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

This has been a good day for a variety of reasons, but the most exciting one of all is that the Italics have given us some qualified encouragement and some very positive feedback about the Underguide.

Now I appreciate that not everyone is aware of this, but a number of us are trying to build on the foundations laid by Whoami, but AGG/GAG and CAC, and by Fiction Central and by the Poetry Page and create an official edited status for Alternative entries.

The advantages of this for readers are that the entries become searchable as Edited entries, and that it is easy to distinguish ones which have been through the process from all the other pages which we create here with such joyous abandon.

The advantages for the writers is that Alternative entries are discussed and read in the AWW in the same way that 'normal' entries are in PR; and that they will get time in the sun on the Front Page!

This is something which I have been hoping would happen for a couple of years, and now we have got to the point where the real work starts making the scheme as solid as the existing volunteer schemes and processes, and making the whole thing work!

But isn't it EXCITING?

If anyone wants to find out more the links on this page take you straight back to h2g2: http://groups.msn.com/theH2G2Underguide

Asheley's comments are here: F51226?thread=247412&post=2984244#p2983262

Ben
*rolling up her sleeves because the real work starts here*

Blimey! Is this a truce or a ceasefire in the Ben vs the Italics extravaganza?

Just some judicious realignment!

Ben

Let me know how this all goes. When it's ready to start, I've got a few pieces lying around I could drop into the scheme to help it get started... although I get the feeling that there's a lot of content that's been waiting for this.

Well AWW is already fairly active, and we are making 'fantasy picks' in there now to get some practice in.

No-one can tell how long it will take to get the thing up and running properly, and it deepends whether you want to wait for that, or if you want to put your stuff into AWW now, during the preliminary stages.

B

Great stuff, Ben!

Dissenting voice (sorry Ben). My main objection to the edited guide (wot all 5,000 plus entries?)is that the editing process produces entries that are bland because they don't offend anyone or too long because they try to include everyone's suggestions from peer review. And now you are going to iron out the quirks!

Don't be sorry, 'Star. I welcome 'dissent'. If the other person is right and I come to see that, then I have learned and grown. And if they aren't right, then at the very least debating the issue will have clarified my thoughts.

A couple of crumbs of comfort for you.

1) No-one will be forced to put their stuff through the Underguide. There will still be the option of writing but not submitting to the process. There will be an infra-Underguide if you like.

2) The Italics themselves seem aware that we are dealing with a very different animal. Ashley talks of "a critique rather than a criticism", and Anna indicated that the subjectivity of each individual's reaction to UG entries was one of the main reasons they had not taken it on before.

If we end up with entries which are mere bloodless corpses, then we will have failed. What I am hoping is that if the UG had been here when Lilithcookie wrote Dancing on Tables A741647, then that would have graced the front page, instead of GTB's heavily edited rewrite A926345.

If I did not believe that we were producing a space with greater freedoms and fewer restrictions I would not be working on it now. Of course I could be wrong, but nothing will change if we don't try.

Thanks for your comments, 'Star. It is always nice to see you.

Ben

Of course, today's article on "Nothing" completely rubbishes my argument. But I agree wholeheartedly about table-dancing. (Nice to see you too)

I can see you there, Mina! Welcome to the thread!

B

I decided to go and see what you kept thanking Anna and Ashley for, and I was really pleased with the way that things have been going. Keep up the hard work.

*sits back in her easy chair*