HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: khill@leven.appcomp.utas.edu.au (Katrina Hill)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: MH spoilers and Questions
Date: 16 Oct 92 05:17:03 GMT
Organization: University of Tasmania at Launceston

In article <1992Oct14.204444.16398@husc3.harvard.edu>, mduhan@husc10.harvard.edu (Matthew Duhan) writes:
>   I don't know.  I just finished MH and, well, it left me feeling empty
>inside.  That's the best way I can describe it.  I like the way he tried
>to wrap it all up, like Starvomuller Beta.  But, well, IT'S OVER.  MAYBE.
>Throughout the book, I got the feeling that he didn't want to be writing
>HH anymore, but I guess that any other SF that he does will invariably be
>compared to it.  I don't know.  I'll try to ask him when he comes to read
>on Tuesday. 

	I kinda felt sad...almost like crying when i was reading sections.

	May be it has something to do with writing style...giving some sort
	of affinaty with one of the charcters [arthur] so you understand 
	how sad it is to not have any home, or get to one that you may have.

	Maybe not??

>   The only unresolved question is what really happened to Fenchurch.  That
>issue never got resolved.  Whether she ceased to exist, either because she
>was an anomoly and did not fit or TRE, or whether she went elsewhere is   
>unclear.  That and Bob could have been cleared up more.  Perhaps I'll ask
>DNA about these too.

	I got the impression that using hyperspave, and being from sector
	ZZZ 9 plural Z alpha (or what ever) that her bits and pieces just
	disapeared...remeber those old songs in book one?

	I LOVED:  ELVIS, the entire first chapter, ALL Ford's bits...
	MISSED:   MARVIN, Zaphod, complex cause and effect stuff...

	There had to be book five...just wish i had of stopped at book four...
	maybe in a few dyas i'll enjoy book five a lot more.

	trina
-- 
Katrina Hill (K.Hill@appcomp.utas.edu.au):`Excuse me, could I please distract  
University of Tasmania @ Launceston (UTL): you for one brief second?'
Phone: 263870 - AUST.  Ext: 3445 (260445): -  Kryten,  
Technical Services - Applied Comp. & Math:         distracting the Inquisitor
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: ajmorrison@happy.colorado.edu
Subject: fault tolerant systems & DNA
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: 14 Oct 92 12:58:36 MDT

In article <Bvt7vB.B81@dcs.ed.ac.uk>, wowbagger@ed.ac.uk (Scott Telford) writes:
> \begin{spoiler}
> I don't want to give too much away, but Chapter 1 of MH seems to be a
> satire on the subject of fault-tolerant systems, beleive it or not, 
> and is quite hilarious (at least the way Douglas reads it 8^).
> \end{spoiler}


For poor hopeless psych majors like myself who only got into this because they
hppen to have friends who are vax advisors, can you briefly explain what 
fault-tolerant systems are? It would probably help me understand the first
chapter of the book, if I can ever get my hot little hands on it...



      -=Amy at CU-Colorado Springs, NOT Boulder!!!!=-

      internet-- ajmorrison@happy.uccs.edu
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: dpearson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Pearson)
Subject: MOSTLY HARMLESS
Summary: MOSTLY HARMLESS HERE!
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 18:44:40 GMT

Mostly Harmless has just arrived here on the campus of the University of 
Illinois.  I just picked it up.  Haven't had a chance to read it yet, of
course, but I intend to as soon as I get some time this weekend away from 
homework.

My most humble apologies to those of you who already know this, but I had 
to get it out of my system.

go stick your head in a pig(translation: share and enjoy)

/////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
||    /\       |  David M. Pearson          |  You've told me your opinion,||  
||   /  \      |  University of Illinois    |  now ask me if I care.       ||  
||  / ___\___  |  dpearson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu |                  - DMP.      ||   
|| /__||---||  |  pearson@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu  |		                   || 
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////////
From: kiemschies@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: SPOILER: Mostly Harmless
Date: 14 Oct 92 14:26:50 EDT

In article <1687F8340.BKD@USLVM.USL.EDU>, BKD@USLVM.USL.EDU (Brian K. Dore') writes:
> Seems funny how not long after I finished Mostly Harmless, I flipped
> on the television and saw "Misery" for the first time.  "Gee Mr. Adams,
> I'm your number one fan!"  "Arthur can't be dead, he can't be!"
>  
> I'd stay off of snowy roads if I were him.   :^)
>  
> Brian  (Still trying to figure out exactly what happened, or didn't happen)
>  
Darn, I was thinking of making a Misery joke too, but you beat me to it. I
could just say i thought such a joke would be in bad taste, but the truth is
that I just wasn't quick enough on the draw. I'll have to be faster around
here.



