[MUD-Dev] Re: META: who are we?

[ApplePiMan at aol.com]

At 9/22/98 3:16 PM Raph Koster (rkoster at origin.ea.com) altered the fabric 
of reality by uttering:

>I am somewhat curious, because I know that there are a lot of people on
>the list who just listen but do not post much. I was wondering about
>those people, and what they are interested in seeing on the list.

As the founder of a commercial startup developing an mpog more closely 
akin to a MUD than anything else, I originally joined the list more out 
of curiosity than anything else. I'm actually a "veteran lurker" on many 
lists (I monitor several dozen lists on various topics), and this one, 
with a couple of notable exceptions of forrays into platform-specific 
topics that didn't interest me in the least, has proved more informative 
and entertaining than most.

I post when I feel I have something to add to a discussion. So far, 
unfortunately, this has been the first discussion I've seen on this list 
(in the month or so since I joined) where I felt that was the case. But 
let me quickly point out that the reason for that is my lack of pratcial 
experience in this area, and not indicative of anything "wrong" with the 
list. For one thing, I simply believe in the addage "better to remain 
quiet and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." =) For 
another, with the number of lists I monitor, if I participated in every 
discussion I'd never get any 'real' work done.

>How many of you are from a Diku background, like me? And might be
>interested in stuff that is codebase specific? How many find that stuff
>anathema and think it should be avoided at all costs? 

Codebase specific? Doesn't interest me. Having said that, though, I think 
algorithms and pseudo-code distillations of theoretical features are very 
appropriate topics. But the more general, the better, IMHO.

My background, as pertinent to this list, is actually from 20 years or 
more ago, when I worked in the emerging paper RPG industry. I've since 
been involved in launching many entreprises, but my current startup is 
the first that goes back "to my roots" as it were. As such, whatever 
assumes knowledge of a particular MUD or codebase tends to lose me. 

>How many think the
>list is too theoretical, or feel intimidated by the frequent posters and
>by the volume of past history and discussions that seems to be requied
>knowledge in order to participate?

As I've more or less hinted above, intimidation is indeed one factor that 
has kept me from posting. But it's "healthy" intimidation, in that it has 
kept me from cluttering up discussions that, at this point, are a bit 
"out of my league". =)

In other words, I don't think the fact that there are a number of 
"lurkers" is necessarily anything to worry about. I'm following the 
discussions and getting up to speed on an artform that has progressed 
quite far in my (professional, at least) absence. Whenever I have input I 
feel will further a discussion rather than bog it down, I'll be happy to 
supply it.

-Rick Buck.


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Rick Buck, President and CEO  <mailto:rlb at big-i.com>
Beyond Infinity Games, Inc.
3408 S. Rusk St.   |   Amarillo, TX 79109-4830
And you thought the Universe was BIG... (sm)

See you in The Metaverse! <http://www.big-i.com>
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