h2g2
This article needs to be updated.(December 2018) |
Internet encyclopedia project | |
Available in | English |
---|---|
Owner | Not Panicking Ltd |
Created by | Douglas Adams |
URL | h2g2 |
Registration | open |
Launched | 28 April 1999 |
Current status | Active |
Content license | Authors retain copyright but grant NPL a non-exclusive licence to distribute |
The h2g2
The intent is to create an Earth-focused guide that allows members to share information about their geographic area and the local sites, activities and businesses, to help people decide where they want to go and what they may find when they get there. It has grown to contain subjects from restaurants and recipes, to quantum theory and history. Explicit advertising of businesses was forbidden when the site was run by the BBC, but customer reviews were permitted.[5]
The content of the project is written by registered "Researchers" on its website.
History
The Digital Village (TDV) was a digital media company based in
Digital Village was renamed in 2000 to "h2g2", an abbreviation for the title as well as part of the url. The site was a runner-up for Best Community Site in the
21 April 2005 marked the re-launch of h2g2 Mobile, an edition of the guide produced for PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and mobile phones that could access the internet, so that people could read h2g2 entries while on the move.[13] This was done because people wanted h2g2 to be much like the Hitchhiker's Guide described in the books – a mobile, electronic device that anyone could read from anywhere.[11] An earlier incarnation of h2g2 Mobile was a WAP phone based version of h2g2. Announced at First Tuesday in London on 14 December 1999, it became the most trafficked WAP site in Europe until it was closed down by the BBC when it took over the site in January 2001. h2g2 Mobile was closed by the BBC as it then believed that its license conditions did not allow it to deliver any service over a telephone system.[14]
The site was redesigned for the BBC by Aerian Studios in 2011,[15] bringing it in line with the general appearance of other BBC websites, while maintaining a degree of the site's old character.[16]
On 24 January 2011, the BBC announced cuts of 25% to its online budget, resulting in a £34 million less investment into the site. A number of sites were to be closed, including
On 3 October 2011, the BBC incarnation of h2g2 closed, leaving only an announcement reading "H2G2 has now left the BBC. The new owners of H2G2 are currently preparing the site for relaunch. Soon you will find The Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything at www.h2g2.com"[20] The post-BBC version of the site went live on 16 October 2011.
Terms and conditions
To contribute to the site it is necessary to register and to agree to the h2g2 "House Rules" and the general Not Panicking Ltd Terms and Conditions. Registered users are called Researchers. Researchers retain the copyright to their articles, but grant Not Panicking Ltd a non-exclusive license to reproduce their work in all formats.
Software
DNA
Part of the
GuideML
GuideML (Guide Markup Language) is a
GuideML is an application of
See also
Notes
- ^ h2g2 is an initialism for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
References
- ^ "Web watch; New favourites". Sydney Morning Herald (Australia). 7 May 2005. p. 5.
- ^ a b Jackson, Andrew (May 2009). "Web wonder". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 19. Archived from the original on 20 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Hitchhiker's Guide web site moves to BBC". Telecomworldwire. 23 February 2001.
- ^ a b Tomlinson, Heather (4 March 2001). "Hitchhiker's Website Goes Home To Auntie". Independent (UK). London. pp. 3 (Business section).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "House Rules for h2g2". 28 June 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2015. – No Spitting. The lawyers wanted to know what rules we needed, and we said 'The usual ones, plus "No spitting" please.' So there you go: no spitting. Many thanks. Oh, and beware of the Leopard.
- ^ Hurrell, Nick (13 October 2000). "Nick Hurrell, the Chief Executive of M&C Saatchi and the Chairman of EMCSAATCHI, looks at the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Online". Campaign. pp. 14 (Private Surf section).
- ^ McMurray, Sandy (15 August 2001). "Sites for Beginners, Students and Clones". The Toronto Sun. pp. 53 (Connect section). – Another site, created by Douglas Adams, comes at the encyclopedia idea from a different, funnier angle.
- ^ "The Digital Village". www.tdv.com. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "The Hitchhikers Guide to the New Economy". 31 May 1998.
- ^ Botti, Nicolas (2009). "Life, DNA & h2g2: Douglas Adams' Biography" Archived 1 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 9 July 2014
- ^ a b Turnbull, Giles (22 September 1999). "Sci-fi Guide Could Become Fact". Press Association.
- ^ Kelly, Matt (13 July 2000). "The Yell.com Awards 2000". The Mirror (UK). p. 14.
- ^ "h2g2 Mobile Information Centre". 17 October 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "Life, the Universe and Everything Mobile". The Digital Village. 22 December 1999. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
- ^ "H2G2 Refresh: design and technical challenges". 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011. – this week the refreshed version of the BBC's long running community site H2G2 was launched.
- ^ "Talking Point – h2g2 Redesign". 24 August 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2015. – As we've already mentioned we're now in the process of redesigning h2g2.
- ^ "BBC News – BBC to cut online budget by 25%". BBC Online. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "Tuesday 21 June 2011: The future of H2G2 – the Successful Bid". 21 June 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Wednesday 31 June 2011: H2G2 Leaving The BBC Soon!". 31 August 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^ "BBC - H2G2". Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Douglas Adams 1952 – 2001". 28 April 1999. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "H2g2 - an Introduction to GuideML". 5 February 2003.