Posted: 20^th August 2009

h2g2's MOT

A few weeks ago, we prepared for the summer break by getting a whole load of articles ready for our Summer Specials. The Team went off and found their favourite articles and emailed a list to me, and I went through them, picked my favourites and organised them into collections for you to enjoy over the summer. The auto-reply set on the email, we headed off on our holidays for a little well-deserved R&R on the metaphorical beach.

Then we heard about h2g2's metaphorical MOT.

We boarded our metaphorical flights and returned to our metaphorical office, and held the Front Page.

We've been through the archives and looked for some of the best articles we can find that are relevant to the MOT. I'm sure those of you who have been here for longer than us will look at these and think 'hey, what about...?' – I've only been here for a few years, and arrived a little too late for most of the upheavals of the past. There is a thread below for you if you have any better suggestions, and I'd be delighted if you'd mention any articles you think are really relevant to the discussions down there.

I think we've done pretty well, though. At the top, you'll find four cartoon's from Wowbagger's 'h2g2 Life' series; if you've missed any of Wowbagger's cartoons, you've missed some of the best work ever produced for h2g2. He succeeded in creating cartoons with a real timeless quality, and they are still as fresh and relevant as the day he drew them.

Further down, we have some articles that span the whole age of h2g2, and if you have been living under a rock B'Elana has produced an excellent summary of the MOT discussions in a new Random Ramblings. From the influence of Douglas Adams to the introduction of DNA and a new skin, there's plenty here that's still worth chewing over.

Finally, and most appropriately, we're pleased to be able to reproduce the whole What Is h2g2's Place In Internet-Land series, which is still essential reading.

On that note, a quick reminder – we're still looking for manifestos for the future of h2g2, which we're hoping to start running when we get back from the summer break. The deadline for those, and all other submissions for the next 'new' issue, is Sunday 13^th September. Until then, we hope you enjoy this timely issue of The Post!

Skankyrich

• Blue Without Goo

• You Know You're a h2g2 Addict When...

• The Name Game

• My Opinion

• Random Ramblings

B'Elana talks us through the MOT postings

• The 1-2-1 Interview

With Natalie, from December 2008

• What h2g2 Could Do

Ideas from Rich and Alex, from May 2008

• How Can h2g2 Be Improved

A more recent summary from Alex

• DNA Is On Its Way!

The Editors take us through the soon-to-come DNA engine

• Skin Changes

Pastey on the new skin. Alabaster.

• Open Letter To Whom It May Concern

Mina's thoughts from 2003

• 'What Would Douglas Do?' Syndrome

Thoughts from EMR. Salt optional.

• What Is h2g2's Place In Internet-Land?

Part One - Perceptions of our role

• What Is h2g2's Place In Internet-Land?

Part Two - What does the Government want?

• What Is h2g2's Place In Internet-Land?

Part Three - Newbies, Italics and the rest of us

• What Is h2g2's Place In Internet-Land?

Part Four - Empowering ourselves