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Bud and Bruce, Men Who Make a Difference

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Editor's Note:

In their writings below, Bud's part is spoken in black and Bruce's is in green. Here's how they make a difference. Enjoy your reading of their conversation here.

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Hi, my name is Bud aka ajfmrf and the Webhead. My wife, Marilyn, and I live in Rhode Island. I've lived in southern New England for over 30 years and work full time at a hotel as a supervisor. Marilyn and I do not have any children, but we do have a cat who is 20 years old and still doing as she pleases.

Back in November of 1996, my wife came home all excited. She had just heard about this thing called WebTV from a friend. My wife mentioned something about mail, free, not a toll call and I was intrigued. The next thing I know I am hooking up a WebTV to my 35-inch TV. I now use a 13-inch TV next to my computer. Being on the internet has changed my life so much.

Hi, my name is Bruce aka JokerV. My wife and I live in a very small town in Massachusetts. We have two girls in college and are proud of both. I received my WebTV Classic from my wife as a Christmas present in December of 1997. Although I didn't know it at the time, it would turn out to be one of the best gifts that my wife has ever given me.

I, Bud, don't know how I learned about WebTV newsgroups, but I found them. As a newbie, I went crazy, literally, learning and searching. Not long after finding the newsgroups, I stumbled across the alt.discuss.homepage newsgroup and started to lurk and then I started to post. That's where I met Bruce and Dear B.

I, Bruce, am disabled with a lung disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis [IPF]. Anyone interested in learning more about this disease may find the information by clicking here. Because of my health problems, there was not much that I could do except read a book or watch TV. Once I had my WebTV, I began surfing the internet and looking at all kinds of websites, wishing for one for myself.

I had no idea how to begin or where to start. I went into a newsgroup and they were talking about this thing called HTML. It sounded interesting so I started to learn as much as I could on my own. I soon started my own page. I found the alt.discuss.homepage newsgroup where some of the regular posters built a homepage for the newsgroup called alt.discuss.homepage-helpers homepage [ADH-HH].

It wasn't called ADH-HH at first, and I can't remember what it was called back then, but I do remember taking a vote to change the name to what it is called today, ADH-HH. Some of the people who helped me with my first web page are still there posting and still members of ADH-HH. That's where I met Bud and Dear B, too.

It was around this time when I, Bud, was approached by some of the people, who were regular posters and members at alt.discuss.homepage and ADH-HH, to help head up a group or team that came to be known as the ADH-HH Construction Crew. This Crew, all volunteers, helped others build web pages, taught others to use html in the email signatures and/or became private tutors on an individual basis.

The Construction Crew was at first organized and headed by three people, Leader Jim, Co-Leader Bud, and Dear B. Jim had to quit and that's when Bud and Dear B asked me to join them. I thought I could help them, since both worked during the day and I could handle the routing of all the requests to the Crew. It made for a good arrangement. We headed up the team for a long time.

Bruce was the mainstay of the crew, handling all the requests for help, keeping up the page where all Crew members could see who was doing what with whom. Dear B was the voice of reason and the one who helped hold Bruce and me up as we first plodded along handling all the tasks that confront a newly organized entity in its infancy.

I created a website of around four or five pages, with other Construction Crew members helping, where those seeking homepage assistance could make a request for help from the Crew. Dear B and Bruce motivated me 100%. I am sure of that.

After a time when things began to move smoothly and more routinely, Dear B left the Crew. I, during the last year, also began to be busy with my various pages and I left the Crew. Bruce continues to keep things running smoothly and connecting people with Crew members to help them.

To date, we have 25 members on the ADH-HH Construction Crew. They do an excellent job at helping others with their homepages and email signature problems. Hundreds of people have been helped by this Construction Crew.

I sometimes receive email from those who have been helped telling me how great the specific Crew member was while helping them. When I receive email like this, I forward it to the person who helped this individual. They should know that all their hard work is really appreciated.

I am very proud of these Construction Crew members, for their willingness to take the time out of their personal lives to help others on the WebTV. While I, Bruce, am the leader of the Construction Crew, it is the Crew members themselves that deserve all the thanks, not me.

Once I left the Crew, in the capable hands of Bruce, I began many projects, some of which have been very successful. First, there is The Pagers Page. I made this page because people asked for such a page with more than one pager. I have updated it and made it easy to cut and paste the codes easily.

Next is my Tools Page. It is a little different than most tools pages and does not have loads of stuff on it, but its very useful.

Then there is the Freeloader Tutorial which is fairly easy to follow. This was made for Craig's Freeloader and a link to this page can be found at Craig's Freeloader site.

The Page Builder is a small version of Bob's page builder with some other stuff.

Then the Web-User.Net site is my latest project. It features hundreds of links from free webpage hosts, gifs, html, javascripts, counters, colors, backgrounds and lots more. It's an A to Z site.

Last, but not least, is The Toolbox which is the most successful site to date. It's being updated now as you read this. It will have new features and more links.

My web sites include FamilyHonor. As you can tell by the name, it is a family site that has information on parenting, medical, missing and abused children, POW/MIA issues, a kids page and more.

I also built a homepage called Bruce's WebTV Help Pages. This is mainly for newbies so that they can find information that they may be looking for to build a homepage of their own. I also wanted it to be known that if anyone came to this page for help, then they would get help. I am ready to help as much as I can. If I don't know the answer, then I try to find out.

I, Bud, have enjoyed my time on WebTV. I've made many friends and I want to thank those who helped support me when I needed it the most.

Thanks to Bruce, Dear B, Ladybug639, tomeegirl, Lantern, my190d, mf-no_code, Draac, Owens4, tvckd, Prodigal_Son, and Mimer. There have been many people too that I may not have mentioned but please don't take offense if you aren't listed here. My memory fails me at times. My works are dedicated to all who have helped me to start and that continue to help me.

Some of those helping me when I first started were Libby, KodeKracker, Ron and just too many to name. I too want to thank them and all those who helped me then and now. WebTV users are special people.

BudBruce

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Editor's Note: What more can be said about these two? They make a difference! Yes? Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough, but I have to say it. Thank you for being you! Oh, if you want to be a Construction Crew member, write JokerV@webtv.net. If you need help, just click on the link to the ADH-HH Construction Crew above.

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