exagerated fear of talking about people. Ta for setting me a place , I'll see you there.

Joe.

Hi you two!

Yes I am a real person, while I'm not supposed to intrude, I am here to answer your questions, or to point you in the direction of somebody who is better able to handle the strange q's. I like to learn more about people.

Marvellous interaction here.

BIG THANKS - it does make me feel comfortable, which is just as well because this is hardly the best laid out forum site I've ever landed on...

So - where is good here? I've a laid back manner and love to cross paths with new and friendly types; especially when there's a quick wit behind the posters.

What are you into and how do you find yourself using this space?

Ke

*Laughs.*

Plenty is good here. Depends on what you prefer.

A lot of people here really spice up my life. But you hardly need a list of my friends.

I like to talk about books, and music, and go on school rants. I also read the entries submitted, just because I like to read essays. Oh, and a great deal of RPGs here too.

One of my friends has written his Quarks, Strangeness and Charms book over the past... 2 years now?

He thanks the support of H2g2 community.

Right now I'm reading Robin Hobb's Fool's Fate over again. What are you into?