Post by Admin on Jul 27, 2006 21:45:51 GMT
Interview by: Peter
Ross is a member of staff at ProBoards Support who moderators various boards.
For those who don't know him, you can view his profile here
Name: Ross
DOB: 29/02/1988
Occupation: Currently Unemployed
Your Website (if any): N/A
Favorite Sites to Visit: proboards.com, pixeldepth.net, php.net
So then Ross, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Well what do you want to know? I've recently finished my A-levels (IT, Maths and Business) and am just waiting to get my results back; so until I find out how well (or how badly) I've done, there's not much I can do in terms of getting a job/career; and until then I'm stuck with a Saturday job in a supermarket
Right, let us get right into what you are known for...coding.
How long have you been coding?
Just over a year now, about 14-15 months. It doesn't feel that long though.
What inspired you to become a coder?
I think it was because I felt so useless. When v4 was just coming out, there were loads of people requesting codes, asking for codes to be updated etc. and there weren't that many coders doing it. So that's when I really started learning how to code so that I could help too.
How do you learn? Read books? Tutorials?
Mainly by looking at existing codes and working out how they achieved certain things. I've used a number of online tutorials and reference sites to look up anything I'm not sure on though.
Do you only create ProBoards codes? Or do you experiment outside the bubble?
No and no. I wouldn't say I was just limited to ProBoards; I have and continue to code websites and such outside of Proboards. However I'm not a great one for thinking outside the bubble; I tend to just stick with what I'm good at and what I know works.
Are you working on any new and exciting projects?
Yes. I'm not sure others will find it particually "exciting" though but I'm having fun (well... kind of). And no, I'm not saying what it is
Which code is your favourite, and which did you enjoy making the most?
I don't think I really have a favorite. I suppose if I had to pick off the top of my head it'd be one of the mini-profile ones like gender based ranks, staff have normal ranks or the money hack; all were fairly eacy and good fun to do. If the question had been which was my least favorite then it'd have been easy; the users online today has been nothing but a pain since the day I wrote it
How did you get the moderator spot at ProBoards Support?
For that I have to thank Peter. He's the one who asked for me to be made a Moderator and luckily all the other staff agreed. I suppose it comes from the fact I had only posted in the support/programming boards since I joined PBS though and as such everyone knew me as a helpful member.
What is it like working with Peter (be honest
)?
Peter? Never heard of him Actually Peter is someone who I do look up to and I feel honored to work with him; he's also someone I have learnt a lot from. It's just a pity he doesn't post more often
In no more then 5 words, what would someone need to become a coding moderator?
Experience, Friendly Personnality, Helpful, Patient
How long have you been learning PHP?
7 months now, I don't think I've improved much
I find that a lot of beginner PHP coders want to make either a forum, shoutbox, or blog. Are you?
No comment
Ok, let us move away from coding for a bit and ask some random questions...
People know you for the floating head avatar (Holly? from Red Dwarf). Why Red Dwarf?
Why not? I've always enjoyed watching it from an early age, it's just something I grew up with. And when the time came for me to get myself an avatar (I had a default one for my first month or so at PBS), I was at a loss of what to use. So I searched google images with a few keywords of stuff I enjoyed and Holly happened to be one of the images found so I've used him ever since.
Apart from Red Dwarf, what else do you like to watch?
I mainly like stuff that you can laugh at; things like Monty Python, Catherine Tate, Peter Kay, so basically a lot of comedies and such although I can't think of the names of any others. I also watch stuff like 24 and Lost though
What do you think SSD v6 will be like?
There's going to be a SSD v6?
I guess it'll be something new and unique, SSD are normally good for leading the way and a lot of other 'design' forums just following along behind.
What sports do you like to take part in?
Sport? I'm not really a sporty person to be honest. I don't mind watching it on TV but am rubbish when it comes to taking part
Can you create graphics?
I can do some very very basic stuff if I try. But it's nothing compared to the proper graphics peoples.
Along with the older ProBoards moderators, have you been given the link to the PBv5 alpha forum yet?
Of course
What do you like to do when you have spare time?
What's spare time? Even though I'm technically unemployed, I don't seem to have much spare time anymore. I tend to spend most my time coding. Having said that though, I do play some computer games (Rome Total War, Age of Empires) and seem to be watching more and more TV
Do you have a girlfriend / boyfriend?
Unfortunately not
Ok, i'm getting bored, so let us finish up.
Where do you think you will be in 5 years time?
With the way things are going at the moment I wouldn't have moved at all; I'll still be exactly where I am now. Having said that, I would like to be either coding professionally or at least have a job in that kind of industry.
Any tips for people who want to learn to code?
Tips? I've left all my tips here for anyone who wants to read them
Any last words?
Non that I can think of.
My thoughts
Even before I got to know Ross, and before he was added to the staff list, Ross was an extremely hard working member, he made my job as a coding moderator so much easier, and the good thing was, he wasn't doing it for a moderator spot. Since his first day as a moderator, Ross has improved his general coding knowledge considerably, now moving into other areas such as PHP, and learning fast.
I hope he sticks with it, it's a pleasure to work with him at ProBoards and coding projects.