                                         First Arthur, then Superman, 
                                                 WHO'S NEXT ?!?!?!?!
From: richard@aiai.ed.ac.uk (Richard Tobin)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: An evening with Douglas Adams
Date: 13 Oct 92 13:32:58 GMT
Organization: HCRC, University of Edinburgh

In article <9qNHsB2w165w@orthanc.freeside.com> loki@orthanc.freeside.com (Biggles) writes:
>Terry Pratchett basically has done for true fantasy (DA writes Science-
>Fantasy), what DA did for Sci-Fi.

Terry Pratchett is a lame Douglas Adams rip-off.

Could be worse, though.

-- Richard
-- 
Richard Tobin,
Human Communication Research Centre,                       R.Tobin@ed.ac.uk
Edinburgh University.
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: cuscd@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu (Charles Dey)
Subject: Denver area book signing...
Organization: Educational Computing Network
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 16:49:55 GMT



   Just in, Douglas Adams will be at the tattered cover book store (most
denverites should know where it is) to sign Mostly Harmless on Oct. 27th.

"We make everything you need, you need everything we make"
                     -o- ZikZak Corporation, New Tokyo
                         20 minutes into the Future

...Crimson
From: amw@cs.bham.ac.uk (Andy Wood)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: Mostly Harmless - POTENTIAL SPOILER thread (?)
Date: 13 Oct 92 10:56:08 GMT
Organization: School of Computer Science, The University of Birmingham, UK

In article <uerics.718947525@mcl> uerics@mcl.ucsb.edu (Eric D. Shepherd) writes:
> SPOILERS -- PROCEED AT OWN RISK!

> Actually, I _know_ I missed something -- I haven't the slightest idea what
> the last thing the Leader of the Grebulons (had to look that up in the
> book) did -- all I know is that he seems to be pleased with it.  Who's
> responsible for the destruction of the Earth -- the Vogons, the Grebulons,
> or somebody else?  Nobody?  Who?

> - Eric S.

Yep that bit passed me by too - any ideas?

Andy...

-- 
__

Andrew Wood : amw@uk.ac.bham.cs
From: wowbagger@ed.ac.uk (Scott Telford)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: fault tolerant systems & DNA
Date: 15 Oct 92 13:12:46 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre, University of Edinburgh, UK.

In article <1992Oct14.125836.1@happy.colorado.edu>,
ajmorrison@happy.colorado.edu writes:
> For poor hopeless psych majors like myself who only got into this because they
> hppen to have friends who are vax advisors, can you briefly explain what 
> fault-tolerant systems are? It would probably help me understand the first
> chapter of the book, if I can ever get my hot little hands on it...

Ok, well, fault-tolerant systems are just computers which are supposed
to be able to deal with bits of themselves malfunctioning, failing,
dropping off, being shot at, etc. Usually achieved through multiple
redundant units and automatic monitoring.

It's fairly obvious what he's talking about in the book, if you have
some  idea what software is, of course.

-- 
Scott Telford, Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre,        <wowbagger@ed.ac.uk>
University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Rd, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK. (+44 31 650 5978)
------- Rollin' over like a big, big cloud/Walkin' out in the Big Sky! --------
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: stank@alcor.concordia.ca (EMC LAB account)
Subject: Re: Sixty-Nine and Forty-Two....
Organization: Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 20:32:31 GMT

In article <1992Oct1.184542.1@happy.colorado.edu> ajmorrison@happy.colorado.edu writes:

>Well, I tried to look at alt.sex once... it bumped me entirely out of news and
>brought up a bunch of hex on my screen... Is there some sort of adult access
>tyhat I don't have????
>
>-=Amy at CU=Colorado Springs, not Boulder!!!=-


No.  If you try and fail again, mail me and describe what happens,
including your REAL email address (the boulder.Colorado.EDU subsystem
failed to recognize "happy", which is why I had to post this).
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: gnat@kauri.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington)
Subject: Re: alt.fan.douglas-adams FAQ
Organization: Contract to CSC, Victoria Uni, Wellington, New Zealand
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 01:19:20 GMT
	<1992Oct14.191936.4231@pellns.alleg.edu>

In article <1992Oct14.191936.4231@pellns.alleg.edu> twiddyd@reis62.alleg.edu (David Twiddy) writes:

>  What are you talking about?  It's here!  I got my copy at  
> Waldenbooks last weekend for $20.

