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

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I thought I'd better put my first response re. the new h2g2 here too.

TM.
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Hi Peta,

Finally a chance to write a long soapbox-post Been too long !

O.k. :

I think that joining the BBC may be a very good move for both organizations. Of course the original h2g2 was(in my opinion and to my great joy) a bit of a rebelclub . Now, you can't really have that in an organization as big as Auntie. Copyright-issues are just the start of the list of things that have to be taken into consideration. What about the legal liability of the Beeb ? Researchers are basically building a website that is, and will be, H*ll to monitor ! And being in IT myself, I feel the greatest sympathy for your technical staff. The work is never done, is it ?

BTW : Can I still say Hell ? Perhaps the uncertainty about the copyrights-issue could be solved by sending all researchers an email with the complete message when the site reopens ?

Anyway, I can understand that h2g2 must go to the mountain and that the mountain does not come to h2g2. Besides, looking at the way things are going, one could say that either there IS no more h2g2, or it is done through the BBC. Surely h2g2 needed Auntie more than Auntie needed h2g2 ?

So the only - or at least the major - problem that I see that may pop up, will be the integration of the h2g2-way of life into the BBC-culture. How to give researchers maximum freedom without endangering the whole of the corporation. I hope that the BBC realizes that the reason h2g2 is what it is stems from the freedom the researchers have had so far.

But : On the other hand I can see that this liason will provide the h2g2-team with everything they need to expand and improve the site. So if initial problems are solved this could be the best thing since sliced...erm...since DNA started h2g2.

The bottom line is that all researchers should point out these issues, but they shouldn't whinge about them before h2g2 has had a try to improve the new structure.

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Especially h2g2.

And of course ANY broadcastingcorporation that gives us Anne Robinson MUST have some sense of humour !

TM.