Hope For H2G2 37
TDScott writes "Woohoo! After a bit of uncertainty, Douglas Adams' H2G2 community site is being integrated into BBC Online! Here's the BBC press release. Nice to know that it's going to survive." I like H2G2 - it reminds me a lot E2, which has a somewhat similar concept.
A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:3)
I am mightily relieved that the H2G2 site is not going to be controlled by a commercial organisation os corporation. The BBC is fundamentally a socialist organisation, and so we can be sure that H2G2 will not be exploited for money. In addition, the BBC and Adams have a long relationship - HGTTG was first thought of by Adams for BBC Radio 4, as a drama for that station. It was later turned into a television series. We owe the existence of the HHGTTG to the BBC, and the fact that they are willing to give unknowns a chance, regardless of commercial consequences.
H2G2 is going home to its rightful place. If Adam's is its father, the BBC is its kindly grandfather, and we can be assured that they will run it according to the fundamental ideals of the book and site, rather than to make a fast buck. God bless the BBC.
--
Clarity does not require the absence of impurities,
As a television licence payer... (Score:3)
Hacker: A criminal who breaks into computer systems
shades of AOL Time Warner... (Score:2)
it's fantastic for the people working at H2G2 that they have financial stability, and now can actually be paid etc. I'm happy for them :)
but... and I'm probably being needlesly cynical, doesn't this remind anyone of AOL-Time-Warner?
at least this time it's the Old Media company acquiring the New Media one. I wouldn't be surprised to find the BBC trying to "integrate" other communities to try and build up a strong user base. I wonder if one reason a huge content/media company like the BBC (which resembles Time-Warner more than CNN) is interested in "online communities" is to create "captive audiences" for its content produced in-house.
The BBC may not be a traditional profit-oriented corp but it has had problems with censorship. For example, will they allow any articles on "BBC Sucks!" on H2G2 ? Will they demand that user comments be edited?
I'm just expressing the hope that the BBC will give H2G2 the creative, artistic, and administrative freedoms that they promised. A public pledge/statement by BBC Online reps would be more binding than a press release.
For the BBC, acquiring H2G2 is quite a coup. I hope they have the wisdom to see that it's value stems directly from its independence. I think there are reasons to be critical of the BBC (for example, 1 [bilderberg.org], 2 [crosswinds.net], 3 [connectfree.co.uk])
H2G2? (Score:1)
Re: H2G2? (Score:1)
Re:H2G2? (Score:2)
Strikes me as a bit strange, too. Such is life.
Eschatfische.
Re: H2G2? (Score:1)
hmm, better than eHHGTTG, I suppose. :-)
But really, I followed the link and couldn't tell what the site / community did. Can someone please enlighten those of us who didn't see it previously as to what it was?
Re:full disclosure. (Score:1)
Sure it's saved... (Score:3)
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
Re:As a television licence payer... (Score:1)
The BBC was corporatised in the 1980's, which changed it's character radically. AFAIK, there's practically nothing produced in-house now apart from news and sports coverage. Anything else is done by independant production companies, who rely on sales to mass markets elsewehere in the world to keep afloat.
The result is conservatism. You'll get plenty of critically accliamed detective thrillers, but little as inventive, brilliant, eccentric, etc., as [insert name of your favourite BBC series here].
As for DA, he's a very funny writer with one of the most distinctive 'voices' of the twentieth century. He's also notoriously lazy. I'm sure he'll get to work on a new book soon. Just as soon as he's finished this bath...
Re:As a television licence payer... (Score:3)
He has grandious plans for a HG2G movie that still haven't been realized after many, many years of trying. He does seem to have lots of ideas for new books, but I'm not sure he will be able to get his mind off the movie to be able to write one.
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
What good is a guide that only puts out the goverments offical version of the truth? Kinda useless, crap, all there will be said about encryption is something along the lines of "48bits is enough for anyone!"
To answer some questions... (Score:3)
H2G2 is meant to be a "real" Hitchhiker's Guide. While it can be used on your computer (as well as palmtops, naturally), it can be accessed with internet-friendly cell phones as well.
The ultimate goal is to not only have a large database with useful/humerous/unique information available, but to have each member of a community also be a contributor.
For example. You're in France, you want to go to the Louvre, but you're not sure where it is. H2G2 can tell you where to find it. Now you go in, start looking at some paintings, and are moved by one in particular. You can then send a review or recomendation to the site for that particular art work, which others can then access.
Now you leave the art museum and get a bite to eat. There is a cafe right next door, you pay twice as much for a simple sandwhich and coffee as you're supposed to, and the quality of each is poor. If you had checked on H2G2 before, you would have found this cafe already had several warnings from previous unfortunate tourists caught in the same trap, and could have avoided it.