Well done!  Lucky contestant 3,141,592,653,589.79 come on down!  By
correctly identifying this month's DELIBERATE ERROR in the faq, you
have earned yourself a COMPLETELY FREE of charge, ALL EXPENSES PAID
IMMOLATION in the latest chemical wonder from our labs,
PETROLEUM-MARMALADE.

Congratulations, collect your match from Suzy at the door, and do play
again.

Nat.
(okay okay, it was old info.  So shoot me.  It's not like I didn't
spot its release - four hundred people posting saying "I've got it",
"Me too!", "It's not as good as Restaurant", "It is too", "Yeah, well
you don't know shit - yah boo sucks to you Fritzie" - you think I
could miss it if I wanted to? :-)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: millernw@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller)
Subject: Re: Mostly Harmless - DON'T BUY IT !
Organization: Clarkson University
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 13:35:23 GMT

gtall@ogre.cica.indiana.edu (Gerry Allwein) writes:

>I have to admit I didn't like it nearly as well as the previous books. Not
>because of the literary gymnastics which were vintage Adams, but because
>I found I had no feeling at all for the main characters. They were simply
>set pieces for the English phases to work around.

	Oh c'mon...  Even I had some feeling towards Colin, the ecstatic
robot!


--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Neal Miller         | "Why not go mad?"  | millernw@craft.camp.clarkson.edu
 Clarkson University |     - Ford Prefect |     dark@craft.camp.clarkson.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: aproden@ac.dal.ca (Andrew P. Rodenhiser)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: Challenge for Douglas Adams-freaks
Date: 13 Oct 92 17:38:58 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

In article <mBNHsB1w165w@orthanc.freeside.com>, loki@orthanc.freeside.com (Biggles) writes:
> Bernard.Stern@info.unine.ch writes:
> 
>> > Now I have a challenge for you Douglas Adams-freaks. Can anyone bother to l
>> > all his other works (in case he has done something else, I don't know...) a
>> > your opinion about them, compared to each other and to the Hitchhikers tril
>> > of four books. 

Isn't DNA credited as one of many screenplay writers for Monty
Python and the Holy Grail??

-- 
KISS/Cooper/Metal/Seattle/MontyPython/DouglasAdams/NASCAR/Oldsmobiles
Andrew P. Rodenhiser, Graduate Student, Colloidal Physical Chemistry
Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada      APRODEN@AC.DAL.CA
Fluorescence Probing Studies of Polymer/Surfactant Interactions
"Now I know why everything turns grey, but it's our own world we paint
And I want the brightest, I want fluorescent, every day and night,
For the rest of my life, Open your eyes, Won't you?"--Faith No More
From: menieuwp@cs.vu.nl (Nieuwpoort van ME)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: I like MH! (spoilers)
Keywords: bad news
Date: 9 Oct 92 15:57:35 GMT
Organization: Fac. Wiskunde & Informatica, VU, Amsterdam

I haven't finished it yet, but there's a lot of funny stuff in it!
Too bad Marvin isn't in it, I'd like to see Marvin have a
conversation with Colin. ("How do you get on with other robots?"
- "Hate them.")

I liked Colin, I liked the bad news drive, and there are many other
things I like in there.

I've read some complaints that the story just stops without having
a proper ending. I haven't come to the end yet, but it doesn't
surprise me in the least. I'm not going to count the words, but
there's a good chance the total number of words is on hundred
thousand. Too bad there wasn't any bad plumbing in chapter 2.

Anyway, that's just my opinion.

And now for a spoiler from page 1...

Major spoilers!!

"One of the problems has to do with the speed of light and the
difficulties involved in trying to exceed it. You can't. Nothing
travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception
of bad news, which obeys its own special laws. The Hingefreel
people of Arkintoofle Minor did try to build spaceships that were
powered by bad news but they didn't work particularly well and were
so extremely unwelcome whenever they arrived anywhere that there
really wasn't any point in being there."

Sounds to me like something which rightfully belongs in The Trilogy.
-- 
PS: Boe!
From: thanatos@korova.uucp (Thanatos)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Marvin, The Paranoid Android
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 92 17:25:05 CDT
Organization: VHF void tube of the mind (713) 492-2783

Hey all you froods, I read some where back that there are TWO songs with 
Marvin in them.  I have both heard and read the lyrics to "Marvin, I Love 
You" (Oh, BTW, Trillian's voice is the voice of the unidentified 
woman/machine), But I'd like to see the lyrics of "Marvin, the Paranoid 
Android".. And if you can, tell me any tape that that song may be 
located, seeing that I am a true Marvin fan..=)
 
7The only good cabbage is a dead cabbage.
9Voon.

