Sitepoint Mentors: What are your qualifications?

[jpease]

Again, thanks to all the mentors for their posts.

I owe you no explanation of who I am or what my qualifications are.

I don't know what your deal is Datura, but in a couple threads where we both have posted it seems you have some kind of chip on your shoulder. Maybe I'm just reading you wrong (as miscommunications are common on the net), and if so, I'm sorry.

But seriously, if you don't want to participate constructively in this thread - fine. But be a "mentor" and set the example by just leaving the thread alone then. OK?

[wwb_99]

Get a new monitor ASAP!

Lol. Actually, that is the monitor hooked up to the KVM for a smallish server farm (6 boxes) in my office. A server farm that is getting virtualized away largely.

Monitor itself is only used for initial setup phases, after that I generally run things over terminal services using the pair of Samsung 204Bs attached to the main computer.

Transitions?

Si, senior.

[Dan Grossman]

But seriously, if you don't want to participate constructively in this thread - fine. But be a "mentor" and set the example by just leaving the thread alone then. OK?

Just looking at your recent posts, you created this thread to call out specific mentors you recently disagreed with. You have no "genuine interest" in what you asked in the original post; it was never your intent. Your language and quote usage suggests you are only here to pick a fight. This thread only truly exists for you to insult these mentors. Get over it. None of us are going anywhere, so learn to get along.

[MissLee]

I'm not trying to pick a fight with the mentors here. But ...

Again, I'm not challenging their knowledge. But ...

I know I tend to get a little worked up myself some times. But ...

I really don't want this to be a fight...

It's funny you used the term 'chip on your shoulder', Justin. It's what came to mind when I read this as well as your thread regarding the contests.

No matter how many qualifiers you use in your original post, the tone is unpleasant.

It brings to mind a conversation I had with my daughter recently. The trend amond her peers has been to use the phrase 'No offense, but...' as a precursor to saying something mean-spirited, rude, inflamatory or insulting to their friends and I had to explain to her that she needed to think about what she wanted to say sans that phrase and see if still sounded like a good idea. She got the point pretty quickly.

[Datura]

I don't know what your deal is Datura, but in a couple threads where we both have posted it seems you have some kind of chip on your shoulder.

You have got to be kidding…

[jpease]

Just looking at your recent posts, you created this thread to call out specific mentors you recently disagreed with.

I did disagree with mentors. So what? I disagreed with HAWK. She responded in this thread (and other than some way off-topic photos ) has participated in a fine manner. Great! We disagreed on one topic (so far!), big deal. Who cares? That's kind of a regular thing on forums, isn't it? Am I not allowed to disagree with SP Mentors?

This thread only truly exists for you to insult these mentors.

That is my true purpose, eh? Then please show me where I am insulting them.

I made my comment to Datura because she posted a message to a thread specifically about sharing your qualifications, to say that she "didn't have to".

Fine. She is right. She doesn't have to. Everybody knows she doesn't have to. So why not just leave it well enough alone for those who wish to participate?

The trend amond her peers has been to use the phrase 'No offense, but...' as a precursor to saying something mean-spirited, rude, inflamatory or insulting

I can assure you I am not a peer of your daughter. Were any of my "I'm not here to fight" statements a precursor to a mean-spirited, rude, inflamatory or insulting comment, as your comments would imply?

No matter how many qualifiers you use in your original post, the tone is unpleasant.

Perhaps there are so many qualifiers because since I disagreed with 2 mentors in another thread it seems some are rather quick to say I'm trying to fight. Look through this thread. Probably half the posts accuse me of trying to fight. Some people are pointing and shouting "Fight!", but where exactly is the fight?

I hope that those Mentors who wish to participate, and have not yet, feel free to continue to do so.
For those worried I will eventually in some future post insult them...
I am no longer replying to this thread. Relax.

To those who have been willing to participate already, thank you very much! I have enjoyed your responses and found them very enlightening. It will certainly add a new dynamic when reading your past, present and future responses.

I just wish all the other "stuff" in this thread could be removed so the originally intended content could shine.

Catch y'all on the next "fight"!!

[Sagewing]

How far did you have to/try to go? 508 compliance isn't that hard, but at the same time working on a massive set of apps or with people who knew little to nothing about accessibility beforehand would be time consuming no matter what you do.

Well, I don't want to incorrectly describe the requirements (cause I'm sure to get reamed by an accessibility guru!) but let's put it this way:

About 30 million of the budget came from the federal government, and the rest came from Louisiana. Each of them had their own accessibility requirements and we had to meet both. There was about a 50 page document that dealt just with the accessibility requirements, and we wound up having to hire 2 QA people that were experts in accessibility and buy them like $3k of software licenses (in addition to the whole Rational Test Suite + Mercury) so that they could validate the system. The were on the project for about 10 months.

We deal directly with the public, with about 2 million unique users per year accessing our system using kiosks and the Internet. So, we had requirements coming at us from courts, governments, and agencies all over the place! It was much more than the basic accessibility deal, I'm sure, because even the experts we brought in were pretty impressed with what we had to do!

[ulahts]

Hello Justin, i hope i am not too late:
1) Sthula Ulahts

2)Sure:


3)Sound effects engineer for about 12 years, 6 years later i started to work as a designer in a huge multinational company, i own two construction companies and John&Jim Thomas were inspired by my image and that's how they have written the movie screenplay.

[Bleys]

Have you considered plastic surgery, ulahts?

[Ravedesigns]

Hey Justin,

I'm a part of the "Grow and Manage" team and you'll find my username to the left there along with a pic of my alter ego, but here's a more recent photo.

I got a business degree a long time ago and I've been online for about ten years now and have owned my web design business since 2000. Like many here I started out part-time while holding another job and taught myself as I went, then I went full time about two years ago and now I'm back to part time!

Along the way I learned that it doesn't matter how good a designer you are if you don't know how to properly market your business, so as my interests changed I learned more about marketing and writing copy and decided to take a job as Marketing VP for a friends consulting business while still doing some web projects on the side for myself.

I think I've been on Sitepoint for at least five years now and oddly enough can remember that fateful search for a "rounded corner tutorial" that first brought me here. As everyone was really helpful I decided to stick around try to help out where I can and I'm glad I did as I've met some really cool people and have had a blast!

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Cheers,

Steve

[ulahts]

Have you considered plastic surgery, ulahts?

I surelly tried but she finds me beautifully - who ever is "she.

[Sarah]

jpease and everyone lets keep this light and fluffy and not degenerate into flaming others.

jpease - just so you know - this is the internet - therefore there is a higher percentage is strange people online and terefore its perfectly acceptable for people to want to keep some anominity from others that they don't actually know - apart from in cyberspace. that is why many people would prefer to keep their own details quiet - which I actuyally happen to agree with

That said you might think that Datura has a chip on her shoulder - but as you so rightly said it can be the way of reading/writing online that can cause that - the exact same can be said of you. I would ask that you treat the staff with a tad more respect, as they are in these positions due to their knowledge and handling of people and situations as well as being great supporters of siutepoint and don't mind spending hours of their time for free to ensure a well run forum.

Any further back biting will get this thread closed - which would be a shame - so this is a light but real warning.

[kohoutek]

Hello Justin, i hope i am not too late:
1) Sthula Ulahts

2)Sure:


3)Sound effects engineer for about 12 years, 6 years later i started to work as a designer in a huge multinational company, i own two construction companies and John&Jim Thomas were inspired by my image and that's how they have written the movie screenplay.

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