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

Hi

As some of you know, I am about to launch a new venture.

Helping the site to become more sticky to a newbie, encourage old returning Researchers to air their views and all, old and new, users to make it known in one place, how to bring h2g2 into the 21st Century.

I do not want to do this alone and sound like an evangelistic nutter. I need help to keep me in check from rushing in like a bull in a china shop.

It is hoped the the New Towers will watch with interest and take up some of the good suggestions on what to change and what not to change.

Some things are very much a good thing and pushing this home is just as important as outlining which may be thought as ways to improve the site.

I know many will have gripes to air. This is fair enough but pointing fingers is not the aim of the game.

Being constructive rather than being destructive will get a better hearing.

It is something we all want - a friendly site which can be a cut above its rivals.

A site that is noticed all around the net and admired.

If you are interested in helping, then please, please sign up to this venture here.

Vogons & Trolls are definitely not welcome

all the best
vegiman

Just thought

There may be many who perhaps know me and are ing and do not wish to post on site for what ever reason. Even if you do not know me, get in touch, I promise I am not part of the h2g2 committee and would genuinely like to hear your views.

If you could email me. It would be much appreciated even if it's only to say Hi.

h2g2

at

vegiman

co

uk

I propose the creation of a new virus,
a sort of Tiger Wasp Larvae of the Testies
that will spread like... like well, Tiger
Wasps in the Testies. We will imbed in its
DNA a compelling need to spread the Word.
Otherwise, no-one will ever find this chat.

I know from experience that many researchers
do not explore other people's journals unless
they are specifically invited. An announcement
in the Post would be helpful.

It has always been obvious to me that ASK
is the only place 'everyone' goes (with the
possible exception of Announcements).

I am now subscribed to this thread and if
there is no activity in the next few days
I will feel obliged to post a link in ASK.

I believe this is an important discussion.
And you as a founding elder are the man
for this job of blizzard building. My squads
of Tiger Wasps are ready for Beta Testies.


~jwf~

Query:

Is the Newcomers 2h2g2 page still active?
http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/newusers

It shows a list of new researchers and on some
of their homepages it says they registered in
the last few days but I did not immediately
discern if it is current or like so many of the
'old pages', frozen in the amber of post-Beeb
like the Front Pages of non-Pliny skins.


~jwf~

Best to ask the (active) ACEs. Or you could click on one or two and see if they've been ACEd.

As usual I dish out a suggestion and then being impatient go and do it myself.

Yes it's still active and there is at least one still active ACE doing the business.

However, it is horrifically empty of newbies

2 days ago, there was only one new researcher to welcome. Back in the days when I was an active ACE it was tricky to keep up with it and there were more than a few fights amongst the ACEs due to either (a) One ACE hogging all the work or (b) ACEs who did all the work getting grumpy about others doing none.
Not much work to spread around there at the moment.

I tried a few and many had been ACEd
but none had replied or put anything
up on their page.

This lack of input was disheartening
and I gave up my search still in doubt
of its currency, why it shows so few
new registrants and why none of them
seem to stick around.

Is the post-911 security-minded public
still afraid to speak openly or reveal
anything about themselves? Are we old
farts dancing for a lurking silent mob?
Or are the newbies not just not finding
what they are looking for?


~jwf~

On another point of information...

I believe vegiman was also part of the original Angels
and Archangels program which preceded the Ace system.

The and groups seemed to disappear
after the Beeb allowed us to hitch a ride in the
great lavatories of its behemoth space.

Was that a matter of Beeb policy? Was the intention
to eliminate potential religious overtones and replace
them with Nationalistic subtextual references to the
Battle of Britain 'Few'? Heroes and Aces who could
help newbies fly-hi without involving god?


I never could quite accept the Battle of Britain skyblue
they painted the pages on the new platform which never
got finished and was abandoned during the sell off.

I even protested that Susannah York had to die the day
it was launched, but nobody takes me seriously when I'm
actually being serious. But then, perhaps only Goebbels
would have understood...



~jwf~

BTW A relevant discussion of h2g2's worth is being held here http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F19585?thread=8296836&show=20&skip=0#pi7 as a result of comments in The Register which claimed h2g2 was Wikipedia without the BS. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/08/jimmy_wales_wikipedia_listen_up_london_and_learn/ ~jwf~

It is a blatant lie, I never did join the s and seemed to appear about the same time as The Newcomers pages were published or about the same time.

The ACE and the 's did work together in the early days and did so in friendly competition.

We had races on the newcomers page who could complete the weeks new links first. Thems were the fun days

The NewUsers page is still functional and as far as I know still actively correct, unlike the who's on line which I am reliably informed is a bit buggy.

