PF Mentors are really great people

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the role and characteristics of mentors within the Physics Forums community. Participants share their thoughts on what makes a good mentor, engage in light-hearted banter about mentor qualifications, and explore the history of mentorship within the forum.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express admiration for mentors, highlighting their importance in the community.
  • One participant humorously outlines a list of unconventional requirements for becoming a mentor, suggesting that mentors should possess deep knowledge and a positive attitude.
  • Another participant emphasizes that compassion and patience are essential traits for mentors, rather than just knowledge.
  • There are trivia questions posed regarding the history of mentors in the forum, including who has been a mentor the longest.
  • Several participants speculate on the identities of early mentors and their respective tenures, with some guessing names and dates.
  • One participant claims to have been the second member of the forum and discusses the reset of post counts with new versions of the forum.
  • Humorous exchanges occur regarding member numbers and fictional references, contributing to a light-hearted atmosphere.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the value of mentors but present differing views on the specific qualities that define a good mentor. The trivia questions about the history of mentors show a lack of consensus on certain details, leading to ongoing speculation and debate.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about the history of mentorship and member identities are based on personal recollections and may not be verifiable. The discussion includes playful banter that may obscure the seriousness of the topic.

Who May Find This Useful

Members interested in the history and dynamics of mentorship within online communities, as well as those curious about the informal culture of Physics Forums.

  • #31
Originally posted by Hurkyl
You could always sit around and wait until you can reregister to be #24601.

Is it too me or Jimmy ?
 
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  • #32
Originally posted by Kerrie
next question, can anyone guess what my original name was in PF 1?

Since I wasn't a member of PF1, I guess my response won't be considered cheating. It was "Skorpiano".
 
  • #33
My guess too :)
 
  • #34
Yea i was going to say that too.
 
  • #35
Originally posted by Tom
Since I wasn't a member of PF1, I guess my response won't be considered cheating. It was "Skorpiano".

you must have researched the archives give Tom a challenge and he will meet it
 
  • #36
#24601 eh? id have to change my name to Jean Valjean (ignore spelling!). Can anyone guess what i was called on the other pf...i don't think i can remember it...Andy might... i think it was something to do with a farmyard animal (thats a hint aint it? :smile:)
 
  • #37
Originally posted by Monique
I became a member on feb 8 2001 the second one of allll the members! (Phobos became a member on the 9th btw)

And an interesting time it was...more like the wild frontier than the current well-oiled machine that PF has become. I have Monique (Niqqie) to thank for introducing me to this place. It's amazing to see how much this place has grown since its beginning. We should write some kind of PF biography.

Anyone remember some of the other past mentors not shown in Greg's list?
 
  • #38
MacCoder of course :), Ben is the first name that comes to mind
 
  • #39
don't forget typeo (stephen), i think he was voted as PF clown once and caused some havoc...then eventually became a mentor...
 
  • #40
Jimmy p was alpha goat, but what was my original name?
 
  • #41
wasnt your original name Andy? lol or Brahman or something
 
  • #42
Formal job descriptions next, and interviews?

What's a PF Advisor? Why do we have them?

Is there a graph anywhere of the growth in member numbers vs time? What sort of simple analytic curve would fit it well?

Maybe Moni doesn't have to wait so long!
 
  • #43


Originally posted by Nereid
What's a PF Advisor? Why do we have them?

As once explained by the honorable member FZ+...
"As far as I am aware, a mentor is a government post, controlling one province of the land, of PF whilst an advisorship is a knighthood, giving no special powers but as an honorary postion."

PF Advisors are those members who have shown themselves to be a great asset to PF and who are entrusted to help make this a better place for all. They can see behind the curtain but don't get into all the administrative stuff that the mentors do (like moving/locking topics, etc.). In a sense, they are mentors without the "nuke post" button on their keyboard.
 
  • #44
Originally posted by Phobos
And an interesting time it was...more like the wild frontier than the current well-oiled machine that PF has become. I have Monique (Niqqie) to thank for introducing me to this place. It's amazing to see how much this place has grown since its beginning. We should write some kind of PF biography.

Anyone remember some of the other past mentors not shown in Greg's list?

Wasn't Scandium a Mentor once? I wan't here for much of PF1, and I wasn't an active participant (as in, when I actually started posting) until about the middle of PF2 (maybe closer to the end, I'm not really sure), but I do remember Scandium mentioning something about having been a Mentor (I think).
 
  • #45
Some past mentors:

Grady, Silverquest, Dav2008, Feztaa, Corey, Powers of light, BryanGmyrek (already mentioned: typeo007 and Maccoder)
 
  • #46
Grady, Silverquest, Dav2008, Feztaa, Corey, Powers of light, BryanGmyrek (already mentioned: typeo007 and Maccoder)
Corey? That's my name! You know, like my non-PF real person name. Cool, I have the same name as one of the Tyrants!
 
  • #47
Originally posted by photon
Corey? That's my name! You know, like my non-PF real person name. Cool, I have the same name as one of the Tyrants!

That's Mr. Tyrant to you.
 
  • #48
Originally posted by Andy
Arent Mentors Brilliant! I mean they're just great, I love mentors.

Candidate for PF mascot? :wink:
 
  • #49
Originally posted by Mentat
Wasn't Scandium a Mentor once?

IIRC, he was briefly the Physics mentor.
 

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