I was going to put this in Announce but thought it might be a bit pompous, and that isn't me (much!). And it isn't just an an announcement, but a thanks as well.
This is important to me on many levels and I wanted to put it out there in black and white.
So, I thought I'd let you know I have become the full time Community Manager at Rocket.Chat
I can hear you saying now "has the world gone mad"? I can only answer "probably"
Why is this important to Koozali SME?
First, I got the job because of the stuff I primarily had learned from here. That is a massive hat tip to everyone here who I have both learned from, and helped. There is hope for you yet
Over 23 or so years you have all been an inspiration to me. A huge thank you - I never realised I had it in me!
Ironically after wondering for 40 years where I fitted in IT, I have a job that was almost made for me. A job for the "Jack of All Trades" !
Second, of course, come and use Rocket.Chat !!
Either with our small community here - ask me for a Koozali SME login and come and chat Koozali SME, communities, code, or jokes.
Or at
https://open.rocket.chat for support on using an open source, enterprise grade, chat and omnichannel (livechat) system. Or bring your own community or club and use the resources there. Come and talk to me if you want to know more.
Third, where possible I will use my knowledge, experience, and contacts at Rocket.Chat to try and further the community here at Koozali SME. We have some absolutely phenomenal people over there, and I am learning even more, and I hope I can spread a bit of that love around here too.
That is beneficial to both sides.
The only downside is I have had to give up semi-retirement and work my butt off
That has meant I have had next to zero time to work on code here - I have tons of half done stuff, and it is quite frankly embarrassing. So my sincerest apologies. I hope I can rectify that in the near future.
As a result I have hated having to watch Jean Philippe and Terry (among a supporting cast of several excellent people) thrash themselves senseless trying to get Koozali v10 finished. I can only just about keep up with messages and bugzilla mails.
They've voluntarily, and totally with out payment, toiled through thick and thin, Covid, pregnancies, babies, stupidly long stupid hours, more Covid, lockdowns, and death. I have no idea when they actually sleep.
The same as all the devs here, they don't earn a bean from SME. They do it in their spare time, for 'fun'.
'Amateurs' building your software. Think about that.
(If I so much as hear the words "I'd help but I haven't got time/skills/knowledge (as I'm too busy earning money out of SME from clients)" so help me I'll strangle someone.)
They are the most fantastically amazing people, and despite our differences of opinions over the years they remain a couple of the best mates I could wish for. They are what makes a community. More than that they are my family.
It is an eternal privilege to be in their company, even on the really shit days.
You as a community owe them the most enormous debt of gratitude. As do I.
Thank you.
B. Rgds
John