Hi there. Let me take a minute to introduce myself. I’m Uncle Bob, a Mod here at PC Perspective. We will be running a series of articles within the forum that will be called Mod Interviews. I ask revealing, embarrassing, stupid, probing questions of Mods and hopefully you get to laugh with us at ourselves and in the process get to know some of us better. Beware, not all the Mods are as forthcoming as you may like, I do my best to uncover the truth, but haven’t always hit the mark!

Well, after 3 days in a jury box, I got a day off. So, we are a day late, but not anything short. Today we have a wonderful interview with a fella I have come to know personally in here. Mjölnir is quite a special fella, but to say anything more would be waaay to revealing. So, enough outta me, let him tell ya!


1. I realise many of the mods here are in a witness protection program of some sort, but can you give us your real name?
Carl. I thought about changing my name to a symbol but Prince gave that idea a bad name (no pun intended).

2. Why did you join PCPer/AMDMB?
I was hunting for info on an ASUS A7V board I had. PCP was the only site that had any decent info on that. It’s surprising how many people joined because of those motherboards! After lurking around for a while, I was assimilated realised that people in here had some good knowledge that I could learn from.

3. Which forums do you mod?
Windows
Networking and Security
Small Form Factor/Home Theatre PC/Mobile.

4. Why do you keep coming back?
A few times I have thought about leaving, but each time it comes down to how much I learn from visiting this place and how much I enjoy interacting with folks here. It’s a great source of info and a very pleasant community.

5. What was your first experience with a computer?
Karateka. Apple IIe. Damn parrots.

6. Do you prefer to be called a “geek” or a “nerd”?
I’m a geek. Chicks dig it. “Sit on my lap, honey, and I’ll show you a tweak”.

7. What exactly do you do here at PC Perspective?
I read about the workings of new technology and try to help people as best as I can. Like other mods, I’ve also written a few guides. Basically trying to give something back to a community that has taught me so much.

8. What do you like most about your “job”? I realise it’s actually a rudimentary form of slavery or servitude, but you are still here…can you explain this to our readers?
Knowing when I’ve helped someone. When people give credit to others for helping them, it’s a fulfilling feeling for both parties.

9. OK, we all know this is coming…What do you like least about your job?
The rate of pay and advertising spam. Not sure which is worse.

10. How long have you been active in PC Perspective?
About 3½ years.

11. Where are most active here? What is it you suppose that draws you to that particular area?
Windows and Tech Talk. Probably because they fall into my areas of interest.

12. What interests do you have outside of PC Perspective. Don’t be shy, if you don’t have a life outside of here, many readers would like to know!
Golf, camping, driving, cycling, good restaurants, computers, women, foreign movies, building/fixing things. I do as much of those things as I can.

13. OK, it’s hardware time! Let’s start with your most, or current favourite piece of hardware. Tell us about it.
Very tough question. I’d have to say my laptop. I can use it for work or I can surf the ‘Net, play games, watch DVD’s and digital TV (in surround sound too). Plus I can take it anywhere. The other choice would have been my telegopher.

14. Software? Hey, if you are a closet Linux user, now’s the time to come out. (If you are a closet Microsoft user, don’t be afraid, we can keep a secret!)
I prefer Windows XP. Mainly because of the availability of games, apps and drivers for it. I also enjoy playing with Ubuntu and would like to have a crack at Mac OS again.

15. OK, let’s get real personal. Witness Protection Program be damned…Can you tell us something about yourself you’d like us to know?
We could tell them I’m invincible but I don’t think they’d believe that…

16. What can you tell us about your job? Hey, if you do something illegal, now’s a good enough time as any to make a clean start!
It might sound silly to some, but I make a living doing something I enjoy rather than being in a job under my IT & Eng. qualification. I run my own computer service business. Much more enjoyable and better pay than working for someone else and is also more interesting to me than programming. If someone told me ten years ago that I’d make a living out of a hobby, I wouldn’t have believed them.

17. Where do you live? (Be fearless, your secret is safe with us..)
Australia. Queensland. I’ve moved around a bit though. Lived in Melbourne and Malaysia before that. I could easily spend the rest of my days living in a foreign country or traveling the world.

18. What can you tell us about your family??
Ummm. I have one brother that I know about. He’s younger than me. My parents are older. I don’t know if I have any kids. Not married. Keeps my options open.

19. Here’s a delicate one…How old are you and where did you grow up?
One afternoon my brother and I came home from school to find a 2 metre goanna in the back yard. Measure out 2M – that’s a bloody big lizard with long, sharp claws. When the Ranger first saw it, he announced his surprise with a word my mother would cringe at (not “Crikey”), then handed my brother and I a big hook each and said “I need your help. If it charges you, ram its head into the ground“. Judging by the look on my brother’s face, I wasn’t the only one thinking “Bugger that, mate! If it charges me I’ll be off like a bride’s nightie” (run away and jump over the fence). Fortunately it didn’t come to that. I grew up in Crocodile Dundee country in Northern Australia, so the goanna wasn’t a total surprise. Where I live now, we only have to look out for snakes and spiders. Oh, I’m 30.


20. Well, we are getting to the end of it, it’ll all be over soon, I promise. What would like to say to our forum members, go ahead anything. Get it off your chest. We have all day here…
I think the AMDMB/PCP crowd have the right idea. What more can you tell a thriving community? Enjoy!