Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
DeVore in the well
Options
Comments
-
-
so your scared really?! RT says your scaredThe only problem I have with RT is that he has repeatedly harassed and insulted me over some perceived issue he has with me about "intellectual dishonesty". I have previously simply ignored it but lately I've decided I dont see why I should put up with harrassment I wouldnt let go for 2 seconds if it were two other people.
c[_] <-- insert storm.
DeV.
Great read Tom0 -
-
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
.
Give us your top 5 Boards threads...?(or if you cant narrow it down to 5 then 10)
This is a good list: Boards Threads of Fame
I like the Nas and Glenstal ones, the zombie one, I liked when Boards *owned* Komplett for over charging and then they took up residence here!
There have been a lot of good threads and that list is worth a read.
Are you aware of the US Woman who was fined $220,000 for downloading 24 songs,I assume you have views on this kind of thing...?
Don't steal sh*t that isnt yours and expect not to get slapped if caught!
I know bittorrenting goes on and I've torrented stuff that was rare or inaccessible but lets face it, you are stealing from artists. You are also stealing from big faceless corporations, which I agree with, but noone can overlook the fact that just taking all the time is not a sustainable model.
I really really really hope Radiohead's album does well because I applaud their approach and if it works, its a great new way for bands to get their stuff out there. I'd rather pay 2 euro for RH's album and get it direct from the source then BT it for free.
What was the first computer you bought/had access to...?mine was the glorious Atari ST.What a machine changed my life.
I started out with a Vic 20 which was the envy of all of my mates. They had ZX-81's. My parents, god bless their little non-computer-understanding hearts, said I could have the tape deck for my birthday. A few days later with some copper, the family cassette player and a lot of trial and error, I had patched it into the Vic 20. That gave me a huge interest in computers and when I finished various racing/fighting games I started taking them apart (code-wise) and reducing the delaying routines to make the game faster (and harder). I learned BASIC this way and years later made a large amount of money from consulting around BASIC.
My mother used to shout at me for "messing with that damned contraption" instead of doing my homework, claiming I'd end up being a dustman (a fate worse then death itself in our house). I never fail to remind her every few yers at christmas that all that history homework she made me do got me nowhere and the "contraption" has given me more opportunities then anyone deserves
Why are Polish chicks so hot...?
I dunno but they are. Estonian and Latvian girls are roughly the temperature of the sun.
DeV.0 -
Advertisement
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
very good read dev
1. Would you mind going into a little detail about how you came to set up boards, who;s brainwave . . . and the steps? and perhaps a small chronological time line of its up + downs from your admin point of view
Oh god... I'd be here all night!
This is a comprehensive history of Boards. Cloud set up the first web-script which allowed all the quake players to talk to each other on the web rather then in mail (which was becoming unweildy). I was involved with the IGN and saw that we could be snuffed out as a community if Eircom flicked a switch. Cloud and I set to work making the community self sufficient. About 3 days after we moved things to his box in Galway, eircom got hacked via our boxes (completely random attack, just bad timing) and we were cut adrift so to speak. Everyone thought I'd manufactured it but the fact is just amazing timing. Like walking out of a house and having it collapse behind you.
2. I presume it is successful in many ways, mainly financially otherwise you wouldnt give up your time to run it (wrong assumption??) - were does the major income come from? advertising? or is there some deal depending on how many hits the site receives (if too nosey apoligies, just always wondered and admired its success)
I've grossed 1000 euro from Boards in 10 years so its not for the money. The shares are now probably worth something, but we never expected it to become this big so we werent doing it for that either. I would LOVE to live off boards and that may become an option but you need to be sure that the weight of my rent etc (and presumably the other admins etc!) wouldnt cause us to have to do ugly commercialisations to provide that money.
The money comes from banner ads and from user subscriptions.
3. What is your opinion on chuggers? i, like yourself am often involved in charities, through different aspects, and would wonder do you hold a strong opinion on them (ill give mine once you reply)
Anything I've ever done for charity has been 100% for the charity, every penny goes there. With very few exceptions I wont work with people who are doing it for a pay-day.
I have taken a couple of 10€-a-month direct debits from them but usually I avoid them and I disagree with it. I can see the sense in it though for all concerned.
