H2G2.com short for "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition” — is a collaborative writing project and community website, originally inspired by Douglas Adams’ famous sci-fi series.
# Launch & Origins - **Launched:** April 28, 1999 - **Founders:** Conceived by Douglas Adams and built by his digital company, The Digital Village (TDV). - **Concept:** A "real-life" Hitchhiker’s Guide—a constantly evolving guide to Life, the Universe, and Everything, written by its users. - **Launch on TV:** h2g2.com was famously previewed on **BBC's *Tomorrow’s World* on April 28, 1999.** Douglas Adams was a guest, showcasing the site as an ambitious, crowd-powered encyclopedia — long before Wikipedia.
# Tomorrow’s World Feature - **Episode date:** April 28, 1999 - Douglas Adams demonstrated how anyone could contribute to this online Guide. - Emphasized collaborative, humorous, and eclectic entries—not just dry facts. - Aimed to be a playful, living complement to traditional encyclopedias.
# **1999–2001: The Early Years** - **Fast user growth:** Thousands joined, contributing articles ("Entries") about everything from how to make a cup of tea to the philosophy of life. - **Distinct community:** Quirky, friendly, and heavily influenced by Adams' humor.
# 2001: BBC Acquisition - **TDV collapsed** in financial troubles (dot-com crash), but the BBC stepped in. * **February 2001:** h2g2 officially became part of BBC Online. - **Major updates:** New moderation, some stricter editorial controls (especially on ‘edgier’ content), but still collaborative and fun.
# 2001–2011: The BBC Years - **Community continued:** Site grew steadily, hundreds of thousands of entries. - **Unique culture:** Editors (“Scouts” and “Sub-Editors”) curated and edited contributions. - **Integration:** h2g2 was promoted on other BBC platforms and had several redesigns. - **Tributes:** When Douglas Adams died in 2001, the site paid heartfelt tributes, becoming a place for fans to mourn and celebrate him.
# 2011: The “Great Escape” - **BBC budget cuts:** In 2011, BBC decided to offload h2g2 along with other “non-core” online properties. - **Community action:** Users rallied to "save h2g2," running campaigns and fundraising. - **Transition:** In July 2011, h2g2 was taken over by a consortium of long-time users (the h2g2 Community Consortium), Not Panicking Ltd, and The Post, ensuring its survival outside the BBC.
# 2011–Present: Independent Era - **Continued development:** Maintained by volunteers and enthusiasts. - **Software upgrades:** Gradual technical improvements, but the familiar “h2g2 look and feel” retained. - **Community spirit:** Still quirky, still collaborative; some original users remain active. - **Anniversaries:** Celebrated 20th anniversary in 2019 with site-wide events and nostalgic reflections. - **Modern relevance:** h2g2 still operates ([h2g2.com](https://h2g2.com)), with the original blend of informative, silly, and philosophical entries.
# Cultural Impact - **Preceded Wikipedia:** Launched two years before Wikipedia, pioneering the concept of open, crowd-sourced encyclopedias. - **Douglas Adams’ vision:** A rare case where a sci-fi gag became a real online experiment in global knowledge-sharing. - **Influence:** Inspired other community-driven sites and remains a touchstone for Adams fans.
# References * [Official h2g2 site](https://h2g2.com) * [Archive.org of Tomorrow’s World episode](https://archive.org/details/bbc-tomorrows-world-h2g2) (if available) * [BBC News: h2g2's Journey](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/1478245.stm) * [Douglas Adams' official site](https://douglasadams.com) * Various interviews and retrospectives, especially around the 10th and 20th anniversaries.