Hello and welcome to Edition 6 of the Post.

The big news of the week is the 'retirement' of Bill Gates from being Chief Executive of Microsoft. Could this be the 'big-money' job which Bill Clinton is rumoured to have lined up for when he leaves the White House in 2001? Maybe not! The current President, Steve Ballmer, is the 'lucky' one being promoted, and good old BG is going back to developing new software... if he can remember how after all this time! What are we going to do with all our BG jokes now people?!

A recent addition to the ever-expanding number of domain names has also proved to be a record-breaker. The rules were bent to allow the inclusion of (bear with me!):
'Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllamtysiliogogogogoch.com' This far outstretches the usual maximum of just 28 letters! I have a platform ticket with this printed on it, as do probably a fair proportion of visitors to North Wales. I just hope that this will not encourage others to jump on the Band wagon! We are all quite happy with 'h2g2' guys!

We are featuring 'something new' in the Post this week; here is what our excellent Web Thing has to say about it:

Floating Menu Type Thingy

Just as the 'Powers That Be' have been known to make changes over at the Guide Towers, we at the Post Living Room have also been making improvements. To quote any major corporation, 'As part of our continual drive to provide a better service' we've come up with the Floating Menu Type Thingy! I was trying to give it a really cool acronym name, but everything I came up with was either unprintable or related to beer, so unless anyone has any better ideas, it's a Floating Menu Type Thing. Just be thankful it doesn't look like a paperclip!

But what is it, where is it and what does it do?
What it is; it is a menu, that looks like our logo.
Where it is; You can find it in the top right hand corner of the window, that is to say, the top right hand corner of the browser window, anyone looking carefully at the front windows of their houses will look very weird to their neighbours. It will always be in the corner, even when you scroll down the page. That's because it floats. If you scroll fast, it may take a second or two to get there because it's not the most athletic of menus around, but it will get there. It will probably be out of breath too (If menus breathed that is!)
What it does; it provides a springboard type list of links to the different sections available within the Post. It will, in the near future do more. As we introduce more features to the Post the FMTT will change to incorporate them, and we do have a fair bit more planned to 'enhance the experience provided by our service' to once more quote any big company. If you have any ideas about how we can improve the Post, then please email me on webthing@researchpost.abelgratis.com

Pastey

Sadly this feature of the Post is no longer available.

That's All Ffolks!
ShazzPRME

• 1-2-1

Fairly Strange is the target of this weeks interrogation.

• Take 5

Take 5 has taken a change, we're covering fewer articles, but giving a better read.

• Agony Aunt

h2g2 is not a 'normal' community, it doesn't have 'normal' problems, therefore a 'normal' Agony Aunt would be useless. Ours is far from 'normal'.

• Wowbagger

Oops Mon Cherie!

• The Running of the Virtual Mayor

Voting...and a surprise!

• The BooK NooK

After last week's Dune article, the team this week concentrate on the use of language within literature.

• Collaborative Efforts

Another article that requires your help

• 8 Months on the Guide

Has it really been that long for some of our researchers? It doesn't seem it. But here we have the ramblings of one of our longer serving members.

• New Year in Russia

The right place at the right time, but a Dacha in Russia? Most definately, yes

• Virtual Supporters Club

A new club is born within h2g2.

• My Time in Romania

The second part of the diary excerpts of a researcher working in a Romanian orphanage.

• The Chaos of Going Metric

As we go into this new century, the British Government decided to change things, with all their usual planning and forethought

• The ICQ-ing Researcher's List

A lot of h2g2 researchers also use icq, the online chat program. But how do we find out who does?.

• Elian Gonzalez

A six year old in the middle of a tug-of-politics.

• Journalism Progressed

Slow news week? Or is modern day journalism really getting this bad?

• The Big Merger!

AOL and Time Warner, and all in the same week as Bill Gates steps down

• The Holistic Detective

We didn't do it. Honest.

• User Pages

We've all got one. But what do we do with it?

• Field Critic Fun Run
Take part in the latest Fun Run and tell others what you think of their work.

• Rejection Slips
A guide to the world of h2g2 rejection. Useful stuff.

• The Think Tank
A central point to exchange ideas on articles. Whether you're writing a future Guide entry and want some help with spelling, grammar or content, or you have a few moments to spare and wish to proof read for a fellow researcher, this is the place.