1. When did you first go on line?
Several months after WebTV was first offered to the public, in January, 1997.
2. Did you start with MSNTV?
Yes. But then a year or so later, I bought an Apple Performa. I loved it, but the darned thing got out of date so fast. Also, since I was learning gradtabling and scoping with webby, the computer lost its charm. Email also was a lot easier to use on webby.
3. Do you now have a PC and MSNTV?/
Yes, I have another Apple, an iMac, but now it's not functioning properly. I got an Apple iBook (laptop) this summer, and it's full of photos from my new digital camera.
4. What is your passion on line?
It used to be gradtable and scope art. But now I've been learning imaging, using Image Magick. So I haven't done much in the way of gradtable and scope art lately. I'll get back to that eventually. I also love diddling with simple JavaScripts for the great effects one can get with them. Last year I did a lot of work with the Magic Scopes script developed by Tom Landrum. You can find me regularly in the following newsgroup: Table Doc's Interface NG and several imaging newsgroups.
5. What led you into your passion....who was your mentor?
Paulie was one of the earliest people. What that man could - and can - do with buttons is amazing. Tom Landrum was around to help with coding. There were others, too, who are no longer with us webbys, having "graduated" to computers.
6. What got you started?
Seeing what others could do with the special webby-only codes. I was determined to learn how, too. Then we got Pagebuilder and for a while I thought that was heaven. Also, when I went to Peru in 1998, I then wanted to make a website telling others about my experiences. So I was also learning general HTML to make webpages. Pagebuilder proved to be too limiting, so I moved to a paid service. Now a group of us, The Tandem Tooters, have our own dedicated server. And so we share our good fortune by saving to our server the art work and tools (with permission) of those who leave webby, so the whole webby community can benefit.
7. How did you learn?
By reading and printing out many tutorials, and just practicing every day. Being able to email my new webby friends, and reading and asking questions in help newsgroups were great advantages, too. Sourcing others' works also helped.
8. What advice would you give someone who would like to learn how?
Start with one tutorial, print it out, study it, then do the same with as many other tutorials, until you think you understand the process and the codes. Also join a good helpful newsgroup or two. Soon you'll learn how to source other people's work. You can copy and start changing the attributes and parameters until you've made the art your own.
9. What, in your opinion, is the hardest part?
Keeping track of all my projects. I tend to put too many irons in the fire, so to speak.
10. What new endeavors are you persuing?
Like I said earlier, imaging at Image Magick is consuming a lot of my time. Also writing my own tutorials. I find when I write it to try to explain to others, I learn it better. For the past 15 months, the Tandem Tooters group has been publishing an online newsletter, The Tandem Tribune. So this requires me to keep on my toes, looking for new ideas and resources to share in my columns.
11. What's the best thing about being on MSNTV?
Oh my, all the wonderful people I've met who are so friendly and so creative! I never knew the world is so full of creative people until I got my little black box.
