Interview of Jonathan Blake

Rick Grotzky conducted this interview of the webmaster of Desert Lynx's Oasis on behalf of Rising Sun on 15 March 1999 using ICQ.

RG: How did you first get started in web development?

JB: I was new to the 'net and I just tinkered around at first. I had just got a new job with computers and I didn't know much. I filled in any empty time playing with HTML.

RG: What is the most difficult aspect of web development that you have encountered so far?

JB: I can think of a couple things that I work the hardest on. It's hard to make a website that is surfer-friendly where my visitors can find their information easily and it's organized so they can find it again later. It's also hard to find the time to do a good, consistent job and keep the Oasis updated.

RG: What do you hope to accomplish with your site? In the long run I mean.

JB: I want to help fans of the Lone Wolf series to continue to enjoy Magnamund. I want the Oasis to be a source of pertinent information. I would also like to keep fan support for Lone Wolf together in my small way. I guess I just want to keep Lone Wolf alive and have fun doing it.

RG: Is that why you chose a Lone Wolf themed website as opposed to something else?

JB: I had been searching for a subject for my website. I wanted it to be better than just an ordinary home page. I wanted to have people use it. When I found the Kai Monastery I knew that there was a niche just beginning to be filled. I borrowed a lot of the style for the Oasis from the Monastery (thanks Julian).

RG: What do you like best about being part of the online Lone Wolf community?

JB: It feels like a real community. We share common interests and have had relatively few disputes. The fan response that I get regarding the Oasis helps me to continue on because I know that at least a few people enjoy what I'm doing. It's my closest group of 'net friends.

RG: Outside of web design, and the occasional trek through Magnamund, what are your other hobbies?

JB: Most of my hobbies nowadays relate to computers and books. I like to read science fiction and fantasy. I'd have to say my favorite authors are J.R.R. Tolkien and Frank Herbert. A lot of my computer hobbies spill over into the Oasis. For instance, I wanted to learn Java so I planned a cool applet code named Magnamundicon. It turned into a javascript that will appear soon at the Oasis.

Other than that, my life is school, work and church.

Next Section -->