4. Do you ever read some things on boards, not specifically in this forum but perhaps in some others, that you actually think is fkn hilarious, and if your wernt in admin that you'd be involved in (on a joking side) aswell, only that you cant? if so example?
perhaps it would be easier to ask, does your admin role restrict the freedom to enjoy the forums as much as other users
I get involved in things a lot, I'm not shy about posting and having fun but often its hard because some people have the feeling "oh oh, the authorities have arrived" and it kills the fun.
The people I know have very little respect for me, like here or the moderators etc, we've known each other for years and been out on the piss with each other. They know I'm a regular joe and then I can fool around and have a laugh with them online. The admins are some of the biggest messers on the site.. have you seen the pictures of Vexorg's dog??!
5. How much of a thin line do you think there is between people blatantly advertising through threads/to those doing it illegally/to those who completely take advantage of bits of leniency shown to them?
When you see how some use the site, and the undoubted value they gain from the poker community here, shouldnt they atleast be taking an advertising banner??
(this is asked mainly to judge were you draw the line in the sand, and how much i guess it vexes you)
It vexes me a great deal, more then it should probably.
I was heavily involved with Usenet as a poster and I saw the rise and rise of spam on that system. I saw its tendrils choke the life out of ann innocent and frankly naive community. When we set up Boards (my motivation was to created a controlled space just like Usenet, controlled by the only person I trusted, me, and then hand control back) I was determined that they wouldnt get in here except on our terms. They can turn the rest of the internet into one more "channel to market" but they don't get to come in here, this is our home.
Yeah, it probably bothers me more then it should
6. Do you think that, presuming the poker boom continues as it is, that there is any possibility of you not being involved in the industry in some form or another in ten years from now (on a business perspective)
Its possible. 3 Years ago I would have said I would always be working with computers. 5 years before that I wouldnt have gotten out of bed for less then 1k a day. Things change, it is the only constant. Fighting that cuts off all the interesting things that *could* happen to you.
Having my life reset to 0 in the space of about 3 months between my family health problems, my company, my leg etc etc really made me look at things differently. There is an incredible freedom in feeling "well, thats it, the only thing left I could lose is my life"... and realising that its actually not as bad as you might think. I dont recommend it to anyone but lying in Canada I had a kind of conversation with myself. "Whats the worst that can happen?" "Er, this Tom, this is as bad as it gets?" "Yeah? This is the very worst that can happen?" "No, you could die, but other then that, yeah" "Ok, so if this is the worst that can happen, things can only get better, regardless of what I do?"
Cue me taking a hard-right on Life Street.
It really was a liberating epiphony. I could never have risked the sums I have since then, I was very cautious and risk averse (something that still tinges my play to my annoyance).
7. if you had no association with boards do you think antesup and GJP would have enjoyed the same amount of success?
Yes. What have I done as an admin for AU/GJP that a regular user couldnt have done??
I think people like BSP, IPO/PI, PE, Fitz etc have benefitted at least as much and often considerably more from the platform I have busted my nads to build.
Almost uniformly without so much as a word of thanks nor a penny in advertising.
Are you really curious about that or is that a loaded question?
8. What ever happened to Paulys well?
I am hoping he's up next.
9. Who do you admire most in the business world, nationally and then internationally
Fran Rooney is an animal in business. I don't particularly like the guy (though I like him a whole lot more then most business people I've met) but in terms of business drive, I wouldnt care to be his enemy.
People like Branson and Jobs get a nod of approval from me for sticking a finger up and forcing the world to deal with them on their terms.
There arent many I would say I "admire".
10. is there any questions you are hoping you will not be asked - by answering this honestly you got amnesty from having to answer it
Personal questions about relationships or my family.
11. Describe a day in the life of yourself
No two days are the same. Genuinely they arent. This month I'm in Dublin and doing some side line consultancy so things are relatively normal. Relative is a good word there! I play a lot of computer games, currently Moonbase Commander or Starcraft against my flatmates. I play some poker though lately I have run bad and I'm sick of it.
I have been writing a good bit lately. I spend about 2-3 hours a day mucking-out on Boards. In the evening I either hook up with mates or hit Lukes. The tournies are to die for there.
Other days I'll be bouncing south east asia like a pinball, or setting up a wireless network under a flight of stairs in a casino in Barcelona.