--
                          the korova milkbar
             land of the CHEEZ          home of the WHOPPER
                             713-492-2783
From: loki@orthanc.freeside.com (Biggles)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: giving your add to a hitch-hiker
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:02:34 GMT
Organization: Society for Balrog and Nazgul Understanding and Recognition

etxjlar@eua.ericsson.se (Jorgen Larsson) writes:

> What is the meaning of life, universe and everything? 

You don't actually expect us to answer this, do you?!?!?
(please say no, it will go better for you)


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"How can you be at two places at once,         loki@orthanc.freeside.com
         when you're not anywhere at all?"       (aka Biggles)
                   --Firesign Theater                                        
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: chris@de.ZIB-Berlin.sc (Chris Cannam)
Subject: Re: Green Smiling Planet
Organization: Konrad Zuse Zentrum fuer Informationstechnik Berlin
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 08:29:56 GMT


In article <neilg.719121362@sfu.ca>, neilg@fraser.sfu.ca (Neil K. Guy) writes:
|> mduhan@husc10.harvard.edu (Matthew Duhan) writes:
|> 
|> >   Does anyone know where the green smiling planet originated from and why?
|> 
|>  None of the British covers, to my knowledge, have the grinning planet
|> on it. I believe that only the American ones do. The original
|> paperback cover for The Guide (circa 1979, not 1970) in the UK simply
|> had "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" written in chunky letters.


Yeah.  I have a vague recollection of the original UK hardback version,
which was the first copy I read -- I _think_ it had a big silver thumb-
in-a-glove on it, floating about somewhere (as they do), but I was only
seven or eight at the time so I can't remember it terribly well...

...anyone?

I've never actually seen this green smiling planet thingy, myself.


|>  - Neil K. (n_k_guy@sfu.ca)

Chris
From: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk (R Clement)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: SPOILER: Mostly Harmless
Date: 14 Oct 92 11:42:52 GMT
Organization: The University of Leeds, School of Computer Studies
Originator: ross-c@csparc2

*******SPOILERS********

In article <1687F8340.BKD@USLVM.USL.EDU> BKD@USLVM.USL.EDU (Brian K. Dore') writes:
>
> 
>Seems funny how not long after I finished Mostly Harmless, I flipped
>on the television and saw "Misery" for the first time.  "Gee Mr. Adams,
>I'm your number one fan!"  "Arthur can't be dead, he can't be!"
> 
>Brian  (Still trying to figure out exactly what happened, or didn't happen)

I am now assuming that the forgetful people from out of space (how do you
write their name again?) have been sent to fix the way multi-dimensional 
space is breaking up (witness the migrating Perfectly Normal Beasts).
Notice that the Guide Mark II disappears from possibility at the same time
the lights go off in the Vogon ship. Could it be that whatever it is they
do, the Vogons returned to their own dimension. In this dimension, the earth
has already been destroyed, so it gets ticked off on the orders. Logically
then, since the Vogons got sent back to their own dimension when space was
"fixed", so too would Arthur, Ford, etc. However, they would be dumped into 
empty space without spacesuits - something that they have survived before.

Even if Arthur, Ford, and Trillian (twice) are dead, there is still one last-1
generation human being surviving: Elvis.

Furthermore, given the infinite (?) number of worlds on the Probability axis,
there are of course an infinite number of Arthurs, one of whom probably decided
NOT to walk down into Stavron Muellar BETA (sp?). Note that as Arthur is
walking in, someone says "I thought I told you not to come here". Perhaps the
Arthur on that world (who didn't otherwise enter the story) had been banned
from that club (breaking the dress code?). This suggests more than one
Arthur, both of whom may be dead, but other Arthurs should exist (tho' if 
space has been "fixed" they are now stuck in their own universes).

I think the central part of the ending puzzle is: if we knew where the
(forgetful people) came from and what their mission was, we would understand
a lot of things we presently don't (or however it was written).

Cheers,

Ross-c
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
From: pejanes@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu (Peter Janes)
Subject: He's right, you know...
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 14:17:43 GMT


A co-worker (also a HHG fan) saw something the other day that has made me
more of a believer in DNA's "B" Ark theory...

An actual _telephone sanitizing kit_.....