Talking about bugs - your virus ~jwf~ Go for it and if everyone who turns up on this discussion tells a friend or three, then we could have a snowball dance

I am working on a new page to home these thoughts so forgive me if I am a bit slow in responding.

O forgive me - Welcome Orcus - glad you could make it.

Due to the differing time zones we come from, I suspect some will be taking over discussions whilst we Brits sleep. Yup, we have to lay our head down like everyone else.

As you may know I have semi retired so some days I am here all day - other days my wife makes me work

all the best
vegiman

O BTW - I have started to receive emails from non-posting and reduced posting h2g2'ers . they are ing so the message is going out there.

I do not want to use the Post at this time, I will explain why later.
Also a newbie greeting' " unofficial like the s ", is on the cards as soon as we get established. I feel the copy paste approach which worked in the past seems too much like an automated message.

See my out dated page here:
http://www.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/classic/A573833

Good discussion on Ask h2g2

But I think it should stay there but invite Researchers over here by all means.

I think h2g2 is a cut above wiki and top community sites, that said, how can we make h2g2 better and noticed in cyberspace. Make the site more sticky.

The only way is to interview newbies and get their first impressions. Difficult, I know.

Once you could not post to newbies until they updated their My Space. Now you can. Good to honest get to know you posting, rather than a load of links that mean nothing to a newbie. Could be a way forward - not hammer straight in with a sledge hammer.

My view perhaps you have different ideas ?

Ah, but posting to a newbie before an ACE does removes them from the list that the ACEs can use to find them

Point taken - if we do get an unofficial meet and greet on the go - it's some time off - then we will wait for the official greeters to post first.

but from what I have seen ACE's get to newbies very quickly, so I don't think it will upset the apple cart.

BTW - thanks for popping in - good to see you here.

vegiman

Taking in Pastey's remarks on board
There is an explanation on how to use the NewUsers page on
my out dated page:
http://www.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/classic/A573833
If you see an asterisk beside the researcher number then it denotes someone has posted a message.

Before anyone does take on this task, perhaps a discussion on the best way to get a response would be in order.

It could be trial and error at first - finding a formula that works. I have ideas on this but would have to request the h2g2 committee get involved.

Early days
We need to formulate how to move forward on this when we have a few more supporters in the net.

Vegiman

Sorry things are a bit slow here. I feel although I am well know for my antics by older researchers, I am little known by many because I have been away for so long.

If I go rushing around trying to spread the aim of this, I am likely to get the response of who does he think he is.

So I have started moving around to meet and greet as many people as I can over the next few weeks, so people will get to know me.

Perhaps a few more Researchers will find this and sign in.

Hope this is OK with you and all those ing.

I will put an advert on My Space so it is easier to find.

Please keep the thread alive by returning from time to time.

veg

Understood.
Also quite happy with the strategy of the 'long game'.

Don't wanna scare folks off with too much enthusiasm.

BTW I've noticed some of your postings in other threads
have a 'hint' of what you have in mind. People will notice
and be prepared to accept your mission when the time is right.

Meanwhile, let's keep stirring things up and fostering a little
h2g2 loyalty through the only way it can be achieved - by
allowing people the satisfaction that comes from being well
received and appreciated.


~jwf~

And there, I thought I was being sneaky

Throwing the tarot cards over to ~jwf~ to read.

Hope you approve of the next stage, Coming soon. Email me at the address given at the beginning of this thread and I will fill you in.

You also bring up a strategy I was discussing with another Researcher by email. We must find a way of uniting the site. Make them feel good about being on site and guiding the flow against the Them & Us syndrome.

BTW: Are ou reading my mind ?

Must be more careful

veg

>> BTW: Are ou reading my mind ? <<

No, I've just been here while you've been off
doing RL thingies. And I've had time to think
about all this. Sadly, there seems to be some
sort of force field at work in cyberspace and
in spite of its apparently infinite parameters
it is like a Star Trek holodeck. Once you recall
that everything is just a fantasy you discover
we're all just bouncing off the same blank walls.

The quasi-paranoia that results from seeing that
someone else has actually posted what one had in
mind is a common vertigo-like phenomenon that can
really scare the crap out of newbies. Although it can
give some people a sense of commonality and mutual
purpose. It seems that some optimists operate best
in a 'wait-less' environment.


~jwf~

I have been banging my head aginst holodeck walls for years.

May be others feel the same and join up here.

When we have enough on board, hopefully we'll help to knock a few walls . barriers down

Peanut asked me to pop over to and look at AE's
article.
A87772495

Interesting, what do you think ?

vegi

BTW are you still ing Orcus ?

Vaguely