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

I heard the news about h2g2's 'disposal' at lunchtime (via Facebook, natch) and I haven't really known what to make of it since.

Let's get the negatives out of the way first: h2g2 has been behind the times since I joined. Second to Wikipedia in terms of being the definitive guide and waaaaaay behind everything else in terms of being a great social network. And it's cliquey, and slow to change, and set in its ways, and almost impenetrable to any outsider. In the context of the wider web, it doesn't serve any obvious purpose that isn't catered for better elsewhere.

And isn't it bizarre to get a 'here's a load of new stuff' message on Friday, then a 'get ready to relocate' on Monday?

Anyway.

I think the idea of a community proposal to take ownership of the site is a great one. It's a long shot. I suspect the winning bidder may be more interested in the technology than the users. That would be a shame. The community here may be small and fairly factionalised (is that a word?) but it is passionate. That's a strength and a failing - people here tend to unite and divide between so many minor issues. That needs to stop.

I think if there is to be a h2g2c2 (h2g2 community consortium) bid, *everyone* here needs to get behind it. The bid needs figureheads who know what they're doing. A web designer who knows how h2g2's code works needs to be left in charge of working out how we would get the site transferred to new servers. Somebody who has worked in the field needs to work out how we can make money to support the proposed new site. And perhaps we need a group of people representing separate parts of the community to work on our behalf - maybe the Post Editor, a prominent Scout, a committed Ace - to properly make decisions so we don't degenerate to the usual level of infighting.

There's loads of discussion about this elsewhere on the site. If you're reading this and you've got this far, you must care. See if there's anything you can do. You never know. I'm off on holiday tomorrow, so it's all in your hands. Sorry.

I was just dropping by (it's gone quiet on the wards) and found this via the new Front Page of all places. I thought we were getting a new site, not being sold. If it's really going to happen then there'll be some work to do for sure. Oh and for an extra bonus, the new site isn't letting me post this.

Regardless: good to see you on hootoo again, and hope the holiday is good.

h2g2 Community Consortium - A80173361

For those who want to show they care for h2g2, how about signing up for, and attending, the 12th h2g2 London Meet?
Make it a really big event, a celebration of all that is actually good about h2g2? Show Auntie Beeb we won't be bowed and how different we are to other sites.That we ARE a Community and do actually meet and converse in RL.

Info here. A79731967

Please sign up and maybe I could arrange a petition to be handed to the BBC to show the strength of feeling here?

Just a polite suggestion.



MMF

I dunno about a petition, but an excuse for a knees up will do us all good, I think.

Hey, we've been mentioned by Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing:

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/01/25/douglas-adams-online.html

Rich, where are you?

Hey Rich, yes I've been wondering how you are: the h2g2c2 bid is progressing really well, and we've got people on board from all over the site, Scouts, ACEs, Sub Eds, Underguiders.. etc etc etc.

The summary of where we are at is here: http://www.tinyurl.com/noohootoo

Hi folks,

Just to clarify - my post of 25th January was my last one, I haven't been back since. Between work and my OU studies, the time I have available to me is much more limited.

I think the people in charge of the bid are the right people. Z has always been impressive but it's great to see people like Vip also taking a leading role. The Stretcher and my last days at The Post left me convinced that h2g2 was too political to ever get anything serious done, but the bid seems to have a sensible and intelligent leadership and they seem to have made great strides.

For me h2g2 has changed. I used to come on here to write entries to contribute to some big fun project to write the definitive guide (etc). Now I don't write, because apparently as a seasoned writer of bad prose I have to try to write monuments every single time. Would it be enough for me to put time into writing an entry on a country not covered in the Guide, or would my prose have to show a massive improvement? I used to make videos but they don't embed any more. I used to run all sorts of groups but h2g2 is like herding cats.

If we get the aviators alive and kicking again ... and the online beer drinking going... could you be persuaded to make a comeback? plus... we must be due another Torquay meet some time soon

Life gets us all at times, Rich. We'll (hopefully) be here if and when you decide to come back.
Did you know that Z's current title is chief cat herder? Yeah, organising h2g2 is like herding cats.

Thanks for your kind words. We are working hard, and, whatever happens, h2g2 should survive. We're just not sure in what form at the moment...

Dear Rich, we're so sorry to see you go but (we tell ourselves at least) it's just au revoir. These are uncertain times for all of us - users and staff - but we're confident H2G2 will continue and who knows, emerge out the other side in better shape. Change is inevitable. All we can say is, from the bottom of our hearts, you're an absolute star. I've got Roy Harper's 'When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease' in my head for some reason. Not that you're in any way old. Or a cricketer. Only joking

Take care mate. I'm sure our paths will cross again...

I always hear "Tom Tiddler's Ground" myself.

I'm sure Rich will be back. The community has got some good ideas for a sensible editorial policy going forward, and that's the thing which will make or break us in the end.

Agreed

I may have inadvertently started rumours of my own decline here

When I said 'my post of 25th January was my last one' I meant as in 'my most recent one' as opposed to 'my final one'. On occasional nights like tonight, while I'm waiting for the latest video project to render, I'll try to pop in to see what's going on. However, it is true to say that the days when h2g2 was a key part of my life are gone, probably for good. I'm more striding boldly across the countryside a la Mark Moxon than I am having a stroll around the block.

That Roy Harper song is a great one to have on the jukebox as I drain the last dregs of my pint and head for the door. Thanks, folks. I've had a great time here.

Yes I thought it was odd reading that they were sorry you were going... as that wasn't how I'd read your post.

Anyway I concur... albeit my achievements are not as grand as yours, there is a certain feeling you have to improve each time you do something. My attention span is far too poor for that

Strange how I've only just seen this now. As a programmer/developer now in my main job, I feel I'd be best helping in that format... however I /know/ there are people who are already well suited for moving stuff from the current incarnation of h2g2 to a new one. I'd be one of those cooks getting in the way, and spoiling that broth of theirs. I have little motivation/skill in filtering through vast documents about how the new site should be managed, and I am so tired of reading the bickering about the minutiae that goes on at times (or often) here, so I'm not quite sure what my purpose is here any more.

I like the idea of the "Unified Guide theory" as it promises a great deal more for one of my favourite pastimes - writing fiction. So as long as there's still a place for fiction in the new site I'll be there. I was following the Google groups stuff but that's died off.

Anyway sorry for spamming your blog Rich but it resonated with me, as I'm going through similar hootoo dillemas.

Just keep on writing Terran.

And check out the entries included in the Proof Reading thread - there's fiction in amongst everything else in the selection we're showcasing.

We had to get permission from everyone whose work we used, so there are things missing from it we's like to include. But as I said, there's fiction in there, and poetry. And a variety of other things from the UG and the Post.

The original Google Group's gone quiet, but that's because the Community Consortium Interim Committee (gods, what a mouthful) has to work on the confidential aspects of the bid. We are most definitely working on it though. In fact we're on our THIRD google group. Go figure. Other people have Easter breaks we have a Skype session in a pub chosen especially for its wifi......

Hey ho, my hearties.

Ben