-- 
------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------
 Peter Janes                        | "You _do not_ like green eggs and ham."
  (pejanes@descartes.uwaterloo.ca)  | "Oh, Mr. Perception, Sam-I-Am."
                                    |   --Moxy Fruvous, "Green Eggs And Ham"
From: thanatos@korova.uucp (Thanatos)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Book Signing:  Houston
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 92 15:44:19 CDT
Organization: VHF void tube of the mind (713) 492-2783

 
        Ok peoples, Douglas Adams will be signing his book here in 
houston on the 25th, but I seem to have misplaced where exactly he'll 
be.. He'll be signing "Mostly Harmless" there.. Ohboy.. can't wait!  Does 
anyone have any questions they'd like me to ask him for some of you that 
aren't gonna meet him?
 
5Thanatos - A frood who knows where his towel is.

--
              VHF void tube of the mind (713) 492-2783
        "where you can find the Zeta Greys SAFEWAYING themselves
                into the WONDERBREAD *heart* of America!"
From: ira2p@faraday.clas.Virginia.EDU (Iain Robert Asplin)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: "Doctor Who - Shada"  US video release information
Date: 13 Oct 92 02:02:18 GMT
Distribution: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Organization: University of Virginia

Been a while since I posted to this group.

But some of you US readers may be very interested in the following
information, and as I didn't see anyone mention it in my review of
posts, I'll do it for you.

"Shada," the unfinished Tom Baker (4th Doctor) "Doctor Who" story
written by Douglas Adams is now in video release in America from
CBS/Fox video.  
Much of the material from this untransmitted story was reused and/or
lifted and used in "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency."

All completed material is included in the video, and for all unfinished
scenes, Mister Tom Baker himself narrates directly to the camera what
would be happening now if they'd gotten to finish the story.
Also, special effects, sound effects, and incidental music previously
absent from the show (that means anyone who has one of those old pirate
copies better perk their eyes here) have been added.

The video should be obtainable from any local video store, whether they
carry "Doctor Who" videos regularly or not.  If they do not, all you
should have to do is ask them to special order the video for you,
and they should be able to get it no problem and rather quickly.
For instance, I live in a small rural town of only 2500 in Wisconsin,
yet my local video storw was able to get it for me the day it was
released (last Thursday).

The video retails for $19.98
It is on the CBS/FOx video label, catalog number 5730
ISBN Number:  0-7939-5730-3

Hope this is helpful.  I know Douglas doesn't like it, but I'll take
this story any day over the Dirk Gently books.

Steve/Iain
From: mcramm@dct.ac.uk (McRamm)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Mostly Harmless - POTENTIAL SPOILER thread (?)
Date: 8 Oct 92 11:33:19 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology

Well, I picked up my copy of MH yesterday, and was disappointed. IMHO
it lacks something of the flavour of the originals. I got the distinct
impression that DNA is bored with the whole HHG scene and just wants to
kill it off somehow. The characters from the originals just didn't feel
right, there was something weird about attitudes and behaviour.

Please, no flames - this is a purely personal opinion and I'd welcome anyone
else's (constructive) comments.

-- 
 Angus M. Marshall, MCRAMM@UK.AC.DCT,amarshal@uk.ac.dund.mcs, (+44 382) 308600
".. and in the grove, by gate and hill, midst  merry  throng  and  market
clatter -  stood  the  Hall  of  the Mountain Grill, where table strain'd
'neath loaded platter " (from the legend of Beenzon Toste - Hawkwind)
From: loki@orthanc.freeside.com (Biggles)
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams
Subject: Re: An evening with Douglas Adams
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 92 11:31:31 CDT
Organization: Society for Balrog and Nazgul Understanding and Recognition

wowbagger@ed.ac.uk (Scott Telford) writes:

> ...Oh, I forgot to say that whoever put about the nasty rumour that
> Douglas doesn't like Terry Pratchett was wrong: DA said he's never
> read any Pratchett so he doesn't know whether to like him or not.
> 
I'm new to this group, so please forgive if I repeat something already said.
Terry Pratchett basically has done for true fantasy (DA writes Science-
Fantasy), what DA did for Sci-Fi.  He took the well established norms for
the genre, and then crumpled them into a ball and threw them out the window.
His Disc World series has got to be one of the funniest series I have ever
read (nine books so far, more to come).  In fact, on several occasions, I
have seen him described as the "Douglas Adams of Fantasy".  Maybe this is
what sparked the debate, but I missed it.  I see no reason why DA would 
hate Terry, except for his competition.




"How can you be at two places at once,         loki@orthanc.freeside.com
         when you're not anywhere at all?"       (you can call me Biggles)
                   --Firesign Theater                                        
Newsgroups: alt.fan.douglas-adams