Forum Moderators: coopster
I know it's a cliché, but it's been an honor and a privilege. Being a moderator here has brought me great satisfaction. First and foremost, I remember when some of the current core members and top contributors showed up here asking questions like "can someone explain how arrays work?" and "how do I get my data out of my function?" At least a couple of those folks are now bona fide experts and making a living as freelance programmers. I'm really proud that I played a small part in oiling the cogs on the wonderful learning machine that got them where they are.
Another great pleasure I've had are sticky mail messages from new members who say that they had tried a few PHP forums only to be ridiculed and flamed and told to go read the manual. Then they came here and just got a warm welcome, straight-up response and helpful explanations. That says a lot about the members we have here and it's been great to play a role in encouraging that community. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of our members. Knowledgeable, sure, but more importantly, generous helpful folks who get satisfaction from helping others rather than putting them down. That's so refreshing compared to many online communities.
Finally, I've gotten to know some folks over time, most of all my two excellent co-moderators. I could go on for pages about the contributions that Todd (coopster) and Adam (jatar_k) make to this forum, but anyone who has made even a couple of visits to this forum knows that they are warm, generous, helpful people who represent the best of the best of online communities. Rare indeed.
So if it's so great, why step down? Like I said, I just don't have the time to spend here these days and feel like stepping down is merely formalizing the de facto situation: I simply don't participate much anymore. Furthermore, one of my goals for 2006 is to spend even less time in front of the computer than in 2005. In fact, lately I have been teaching skiing full-time. Not sure what summer will bring, but I've been doing the same job for 15 years and telecommuting full-time since 1996. I just reached the point that I didn't want to sit in my home office with just a computer and a radio anymore, so I'm moving on and focussing on flesh and blood people. It's really given me a boost.
I do not, however, have an incurable disease. I'm not dieing. My sticky mail will still auto-notify and I'll still be very happy to hear from one and all anytime. I also wanted to make sure that everyone knows that I still think this is the greatest online community anywhere with the greatest moderators, and there is no ill-will or anything like that. I'm just focussing on other things. So I don't want to call it a farewell in any way, just a change in status, and I wanted all of you who've gotten to know me why my name is missing from the moderators list.
Cheers and keep up the fantastic discussions!
Tom
Tom, it looks like I get to be first to say Thanks! I got here with a desire to learn PHP, and you certainly were there for me. Truth is, your posts in these forums will outlive us all. And yes, this forum is thriving because of all the great work that our mods perform giving the members the initiative to be active. So while it is sad to see a great mod become a member of that alumni of mod graduates, it is refreshing to know that they didn't toss you out :D
Good luck with that goal. Here it is the middle of February and I still haven't figured out a New Years resolution, much less define any goals for the year. See ya around.
although I am a new user (since summer) I remember you givving me great advice along with the other mods as well as guys/girls within this forum. I DO believe that this community is by far the best one on the web. Regarding you, I hope that you enjoy your new life and habbits and believe me, nobody will forget you here.
Take care and hope the best
I wish if i were able to invite you at a dinner in your honor...
take care
chao
Its been a pleasure reading your posts the last 3 years and I just wanted to personally thank you for all the help you have given me. For someone who knew nothing at all about PHP when he came here to someone who now runs his own business writing custom scripts and database driven websites I think says a lot about the kind of help I have received here from you, Coop and jatar_k. I`m indebted to you guys big time. :)
I`ve spent many an enjoyable hour here reading some fascinating stuff from some extremely knowledgeable members. Its a pleasure to be part of this great community.
Finally, I would like to wish you all the very best with whatever you choose in life. I don`t blame you for wanting less time on a computer. Life`s too short to have most of it spent staring at a monitor. Well, thats what I keep telling myself anyway. LOL.
Good luck Tom and thanks again.
dc
Was talking with a bud of mine this week who went snowboarding a few weeks ago (as did I but in seperate groups) and he met this english bloke who earned 10k GBP a month as a programmer and he said: to hell with it all and decided to give skiing lessons for the rest of his life in Russbach, Austria :)
funny coincidence!
Anyways, I'm real happy to hear that you really like teaching skiing, since you have done such a great job of teaching people PHP here. And you'll still be Ergophobe here even though you don't have to feel so much pressure to post when you've been having a great computer-free week. Remember that, since you're definitely one of the most fun people I've met at ww.
Look forward to keeping in touch, & for selfish reasons hope to still see you posting here every once in a while as well.
James
I will miss having erg around in his previous capacity but am very happy that he has found something more rewarding.
I have obviously talked to Tom about this previously but wanted to share with the rest of you as well.
Tom has earned my utmost respect and we will be much poorer for his absence but, I guess we'll have to muddle through. The three of us made a very good team as we each approach our coding, posting and the community with different views and it made me much stronger for their valuable opinions.
People move on, things change and I';m glad to have had the opportunity to spend time with Tom. He's crazy smart, for those of you that didn't notice, he makes me look the fool on a regular basis. :)
good luck my friend, and don't be a total stranger.
I just think a mod needs a consistent presence that I can't fit in right now. I'm hoping in fact that I'll be able to go back to being an occasional visitor, but one who has the time to contribute something substantial when I do drop in.
he makes me look the fool on a regular basis. :)
Yep, it takes an incredible effort and commitment to stay enough ahead of the game to make a guy like Adam look like a fool, but of course the rewards are worth it ;-)
Tom you always have been providing me with great help I learned a lot from you
And of course not to mention Tom and Todd
By the way I have seen a lot of DoctorDoc around in the PHP forum, not that I mind, but is DrDoc stepping in?
no he has enough forums already, he just seems to have some time on his hands ;)
Yep, it takes an incredible effort [...] to make a guy like Adam look like a fool
Please note that it takes little or no effort when it comes to that coopster fella though ;-)
Tom, it's like you said, you are bowing out as a mod, not as a person, not as a contributor, not as a friend and not as a mentor. I appreciate you for all these things -- thank you.
And for the record, jatar_k has said it 'true dat' ... Tom is crazy smart. He has forgotten more than I'll ever hope to learn ;-)
God speed and good luck in all your endevours.
--Nick
Note: jatar_k and coopster do an absolutely amazing job helping people with questions. Thanks.
