Meet Kasper

By: Daniel Hinderink

What's so special about Kasper - thank you's and observations from a heavily biased source.

In 2001 I first communicated with Kasper, starting out like so many of you presumably:

"Dear Kasper,

Let me start this mail by saying I am really impressed with what you have created in Typo3!!

(...)

My suggestion would be to write down the steps as in my example for building the website in english and german and thus contributing to the documentation. The end product could be "building a website on typo3 step-by-step guide".

You are of course welcome to edit, rewrite, resuse and publish what I write and whatever form you choose."

And in return I asked for some help while trying to come to grips with the system.

Well, Kasper did not accept the help offer, but he did login to the project I was responsible for project and fixed some stuff for me.

Meet Kasper: an exeptionally generous guy, that seriously cares about people.

From 2002, I found this snippet:

------ Forwarded Message

> From: Daniel Hinderink <dh@dpool.net>

> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2002 10:17:14 +0100

> To: Kasper Sk?rh?j <kasper@typo3.com>

> Subject: Re: User-Developer-Administrator model

>

>> Do you think there might end up being a need for some Typo3 company in the

>> end

>> or will the need for a such institution be served by typo3.info-kind

>> networks?

>

> I don't know. Actually i think there has to be a governing body, like a

> committee, but a company is still far off.

------ End of Forwarded Message

Meet Kasper: a person that thinks things through and thus often anticipates steps that others fails to predict.

Two years later, Johannes Reichard and me tried to convince Kasper to modularize the system and make all those tt_-something parts (which were fixed parts of the system) supplemental modules. Kasper was very reluctant at first, but after a lengthy debate both on an off the lists, he seemed to consent - and suddenly vanished.

He was unreachable for a few weeks, only to return with a big bang: a new typo3.org with a new TYPO3, with extensions, the TER and everything.

If you have been there you remember how blown away everybody was. To me that is the biggest "inspiring people to share"-moment so far. Kasper presented everybody with a gift nobody could repay him for. It could just be honored by becoming a success - and boy what a success it has become.

Meet Kasper: the original inventor and the kid who loves to make incredibly generous gifts because he loves to put a very big smile on your face.

Finally, in more situations than I can or want to point to, Kasper has stood by his word and by the people he had given his word to. He has in all situations been a most loyal, straightforward and honest person, while still being humble and a fun person to be with.

I am very happy to have met Kasper and I admit that his gerenousity and dedication has inspired me immensely. You have been and continue to be an inspiration and a challenge in many ways I had not expected before. There he is again, the creative kid putting a smile on my face.

Thank you very much, Agent K.

Yours always,

Daniel

 

 

 

 

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