Ross is a member of staff at ProBoards Support who moderators various boards.
For those who don't know him, you can view his profile here
Name: Ross
DOB: 29/02/1988
Occupation: Currently Unemployed
Your Website (if any): N/A
Favorite Sites to Visit: proboards.com, pixeldepth.net, php.net
So then Ross, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Well what do you want to know? I've recently finished my A-levels (IT, Maths and Business) and am just waiting to get my results back; so until I find out how well (or how badly) I've done, there's not much I can do in terms of getting a job/career; and until then I'm stuck with a Saturday job in a supermarket
Right, let us get right into what you are known for...coding.
How long have you been coding?
Just over a year now, about 14-15 months. It doesn't feel that long though.
What inspired you to become a coder?
I think it was because I felt so useless. When v4 was just coming out, there were loads of people requesting codes, asking for codes to be updated etc. and there weren't that many coders doing it. So that's when I really started learning how to code so that I could help too.
How do you learn? Read books? Tutorials?
Mainly by looking at existing codes and working out how they achieved certain things. I've used a number of online tutorials and reference sites to look up anything I'm not sure on though.
Do you only create ProBoards codes? Or do you experiment outside the bubble?
No and no. I wouldn't say I was just limited to ProBoards; I have and continue to code websites and such outside of Proboards. However I'm not a great one for thinking outside the bubble; I tend to just stick with what I'm good at and what I know works.
Are you working on any new and exciting projects?
Yes. I'm not sure others will find it particually "exciting" though but I'm having fun (well... kind of). And no, I'm not saying what it is
Which code is your favourite, and which did you enjoy making the most?
I don't think I really have a favorite. I suppose if I had to pick off the top of my head it'd be one of the mini-profile ones like gender based ranks, staff have normal ranks or the money hack; all were fairly eacy and good fun to do. If the question had been which was my least favorite then it'd have been easy; the users online today has been nothing but a pain since the day I wrote it
How did you get the moderator spot at ProBoards Support?
For that I have to thank Peter. He's the one who asked for me to be made a Moderator and luckily all the other staff agreed. I suppose it comes from the fact I had only posted in the support/programming boards since I joined PBS though and as such everyone knew me as a helpful member.
What is it like working with Peter (be honest
)?Peter? Never heard of him
Actually Peter is someone who I do look up to and I feel honored to work with him; he's also someone I have learnt a lot from. It's just a pity he doesn't post more often In no more then 5 words, what would someone need to become a coding moderator?
Experience, Friendly Personnality, Helpful, Patient
How long have you been learning PHP?
7 months now, I don't think I've improved much
I find that a lot of beginner PHP coders want to make either a forum, shoutbox, or blog. Are you?
No comment
Ok, let us move away from coding for a bit and ask some random questions...
People know you for the floating head avatar (Holly? from Red Dwarf). Why Red Dwarf?
Why not? I've always enjoyed watching it from an early age, it's just something I grew up with. And when the time came for me to get myself an avatar (I had a default one for my first month or so at PBS
), I was at a loss of what to use. So I searched google images with a few keywords of stuff I enjoyed and Holly happened to be one of the images found so I've used him ever since.Apart from Red Dwarf, what else do you like to watch?
I mainly like stuff that you can laugh at; things like Monty Python, Catherine Tate, Peter Kay, so basically a lot of comedies and such although I can't think of the names of any others. I also watch stuff like 24 and Lost though
What do you think SSD v6 will be like?
There's going to be a SSD v6?
I guess it'll be something new and unique, SSD are normally good for leading the way and a lot of other 'design' forums just following along behind.What sports do you like to take part in?
Sport? I'm not really a sporty person to be honest. I don't mind watching it on TV but am rubbish when it comes to taking part
Can you create graphics?
I can do some very very basic stuff if I try. But it's nothing compared to the proper graphics peoples.
Along with the older ProBoards moderators, have you been given the link to the PBv5 alpha forum yet?
Of course
What do you like to do when you have spare time?
What's spare time? Even though I'm technically unemployed, I don't seem to have much spare time anymore. I tend to spend most my time coding. Having said that though, I do play some computer games (Rome Total War, Age of Empires) and seem to be watching more and more TV
Do you have a girlfriend / boyfriend?
Unfortunately not
Ok, i'm getting bored, so let us finish up.
Where do you think you will be in 5 years time?
With the way things are going at the moment I wouldn't have moved at all; I'll still be exactly where I am now. Having said that, I would like to be either coding professionally or at least have a job in that kind of industry.
Any tips for people who want to learn to code?
Tips? I've left all my tips here for anyone who wants to read them
Any last words?
Non that I can think of.
My thoughts
Even before I got to know Ross, and before he was added to the staff list, Ross was an extremely hard working member, he made my job as a coding moderator so much easier, and the good thing was, he wasn't doing it for a moderator spot. Since his first day as a moderator, Ross has improved his general coding knowledge considerably, now moving into other areas such as PHP, and learning fast.
I hope he sticks with it, it's a pleasure to work with him at ProBoards and coding projects.
. I wanna see the pbv5 alpha forum 
. I wonder what new features they have...