I really like the unpredicatableness of my life right now, I get bored with things so easily, I can't stay committed to one thing for long, especially if there is no challenge in it.
12. i really cant think of any more random Q's no matter how much i try, so for now TY for all the answers!!!
Thats not a question.
DeV.0 -
Join Date:Posts: 29920
Sorry not a poker question but...
Is bubbles back on boards yet? If not do you think you'll ever *allow* him back?
I'm sure he is. I dont really mind. If he isnt posting porn and abusing people then he's modified his behaviour and thats fine by me.
Its a real shame he went off the deep end because I used to be a mate of his and he was one funny fncker. At the end it had become nasty and vitriolic which was a shame.
DeV.0 -
Join Date:Posts: 29920
Hi Dev, a great read so far, you might consider an autobiography after boards replaces RTE as our states main source of news
About half of it I couldnt put into text, i'd be disowned!
1. Has there ever been a moment you felt like just jacking it all in with respect to boards.ie? If not, what's been the lowest point in your experience with the site to date?
Yeah, after WSOP 2006 I was stressed out of my mind, tired, sick and I'd not run as well as I had hoped.
I came home to find my flatmate had moved out and I lost it with everyone, (including the admins). I kinda feel sorry for a lot of what I said during that time though not all of it. As usual I over reacted to a number of things but I was right about the core of the matters imho. I have a habit of doing exactly that, which I'm trying to improve on.
I needed a break from always keeping everything locked down in my head and being the person people turn around and look at for answers. So I took a while off and decompressed and it was good. I dont think I seriously considered quitting boards but I took a step back and it was very helpful psychologically.
2. The exact opposite: how often has boards.ie got you laid?
Never believe it or not. Not for the want of offers but honestly, in those cases the person isnt interested in me, they are interested in an online persona onto whom they have hung a lot of baggage and unachieveable expectations. Mix that with my inability to stay in one place for long, my ability to be a prick on demand (no jokes!:p) and my hatred of being tied down or required to do things on an on going basis and I think you have about the worst platform for a relationship you can imagine.
As for just having a one night stand etc, thats not me at all. It feels cheap or wrong or something, I dunno. If we're just going to treat each other as fnck puppets, I'll stay at home and jack off thanks. At least my partner knows what I want then
It means a lonlier life then I would like but I've been a fair bit of a loner all my life and I'm comfortable with my own company!
Who was it said: hell is other people? Dante? Sartre? Can't remember but he was right.
DeV.0 -
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
Great Embassy Story, sure he wasn't the Cultural attache?.
Translator bit was excellent...I was waiting for him to say ..."No I expect you to die Mr Bond"....maniacal laughter, stroking of cat etc.
Funny thing was, it wasnt like that at all. It felt creepy and I felt intimidated. James Bond is a great bit of fiction but the reality is grubby and bullyish. Sticking a tuxedo on it doesnt make it any better really.
It would be great to say "yes, and then he activated his sonic wrist watch but I was already swinging from the rafters using my belt harness, muhahaha". The reality is that it was a case of "we're watching you, we know where you live".
"People shouldnt be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people"
-- V For Vendetta. The greatest graphic novel ever written.
So Your a Game Workshop fan?
Lifelong.
Q1. So whats your poison Fantasy Battle,40 K or Fantasy Roleplay (Human Pit Fighter FTW)
Started on Fantasy Battle where I was considered the best stunty player around. Mostly because I was the only stunty player around!
Moved onto 40k where I played Tyranids because I loved the models and I was sick of moving at a snails pace and dabbled in FRP. I preferred Cthulhu or Cyberpunk.
Q2. Were you aware that Warhammer are bringing out a MMORPG?
Was I aware?! I missed the beta by a day!
My mates and I are already poring over ever details they leak out like methodone in a rehab clinic.
Q3. Have you any opinons on Gamers who make the move to Online Poker, ElKy and his ilk?
Lots of the top Magic The Gathering players seem to have the right brain for poker and have done well. Dunno many of the international ones though...
DeV.0 -
Advertisement
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
Great well Tom, extremely interesting, an autobiography might be another interesting book to consider after your poker book.
Aw... give us a chance! One book is a tall enough order.
