User:Dlgauthier

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Contact Information
Name: David L (Sam) Gauthier

Address: 1310 Lancaster Ave

City/State/Zip: St Louis Park, MN 55426

Email: [mailto:poodernet@gmail.com poodernet@gmail.com]

Website: http://samg.freeshell.org/

Education
College/University: Berklee College of Music (1979)

Concentration: Composition

Second Concentration: Violin

Degree: Bachelor of Music

High School: Hopkins Eisenhower (1975)

Work
Occupation: Stagehand

Employer: IATSE Local 13

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Time period: April 1973 to Present

Description: Audio Engineer, Followspot Operator, Lighting Programmer

'delightful email'
From: "Jimmy Wales" <[mailto:jwales@wikia-inc.com jwales@wikia-inc.com]>

To: "Sam Gauthier" <[mailto:samg@freeshell.org samg@freeshell.org]>

Subject: Re: Thank you

Date: Monday, January 04, 2010 2:30 PM


 * What a delightful email! Thanks!

On 1/2/10 3:48 PM, Sam Gauthier wrote:


 * Mr. Wales, James, Jimbo (whichever you prefer):


 * My name is David Gauthier (userid: dlgauthier), My nickname is Sam, so across the net I'm known as 'samg'. While I had heard of Wikipedia, I had not paid a visit until I noticed that whenever I searched in 'Google' (whose 'Knol' cannot hold a birthday candle to Wikipedia), a Wikipedia article appeared in the top 3 or 4 hits. Knowing that 'popularity factor' is part of what sets Google apart from other Search Engines, I decided to follow a link to your (imho most significant application of the MediaWiki software system), and it was 'Love at first site' (sic:-)


 * While I haven't been in a position to contribute (on a financial level) to your cause, I try to help the cause by using word-of-mouth, to explain to those who feel that, since anyone can post, the information won't be reliable. I use the analogy of a newborn child: as it grows, it learns things (some true; some false), it then learns to differentiate between what is true and what is false. Babys don't exit the womb in a finished state. There are so many eyeballs using Wikipedia, it becomes more authoritative every day. (I've never had an article come up that merely told me to 'Go f*** myself', although I'm certain this has been attempted more than once.)


 * In the 15 years since I first experienced the WWW (using Netscape 1.22 :-), I have never experienced a site that best embodies what I believe the 'early pioneers' (the 'pocket-protector guys' at MIT, Stanford, Lick, Ted Nelson, and Bob Taylor among them) had hoped this 'experiment' would become. A tool to give *everyone*, regardless of geography, economics, or culture, a chance to better all of Mankind.


 * If I were suddenly forced to choose one (and only one) site to access, it would without a doubt be Wikipedia. You're efforts will change the course of Mankind forever. You are supported entirely from donations from the user-editor-creators. I will join them as soon as I am able.


 * PS - I make my living as a Stagehand. My passion is the History of the Internet (althought I *can* print 'hello world' to a screen in a host of different languages :-)


 * Along with Vint Cerf, Lick, Bob Taylor, Larry Roberts, Tim Berners-Lee, and Marc Andreesen, you are one of my heroes. We all need our heroes, for you inspire us to be the best we can be at what we love.


 * Thank you once again, and have a Happy New Year!

--Dlgauthier (talk) 10:03, 1 November 2011 (UTC)