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

The following is based on initial reconnaissance of the site. It is included here for future comparison, and in the hope other newcomers to the website will find it useful. If there are any inaccuracies herein, then it is reality that has got it wrong.

H2g2 consists primarily of The Guide, and the community of regular visitors to the website (A.K.A. researchers) surrounding it. The Guide is in essence a cross between an encyclopedia, travel guide, and general compendium of human experience. It features an astounding range of entries, is written by researchers who use the site, and is updated constantly [or whenever the Guide's editors are at work, at least].

The researcher community consists of interconnected networks of communities. A sense of kinship pervades, with occasional outbreaks of pedants. Dynamic communities generate numerous campaigns, alliances, power struggles, societies and meeting places, fuelling the site's active discussion forums. Personal space, shared entries, [e.g. the h2g2 Post] central forums and meeting points form the hubs of communication.
An informal community hierarchy exists; from ordinary [in the loosest sense of the word] researchers, to Assistant Community Editors, Sub-editors and permanent staff. Certain communities and individuals have higher profiles than others, both in terms of the links to them and volume of postings to forums.
Many researchers have been with www.h2g2.com since the outset of the site, and dislike recent changes to the website's interface. Many other researches are new and don't know what the established researchers are talking about. Many established researches don't know what other established researchers are talking about either.

H2g2 is both a fascinating, amusing distraction and an invaluable source of information, trivia, and first-hand experience. This entry has merely scratched the surface...
Anyone reading this should feel free to comment, with a view to amending Guide entries for newcomers.

Many researchers have been with www.h2g2.com since the outset of the site, and dislike recent changes to the website's interface. Many other researches are new and don't know what the established researchers are talking about. Many established researches don't know what other established researchers are talking about either.

H2g2 is both a fascinating, amusing distraction and an invaluable source of information, trivia, and first-hand experience. This entry has merely scratched the surface...
Anyone reading this should feel free to comment, with a view to amending Guide entries for newcomers.

Hi DHL.

I followed you here from Abi's page & was fascinated by this entry - you seem to have gotten h2g2 down to a tee...

I was wondering, you mention the post - I think this would be a marvellous entry for it - "A new user's view" kind of thing. I'm not sure.

I love the bit about no one knowing what anyone else is talking about...

Joanna (who doesn't remember when it was all fields, or even when it was a small village with a Post (no pun intended) office, but does date back to the time when it was a thriving smallish town...)

Hello, Joanna
Thanks for your encouraging words - I can see you're an intelligent woman with a sense of humour. With people like you around here it's difficult to keep a low profile!

Incidentally, I've changed my name (my researcher name, that is) from DHL to David. It's my real name, so I might as well be known by it.

Are there any guidelines for submitting articles to the h2g2 Post?

[David]

Well, you can email shazz, http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/U48304 , who runs it - [email protected] or you could stop by the Post's page http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/U54963 I guess...

I don't know if its possible to keep a low profile here - I never really tried.... If you really want to, not having edited your personal space or not signing up at all would seem to be a good way to go about it... but you already have...

Joanna

Hi David... hello Joanna...

Me to enjoyed reading you words of wisdom David... and me thinks the Post would be very interested... it is fun to read... and me likes fun things... and touching on the words you mentioned above... me often has no idea what anyone else is talking about... but me still replies... h2g2 is great isn't it... ~grin~

Erm, yes, right, whatever. Greebo.
And you would be the rampant, adulterous one-cat army of Terry Pratchett's Discworld fame?
Though if you do have a predilection for acting in character, it would probably not be a good idea to annoy you. Unless you're looking for trouble.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, though. I'll be in touch with shazzPRME.

Me is Greebo ... nuff said...

Hmmm... some folk around here will say that me can get a little upset from time to time... but me just thinks that me is an even tempered sweet little puddy tat... quite a bit different from my Discworld interpretation.... ~grin~