Interview
Handle:
The Baron
How did you come up with your alias ?
Well, in my youth my friends said that I lived like a baron, he-he. When my Amiga "carrier" started I lived together with a french countess, so the name: "The Baron" was born.
City / Country:
I live in Gothenburg / Sweden.
Born year:
Hrrmm... coff, coff... Errrm... well..... 1948.
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
The first one I worked with was in 1971 and was a custommade huge computer called: "The Myriad" and was owned by the Royal Swedish Airforce. The first one I owned was an A1000 in 1984 or 1985 I think it was.
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
I started a BBS as one of the first Amigaboards in Sweden in 1988 I believe, short after a BBS called PleasureDome (The Pleasure Dome bbs was run by Zike! -Ed) had opened. Boy, did we feel like pioneers or what? WEST BBS is still up and running and is now the oldest board in Sweden, maybe even in the World. I do it just for the fun of it and as long as it don't intrude too much in my life. It is also a way for me too keep an eye of whats going on, on the Amiga and computerscene.
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
Well, to be honest I don't think that I can recall any special moment with pride. One moment I can recall and that made feel. at least very satisfied was the day I ran the BBS on an A3000 as the first BBS in Sweden.
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
I think it is because of a Compiled Copydisk I once made for my own use. I found out later on that this disk was spread all over the world. It was a friend of mine who copied it and spread it. It gave me a happy feeling that it came into use for so many people. I worked hard on it to make 100% of the programs on that particular disk, work! And it was very systemfriendly. The disk still works!
What would you like to be remembered for ?
I would like to be remembered for my contribution to the Amigacommunity as the guy who Betatested and translated so much and gave lots of hints and tips to programmers. I also hope that I will be remembered as the guy who predicted so many things that also came true. Most of the Amiga BBS structure (Mostly AmiExpress Boards) are still based on my layout and structure with Request conferences and lots and lots of other things that users of today have forgotten or are unaware of.
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
When Defjam died as an active group it was no fun in it anymore, chaos and disorder broke out and I felt that some kind of anarchy broke out shortly after. When C= died, the Program flow decreased.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Nope, I don't regret anything and I wouldn't like to have anything undone at all. I loved every (and still do) minute of it. I guess one could call me a dedicated Computer freak, but still having a normal social life with friends, girls, lot of Skiing, Tennis Gym, Waterskiing, Windsurfing and so forth.
What was your favorite
game(s)
Simulations, especially Flight simulations like F16 Falcon, Flight Simulator II, but also Sports simulations like F1 Grand Prix, Microprose Golf, Tennis and so on...
demo(s)
Kefrens Megademo, Hagar Demo, Fashion Demo, Gurumasters Demo, BS1 and Kent Team Demo. Mental hangover, Danish Gold Demo, Defjam Megademo. Sheesh... I can go on and on and on.......
programmer(s) (or programming team(s))
Those who made Pagestream, Final Writer, GPFax, ProWrite, Amiback, DPaint, TvPaint, Superfrog, Microprose team, Sierra Team, Spectrum Holobyte team and most products from Electronic Arts. Not to forget all the people at NewTek for all their products from Digipaint to the Videotoaster. Later in time I would put in a good word for MacroSystem in Germany for their fine hardware that I also have been working a lot with by selling, supporting and translating in Sweden since their release of the first Amiga harddisk solution.
cracker(s) (or cracking group(s))
Defjam (of course), BS1 & Kent team, UA, Quartex, Paranoimia and Paradox.
composer(s)
Hrrm, well what was his name now again. You know, the guy who made the first trackercomposed songs on the Amiga, and of course the finest of the all: Jogeir Liljedahl wit all his very nice Accoustic Guitar composed songs. they are very good. I would like to have them all on a CD.
best composed track(s)
Most of the Jogeir made tracks.
event(s) (e.g. copyparty)
The big Easterparty held in Gothenburg a couple of years ago.
memory(s)
They are really too many to be told here. I can't quite sort them out at the moment. Ask me again in 10 years or so... :-)
Favorite drink ?
I don't drink.
What are you doing nowadays ?
Teaching about computers and computing, studying Leadership, Group dynamics, Pedagogik (?), presentationtechnique, Communication, Information Technology and of course Consulting.
What are you doing on your spare time?
Sporting, Gym, Tennis, Golf, Surfing (The NET too), living a healhty life, trying too give my self as high quality as possible. Life gets more and more valuable the longer I live. Time is also getting more and more valuable.
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
Give Your life an extra thought. What is giving YOU a better life? How can You give Yourself chances? Can You do things better? Can you be a better human and how?
What is the meaning of life?
Life is the meaning. Make new humans. Keep the Universal process running. It is just as simple as that.