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From: Dave Arnett <davea@cv.hp.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Hitchhiker's Guide
Date: 25 Sep 1996 17:25:55 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, MCD

barrym@neosoft.com (barrym) wrote:
>Paul Schlyter (pausch@electra.saaf.se) wrote:
>: In article <524hn1$eu6@uuneo.neosoft.com>, barrym <barrym@neosoft.com> wrote:
>: > Earle Fettig (fettig@fettig1.ultranet.com) wrote:
>: >: I call mine "The Hitchhikker's Guide to the Galaxy" after the fictional
>: >: book within the hitchhiker trilogy by Douglas Adams. My Computers are
>: >: named Eddie, Deep Thought, and Earth.
>: > 
>: > I'm amazed that a 48 user would think he has to tell other 48 users
>: > what "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is.  That's certainly the
>: > best known book in the universe.
>:  
>: It seems that your "universe" is even smaller than the "universe" of the
>: astrologers: their "universe" at least includes all of the solar system,
>: but yours seems to include only parts of the Earth...
>
>How can you be so sure of that?  Do you have some special
>information?  Has there been a study of the populatity of
>"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" on other systems?
>
>Come on, tell us about it.  Enquiring minds want to know. :)

I can imagine how that study would be carried out...

A rocket lands on Mars.  The local chieftain approaches the landing site 
as a door opens and an underpaid summer intern descends the ladder.

Galactic Popularity Survey Intern [GPSI]:  Hello, Mr. Martian.

Martian Chieftain [Mc]:  What is Hello?

GPSI:  It's a nice word for greeting people.

Mc looks confused.

GPSI:  Uh, well, I suppose it is a nice way of greeting Martians, too.

Mc: (catches on)  Hello, Earthling.

GPSI:  I'm taking an interplanetary survey.  Is there any novel you like
more than Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy?

Mc:  What is a novel?

GPSI:  It's a fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically
having a plot unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the 
characters.  We need to know whether Martians like any novel better than 
Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Mc realizes, to his utter dismay, that he is talking to a college student. 
Mc takes a three-sided coin from his purse and flips it.  It lands
Right Head Down.  He picks it up and puts the coin back into it.

Mc:  I can't say there's any novel we like better than this Hick Hike
thing.  Is there any other novel?

GPSI: (grinning triumphantly)  Thank You very much!.

GPSI climbs back into the space ship and flies away.

Mc:  What is Thank You?

GPSI settles into his seat at the on-board bistro.

GPSI:  Well, Captain Spoof, that went quite well.

CS:  (Nods)  Where next, kid?  

GPSI:  Saturn, please.  And make sure we land at the most densely
populated place on the planet.

GPSI and CS order drinks, on the same tab, an action which quickly 
propels them to Saturn.  They land and GPSI again descends the ladder.
He looks about.  He sees nobody.  He climbs back into the space ship.

GPSI:  Hey, Captain Spoof, I thought you were going to put me at the
most densely populated part of the planet.

CS:  I did.  Since you and I are the only living things on this planet,
this is the most densely populated spot.

GPSI:  Oh.  Well, then I guess the entire population of the planet
Saturn votes for Hitch Hiker's Guide.

CS:  I'm not so sure kid.

GPSI:  (aghast) What?  You're an Interplanetary Space Captain and you
don't think of Hitch Hiker's Guide as the best novel ever written?

CS:  I prefer The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.  I tend to identify
quite strongly with the eagle.

GPSI:  What is The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul?

CS:  You're a Douglas Adams fan and you don't know?  How did you ever
get mentioned in a posting to comp.sys.hp48?


Dave.
------
I don't speak for Hewlett OR Packard when I post here.