1)With regards to poker, if you put your mind to it, had no money problems (ie. infinate bankroll) what is the highest level that you would expect to be able to beat, both now and in the future, given coaching etc.
I'd settle for beating 1/2 the way I have been running. I dunno what level I could beat, I watch HSP and think that a lot of them are awful and very gambly. I would like to be able to beat 5/10.
2) You seem to have made a conscious decision to stay single etc. as you have said before in the thread, you feel it would be unfair to a possible partner to commit to them as you know you wouldn;t be able to do so fully.
Do you think your position on this could change? Do you fear that you might get lonely in your later years or do you think that family and friends would be enough to fill the void that many would think would exist given the abscence of a significant other?
Everything can change. A year from now I could be happily married. But I don't think so.
Many social norms are accepted as "the only life path" as opposed to a "serving suggestion". When I was at school I was told "you have to get good results in your leaving cert". Then I was told I had to go to college, ok.. so I did. Seemed like a good idea. But it wasnt my idea
Then I was told to get a job. Then literally, like Tyler Durden, I woke up one day and thought "now what?" and no one had an answer.
In fight club his dad says "****, I dunno..... get married!" like its something you do to fill in the days until you die. Thats an unmitigatedly awful reason for being in a relationship or getting married. So is "because I'm lonely".
The only reason you should be with someone is because you love them and want to share the rest of your life together. I havent found that person (yet?) so I havent done that.
If I want companionship, I'll buy a dog. Its fairer on both of us.
DeV.0 -
Join Date:Posts: 29920
.
how is gjp staking going? has it been successful?
Its been nicely successful. It continues to grow very nicely.
do you think you could write a bot to beat 200NL?
No, but one could be written to break even probably.
do you see bots as the biggest security/abuse threat to online play, or would it be collusion, multiaccounting, insider jobs etc.
Collusion at the super high levels of Omaha must be a concern simply because to do it takes very little actual intelligence. Omaha, because the information is exponetially more valuable in that game.
on a scale of 1-10:
In terms of what?! Ok, I'll make up the area myself ...
jennifer tilly As Nobel Science Prize prospect? 0
ben & jerrys As sex toy. Fun AND nutritious: 8
corona As contraceptive douche: 10.
mcdonalds breakfast As breakfast: 0
roundtower As international peace negotiator: 0
DeV.0 -
5. When you see how some use the site, and the undoubted value they gain from the poker community here, shouldnt they atleast be taking an advertising banner??
Yeah, it probably bothers me more then it should
7. if you had no association with boards do you think antesup and GJP would have enjoyed the same amount of success?
I think people like BSP, IPO/PI, PE, Fitz etc have benefitted at least as much and often considerably more from the platform I have busted my nads to build.
Almost uniformly without so much as a word of thanks nor a penny in advertising.
This is exactly what i was getting at
Are you really curious about that or is that a loaded question? not loaded
As regards chuggers - they really "grind my gears" (to quote homer )they being the chuggers (charity buggers) take in most cases 50% of donations - (either them or the scummy sales company they work for). This remaining 50% has then to be used for admin costs with these large NGO's aswell, so in turn only about 30% of the hard earned money that you donate to these charities actually gets to those who you initially believe you are donating to. It sickens me TBH, and makes blanking the chuggers on the street alot easier.
One other point, if you dont make a good financial return from boards. And if as you said, concentrating more with GJP would make the company alot more successful, hence monetary return . . . and considering your end goal is to retire soon and get to a beach in thailand . . . wouldnt it make more sense to do this?
very good read btw, thanks0 -
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
I only noticed the other day who your avatar was.
I chose him because people were saying I had an uncanny knack of turning up "as if by magic" in flame threads or problem threads. (of course, there is a whole network of alerts and escalation protocols the mods/smods use to attract admin attention when its needed. We are the artillery they can use when they want to bring the hard rain
Are you a fan of early 70s cartoons? in fairness the repeats ran for a number of years and i remember the show from growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, happy days.
See... now I feel old. I grew up in the 70s when Mr Ben was cutting edge
Mr Benn was the Stargate of his era, carrying on a deepseated psychological need to believe there is some magical way to escape a hum drum life (represented by his morning suit and tie), a continuation of Walter Mitty for the 70's era if you like.
