Community Spotlight : ThyNameIsMud

[Nasrin]

Community Spotlight : ThyNameIsMud

Look behind the curtain and get to know the inventor of the infamous Red Button.

Much of what happens around The Escapist can be very mysterious, especially when it involves the Tech Team. From phantom banning, they certainly have a flair for the dramatic punchline. Take a peek behind that curtain this week as we turn our community spotlight on our lead programmer, [user]Thynameismud[/user].

Mud, known in real life as Louis Weber IV, is a web developer who started working for The Escapist back in 2009. He enjoys heavy metal, mechanical engineering, automotive repair and spoiling his Border Collie named Tweak. Since joining the company he has worked on crafting several aspects of the site including the ignore option, personality quizzes and the shiny new navigation bar. He's also created some of the more infamous Escapist badges, such as his personal favorite, The Red Button.

What is your idea of comfort food?

Pizza and beer.

What is something you never thought you would do?

Have the opportunity to share my work with a large audience. I spent a bit of my teenage years working on guild websites and friends band's websites. That's when a couple of guys who were up to no good started making trouble in my neighborhood. I got into one little fight and my mom got scared and said you're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air. Yalp.

Is there a secret to being a good programmer?

Always test everything you do.

Just about anyone can write a bit of code that will accoplish a task, the trick is getting that bit of code to do only do that task and nothing else

The best smell in the world is...

When you're out by the beach and a thunderstorm comes rolling in, right before it rains there's such a relaxing smell that fills the air.

Is there a song that always gets stuck in your head?

Not really a song, but more like the first 3 seconds of Justin Beiber's Baby,
DUN... DA DUN.. ooowhaAAAoooAAAaoooo

What is the most exciting thing you've done since joining The Escapist?

One of the project's I've enjoyed the most was Puzzle Adventure. While there was a lot of work involved getting it the puzzles put together, watching the community work through our logic was a lot of fun.

Okay, what's up with The Red Button?

The Red Button's history started when I was looking into how we could improve upon badges for an upcoming contest. I made the first version of the button where it only could be clicked in certain spots of the site. Virgil then showed me this neat trick that made the button useful throughout the whole site. Sometime a little later I started playing with some design tools and I had idea for what is now my second favorite badge, The Spin Button.

That's very nice... now the big question: Why Justin Bieber?

There's very few things that will cause an immeditate annoyance for the community. The only two I could think of were Twlight and Mr.Bieber. Then I talked to [user]ckeymel[/user] about my idea for the badge. She showed me that picture of Mr. Bieber, and well, that's how he became the choosen one.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring web developers out there?

Just keep coding, and constantly challenge yourself to accoplish more difficult tasks. The interwebs is constantly changing, and the bar for developers is only getting higher.

If you would like to nominate someone for an upcoming Community Spotlight, feel free to let me, [user]Nasrin[/user], know through a PM or by posting in the user group! When nominating, please tell us why this user deserves to be in the next Community Spotlight and provide links if possible.

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[Jack and Calumon]

So, you kiss Sea lions huh? That's pretty cool.

Really cool to know more about what you do, and I think it'd be cooler to know more about a lot of the staff around here. But, it must be said, there is a cruel part of me that hopes that the fact you can't get the first bit of Baby out of your head is punishment for your work on the Button. Seriously, just looking at him made me feel uncomfortable when he is EVERYWHERE!

Calumon: I'm not a bieber. : (

 

[TimeLord]

Kross gets all the fame/blame but Mud is the true ruler of the tech team and annoyer of the community with his weapon code arsenal.

What dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty will he unleash next!

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

It's the perfect set up. He does all the evil and everyone blames Kross.

*claps*

Bravo! Oh and interesting read.

 

[Nasrin]

For those who may be curious, here's mah doggie:

 

[Kross]

code arsenal

Spoiler: hrmf :D

GOGO MIGHTY HAMSTAR

 

[Nasrin]

For those who may be curious, here's mah doggie: [/QUOTE]

Beautiful dog there Mr Mud. Keep on spoiling her.

BTW does she have 1 blue and 1 brown eye? If so neat.

Hmmmm so that's the game that's been going on around here? Making us blame Kross for all of your misdeeds? For shame ThyNameIsMud! For shame![/quote]

He does indeed have odd colored eyes!

 

[Nasrin]

Beautiful dog there Mr Mud. Keep on spoiling him.

BTW does she have 1 blue and 1 brown eye? If so neat.

Hmmmm so that's the game that's been going on around here? Making us blame Kross for all of your misdeeds? For shame ThyNameIsMud! For shame!

Yeah, he's got 1 blue, and 1 brown eye. Here's a close up pick when he was a puppy:

 

[Nasrin]

Beautiful dog there Mr Mud. Keep on spoiling him.

BTW does she have 1 blue and 1 brown eye? If so neat.

Hmmmm so that's the game that's been going on around here? Making us blame Kross for all of your misdeeds? For shame ThyNameIsMud! For shame!

Yeah, he's got 1 blue, and 1 brown eye. Here's a close up pick when he was a puppy:
[/quote]

The left eye sees the present, the right eye sees the future. True story.

Okay, it's not really a true story... but i wouldn't be surprised if he had demonic powers.

 

[Nasrin]

code arsenal

Spoiler: hrmf :D

GOGO MIGHTY HAMSTAR

 

[therandombear]

For those who may be curious, here's mah doggie: [/QUOTE]

That's a beautiful dog, for sure. Also...found more ways to trick Frosty into being your guinea pig? Like with the whole "bubble shooter". ;)

 

[Nasrin]

This is Tweak and my dog Onix playing

 

[Aerosteam]

Legend has it kissing a sea lion tastes like fish.

And although I already knew what the red button did, I still clicked it. Take from that what you can.

 

[Call Me Jose]

You forgot to add that he misses Publix.

 

[oppp7]

Good to see you won it ThyNameIsMud (this is a contest right?). I always think of you as a member of The Game group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/The-Game].

 

[Nasrin]

You forgot to add that he misses Publix.

Oh man, when I went to Florida recently, I had me a sub from publix. Yes, it was amazing.

This is Tweak and my dog Onix playing

Dawwwwww! Cuteness overload imminent.

Though I have to ask isn't it bad form to have the dogs playing in a cemetery? I'd think it would bring about some nasty karma doing such.

It's done after hours so we're not disturbing anyone, and they're walked before we get there as not to leave a mess there. But it's one of the better opens areas to take the that's nearby.

Good to see you won it ThyNameIsMud (this is a contest right?). I always think of you as a member of The Game group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/The-Game].

If I ever make a badge that causes you to lose the game, I may plague you with it