Needless to say, there are "official" reports and a slush pile which is "believe at your own risk". Everyone's reports would go to the slush pile until confirmed (however that would be done), and made "official".
That's my understanding of H2G2, hope it helps.
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:2)
as we have plenty of personality and have no concept of embarrassment or reserve or humility.
That's rich. Apart from a few counties with a largely fundamentalist religious population, the US may have the most repressive attitude towards sexuality in the entire world.
Re: H2G2? (Score:1)
aych two jee tea two jee
aych two jee tea two jee
aych two jee tea two jee
aych two jee tea two jee
aych two jee tea two jee
Now will someone help me pick my tongue off the floor?
One of the few SEIOUS replies to this article (Score:1)
Re:full disclosure. (Score:1)
Anyway, E2 sucks. They posture to be a dictionary, or encyclopedia, but look at what they celebrate. It'll be Dem Bones ate my Hamster, or some other unfunny injoke for The Community.
E2's about as much an encyclopedia as a chewing gum wrapper chronicle on the 1932 olympics, or something.
-- Eat your greens or I'll hit you!
Re:full disclosure. (Score:2)
Re:full disclosure. (Score:2)
To hell with the BBC (Score:1)
When the BBC stopped Dr. Who, they became just a caricature of their selves.
Re:tree (Score:1)
-- Eat your greens or I'll hit you!
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
I for one am looking forward to it enormously.
Yrd / MaW
Guru, Minister for Evil, Muse of Evilness & Dancing Ducks @ h2g2 (well, I was before the takeover, who knows what I am now?)
This post is going to score sooooo low...
Re:To answer some questions... (Score:2)
Marv the Grate Researcher U28338
Re:full disclosure. (Score:1)
Currently E2 is a fair mix of facts, rants, GTKY (Getting-To-Know-You) polls and inside jokes -- but thinking of it, it represents us much better than just plain facts. And those future generations wouldn't wanna read a dry encyclopedia either. Thus, a pile of dry facts can be as useless as a pile of GTKY polls.
Adams as the Ghost of Christmas Future... (Score:3)
For anyone who needs evidence for this, simply read anything written by Adams after the eary eighties. Conclusive evidence comes in the form of Adams' return to his bread-and-butter, H2G2.
This is his way of trying to stir up interest among a community he thinks he started. In interviews and speeches, he pretends as though he invented the idea of smarmy sci fi. He did not.
We've moved on. He, it seems, has not.
But I wonder if he is not just a shadow of things to come- for us. We all like to slap ourselves on our backs and talk about this wonderful information revolution we're helping to foster. But after we're all obsolete in ten years, will we all be talking that same way?
"Where's the gratitude?" we will whine. "Why don't kids understand my considerable contributions to the art?"
"Why, at some point in 2001, my karma was up to about forty!" [ridiculopathy.com]
The BBC is not a government organisation. (Score:1)
Re:shades of AOL Time Warner... (Score:1)
Indeed, the similarities between H2G2 [bbc.co.uk] and Time Warner [timewarner.com] are uncanny. Likewise the BBC [bbc.co.uk] to AOL [aol.com]. Just a few years ago it would have been H2G2 buying the BBC; my, how the tables have turned.
Personally, this is the last straw for me. I'd all but given up on the BBC in any case. I switched my viewing habits to the high-quality "Sky One [sky.com]" channel, and haven't looked back. Say what you will, but you can't question the integrity of Rupert Murdoch [csun.edu], can you?
Whatever happens to h2g2 ... (Score:1)
Re:full disclosure. (Score:1)
Anyway, E2 does posture to be a reference for many things. This may be the bitter rantings of an unloved member (rather these are the bitter rantings of an unloved member) but after writing factual nodes for a week or two I was always irritated to see how non-sensical nodes floated to the top while detailed nodes based in reality (not some wet dream) don't.
It does posture to be a reference and Slashdot uses it as such, that's why I dislike E2.
-- Eat your greens or I'll hit you!
Re:full disclosure. (Score:2)
-j
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
Hacker: A criminal who breaks into computer systems
Re:How are you gentlemen (Score:1)
Re: H2G2? (Score:1)
I'm loyal to h2g2, and I wouldn't stand for the BBC doing anything wrong with it (and I don't believe they will). With over 70'000 members, h2g2 is something the BBC know they have to treat with respect, otherwise they could be in trouble...
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
Re:A community site deserves the BBC. (Score:1)
MaW (U55669)
Blah (Score:1)
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