Why do you think he like dressing up so much?
Mr Benn? Well considering he was dressed like a middle class banker, he probably dying for some filthy threesome sex. Possibly with S&M.
For anyone who doesnt know what we're on about:
Watch the very first episode... (here's the second part)
For a giggle and mixing nostalgia with political satire, I found this while looking for a genuine youtube of Mr Benn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8JFAqupOqE ... funneh!!
Wikipedia background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Benn
Do you read anything into the rumours that the adventures he had were simply LCD fueled trips?
Nah, they were all plasma....
DeV.0 -
-
-
-
Do you read anything into the rumours that the adventures he had were simply LCD fueled trips?
Nah, they were all plasma....
DeV.
lol, damn my inability to proof read
Fixed it now, Could it be true. Was the original title "Fear and Loathing on Festive Road"? Actually the two probably came about very close together c.19700 -
-
Advertisement
-
Join Date:Posts: 29920
.
Q1. So what other graphic Novels have you enjoyed. 300? Sin City? have you ever dabbled in Marvel( I have unfeasable amount of X-men comics going back about 15 years)
After V my next favourite GNs would be The Watchmen, The Killing Joke and Batman Year 1. I kinda favour the classics.
Q.2 How can you have stayed sane playing dwarfs they move 4 inches at a time, Orcs and the Waargh are you only men( errr green men that is)
3 inches a turn as I recall, at least you dont have to worry about getting ahead of your cannon.
I was also the only stunty player to use stunty wizards, to devastating effect it has to be said!
Q.3 Have you registered for the next warhammer Beta, It should open in Decemeber? I had a friend in the beta that just closed and Stunties were grossly overpowered.
I havent but I will. I'm actually torn between waiting for the polished game and getting stuck in early. I also will lose half my life to it so I am wary of that having just kicked a WoW habit.
Q.4 Have you tried any other MMORPG?
UO briefly, didnt like it much. EQ... played it like a madman for two years. WOW, loved it for two years but have grown tired of it lately for some reasons.
Q.5 Any run ins with our diplomatic corps, I ask as I used to work for them in the Embassy in Singapore?
No, but I have an ongoing running battle with the security authorities at the airport.
Its starts with this: Clear and Present Danger
and ends recently with this, which I still find hard to believe I actually got away with... Security by Stupidity
Actually when I broke my leg in Canada the Honorary Consul out there was an absolute gem of a lady and couldnt do enough for me after I lost my passport along the way! I am forever grateful to her as well as a few other people for their help during that time.
DeV.0 -
Join Date:Posts: 29920
Great read Dev, interesting life you've had there, I love your Outlook on life... I look forward to the book(s).
I don't really have anything interesting to ask that hasn't already been asked, but I want to ask something so seeing as I can't remember if anyone asked you what your tipple of choice is, consider it (re-)asked.
I worry about your use of the past tense about my life there! I hope I'm just getting started
I like a pint of plain, its yer only man. As far as spirits go, I'm a huge fan of single malt scottish whiskys, but there are a few Irish whiskeys that I like too. (If you think I just typoed, you are wrong ).
Scotch, I like Oban, Cardhu or Glenmorangie, in the irish line of things I like Crested Ten, Red Breast or Middleton Rare. My grandfather used to say "if you're gonna drink whiskey, drink whiskey" and fed me sups of it when I was 7.
DeV.0 -
-
Middleton rare is wonderful
Honestly, where you any good at Quake? Where would you have ranked in Ireland at your peak?
I know you have worked in IT or owned IT companies do you consider yourself "technical" ? e.g. would you have any problems designing production networks etc?
I can't think of anything poker related that hasn't been asked.
great read!0 -
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
good read tom, i liked the Ben Franklin quote.
you should write more about mainstream politics, but in mainstream papers. attack Bush here and you are preaching to the choir, do so in the Irish Times and you'll start to get more satisfaction (i think).
nice to see my rating on your Bonkersology Scale is steady and rising ( i honestly thought i was nicer this year)
don't get time to read boards much anymore so best of luck with your plans. think about my view that you should write though, since you obviously enjoy communicating considering your never ending table jabber!
i guess i have to ask a question so: are you playing in the EPT charity game in a few weeks?0
Advertisement