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

There's a problem in the Edited Guide and it isn't getting better. There's a conspicuous lack of entries that challenge the reader. Entries that make him stop mid-paragraph and say 'Hmmm'. There's a lack of entries in the Edited Guide that justify our existence as an unconventional guide.

Please read A4053412 in this week's Post . If you agree with its thesis, let me know here and help us. If not, please let me know (elsewhere, if possible). I know we don't have all the solutions, so I humbly ask for your help in finding one that works.

I'm not calling for fiction and first person opinions/rants to be put into the Edited Guide. I would like to see a stimulating guide - a celebration of writing, in which Peer Review is a place where you go as much for entertainment as for fulfilling one's duties. Everyone on this site should look forward to the Front Page every day. When clicking on one of the three new entries, I want to be able to absolutely *know* I will be entertained and stimulated.

I love this site of ours, and it's got a sense of greatness about it. Let's not waste it on an encyclopedia. Please, I'm asking, for all I have done for h2g2, that this plea is taken seriously and that those who read this post will reply and tell me that the Guide needs work and you will help.

I absolutely agree. I haven't read the front page in ages. In fact I haven't read an entry in ages. Whenever I'm on hootoo I spend my time answering posts and lurking about other threads.
I miss reading good articles. Wish I had the inspiration to write one.

Jodan.

I'm one who write encyclopaedic entries but I agree wholeheartedly

Me too Taralome

Fb, I write encyclopediatic entries as well. Probably should've mentioned that in that post, I knew I was being incredibly hypocritical. But, I believe we should all just give our best to the guide. If that means encyclopediatic entries and the scouts and EG want to accept them, that'll do too.

As mentioned, I'm all for it. I think I once said somewhere, not sure where, if you want encyclopaedic entries go to Wikepedia. If you want something with a bit of substance and personality, use the Guide. I often think when I'm writing, what would this sound like if Peter Jones (and at a push Stephen Fry) was reading it to me while I sat on a bus in the middle of New Mexico wondering why my stomach wanted to escape out of all orifices at once after eating a tiny little green vegetable. I want chatty and humourous. I don't want something read to me with Anne Robinson in mind.
HF

I agree with Táralómë... most times I look at the Front Page and just move on because nothing seems like it would be interesting.

Jodan have you subscribed to the Post entry?? Because we've been asking things there but nobody has informed us of the answers

Kat, yes, Waz and I have responded - by now at least.

Hope I didn't not get the point of this...I tend to miss the target and spray around the edges...something to do with bladder control I think.
HF

No, I'd venture to say you got it

I'd say so too.

Anyway, we need opinions expressed on the Post articles threads (A4053412) - the more the better. The more there are the more discussion it'll generate.

I feel a bit hypocritical too. I haven't actually created an entry yet (not counting my DS9 one, as that wasn't really much of an effort).
Anyone got any ideas for an entry? Bear in mind I'm the queen of procrastination.

How about procrastination?
(someone beat you to it anyway, A178355 though you could always update it)

You don't need to be an EG'er to recognize it has problems. You just need a brain.

Ah, well a brain is something I've got. I think, now where did I put that again.

. . .Later that evening. . .
Actually, Jodan, you know that's not such a bad idea.
When I get a chance I'll head off and read that article you referenced. Then I might just go ahead and do a bit of research of my own.
Maybe I'll get an entry written out of it, but at the very least you've inspired me to do some reading on the topic.

And if you leave a message below the entry commenting on it, I can prove that PROD did have *some* undebatably positive effect

Good luck!

Done! There is now a posting at the PROD article titled 'Inspiration '.

I've already started. I've set up my gmail account so that any articles I send to myself on the topic will have the label 'procrastination'. I figure gmail is a good place to keep them. Now, to find some articles.

Hah. Guess what's on the five busiest conversations list currently? PROD Above Peer Review and The Forum, no less.

I agree people use h2g2 cause they're wanting something a bit different, something maybe a bit less reliable, but with more personalty - the same reason some of us owned elderly british cars instead of Toyota Corollas. Now I've only just joined, but quickly realised a lot of the stuff I'd want to read - and most of the stuff I'd want to write - will be in the underguide - factual though it is. But I'm finding searchingt he underguide a pain in the butt, and entries don't exactly scream out on google et al.

So Simple dumb suggestion - how about getting the guide's search engine to list the underguide's entries as well, but in a different colour or something, so people are warned content is not exactly in line with teh guide's Dogme rules. Probably there's a good reason why not, but hey, just thought I'd suggest it.