Interview with Grok

[idoL]

Thanks very much Grok for taking your time and awnsering the questions I posed.

10 questions.

What do you do for a living?

A:  Independent Consultant.  I specify, design, create, implement and support software solutions for businesses located along the Atlantic states.  Because these are business solutions, the majority are written in VB6 and .NET, about half being thick client, while nearly all are client/server.

What was your inspiration when making clan vL?

A:  Raven, Wizzbert, and myself made Clan Valhalla Legends.  One could call it purely selfish motivation.  I wanted a channel to go to where I could have high-level conversations and be understood by more than a couple other people in the channel.  I wanted a channel with less daily drama than channels of that day.  There was no such clan available.  So I gave much thought to what makes even successful clans intolerable at times, discussed those properties with Raven (Wizzbert some), then did for a clan what I do for software.  Specified, designed, created, implemented, and since then, supported, Valhalla Legends clan.

With all that your clan has done for bot making, which immensely effects Battle.net, what do you think Battle.net would be like without vL, or a clan like vL?

A:  When you say "your clan has done", I know you are saying "some members of clan vL have done" because as a clan we do nothing but serve our members.  The members who have affected bot making on battle.net do so because they wish to do so, with no requirements to contribute or not contribute from the clan.  Many of them joined vL for the same reasons it was created, so they would have a great place to chat with similar minded people about shared interests in computers, programming, and technical subjects related to battle net.

I think without Valhalla Legends, some people would not have developed their interest in programming, while others might not have become as skilled as they are as quickly as they did.  We gave them a community that shared in their interests and (so long as they could engage in mature conversation) have discussions with them.

We here some rumors that some Valhalla Legends members have connections to Blizzard, is this true?

It is true that there are some rumors like that going around.  Personally, the only time I connect to Blizzard is when I want to play one of their games, or connect a bot to the channel.

What's your favorite Blizzard game?

A:  Starcraft, hands down favorite.  Why?  I think all day and when I come home I want a mostly mindless game that can be completed quickly.

Your favorite game in general?

A:  Same.  I am not a gamer.  I only buy one or two games per year, and most I do not have the time to play.  UT2004 and DOOM III sit on my shelf barely used, with less than 10 hours played in each.  I met one of the level designers for DOOM III last month, had a nice talk with him mostly about the technical aspects of how Id goes about creating the game.  Afterward, I still was not inspired to play the game the number of hours required to become proficient.

What do you think of World of Warcraft?

A:  Actually I know very little about it.  I never visit Blizzard websites, did not participate in the alpha or the beta stress test.  I did apply for the real beta a couple weeks ago, but if I had been selected I would have allowed one of the clan members have my slot.  Someone with more time to do the detailed testing and analysis which we hope Blizzard has come to expect from our members.

Windows or Linux?

A:  True.

I assume you have met some very smart and talented individuals in your time, who would you say impresses you the most. (Can be non vL related)

A:  Winston Churchill.  Hyman Rickover.  Michael Valentine Smith.

Is there anything would like to say to the fans and members of your clan?

A:  Adm. Rickover quote, I think.  "Late to bed, early to rise, work hard as hell and you'll be wise."  Add to that one from Goethe -- "Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth--that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too."  If you would just print those two out, tape them next to your monitor for a month, read them every day, I think they will change your life forever for the better when you come to grok their full meaning.

[hismajesty]

Grok met Winston Churchill?

[idoL]

That's what I was thinking.

[Grok]

Met as in physical?  No.  Met as in virtual?  Yes.  I have not many any of you physically or even in real time.

Besides, you told me this was an interview for your website, not for our forum.  What's up with that?

[Arta]

Windows or Linux?

A:  True.

*grin*

[idoL]

It is for my site, I just posted here for people to discuss.
It'll be up by tonight.