Interview with Ohm, winner of the 2007 J.R.R. Tolkien Award.

Article by Aleka

Aleka: Hi Ohm and thanks for being interviewed. Let's get down to business and jump right in with the questions.
Recieving the Tolkien Award means that you, among other things, that you go above and beyond the call of duty. You are extremely involved in OTF, but do you have a favorite project you like to work on?

Ohm: Personally I've always enjoyed the challenges that come with workingwithin the Internal Development group. Projects like the "Chat Filter"and "Chat Preview" are awesome to work on because of both the impactthey have as well as the number of skilled people that work on seeingthe project through. In my mind one projects sticks out in my mind andthat was the Outpost10f Topsites project (topsites.outpost10f.com)where I got to work with a very talented artist, Lindax, to create anreally nifty little system (which links into the Gateway project noless!). So from this you can tell that I love development/programmingtype of work, especially when I have the backup of some talentedartists which can steer the looks and feeling of a project.

Aleka: Many people looked up to you before winning this award, do you have any advice for new officers about how they can follow your wonderful example?

Ohm: I'm not really sure that first statement is entirely accurate, atleast that I'm aware of but I'll indulge you... I don't think as anexample I shine out very well, I'm often reclusive and busy workingaway on some new feature and miss out on catching up with people inthe chat rooms. If I can say one thing it would be to take it easy,don't rush and enjoy the company of others. Take time out to chat,have fun and ensure you wear sunscreen when heading outdoors.

Aleka: Having been a member of OTF for so long, what keeps you coming back?

Ohm: Actually I still consider myself a new comer, perhaps I always will.Of course the most obvious answer is the people, and indeed largelythis is the case. There are those special few which have had lastingimpacts on me and some of them are still around and make logging inall the more worthwhile. But for me there was also the challenges ofworking in a department, getting that next project finalised and outinto the community and waking up at all hours of the night to sit inon meetings or to tease Iain in the OTF shell.

Aleka: What is your favorite fantasy series, other than The Lord of the Rings?

Ohm: Well actually this fantasy series is my favorite, even over Lord ofthe Rings. I feel absolutely head over heals with Robin Hobb's workwhen she wrote the Liveship Traders series, but would class theAssassin's Series her best work. The way she writes and the tried andtested formula she uses bring the characters into your life infantastic ways. Truely I didn't appriciate fantasy as a genre until Icame across her work.

Aleka: Finally, if Maxwell's handbag is hot pink, what color is yours?

Ohm: I have a handbag? Well yes, of course there's the Engineering handbagwhich has been handed down the long line of Chief Engineer's... Butit's still in it's prototype phase, and the Design team are busy onother projects so for now it remains a sleat grey.

Aleka: Thank you very much for allowing me to interview you Ohm. :)