SnitchSeeker.com - 2006 Dumbledore (by Raider)

Heres my interview with our dear site owner, Dumbledore! Done via PM.

Interviewer, Raider, is in this colour
Interviewee, Dumbledore, is in this colour

First off. Who are you and what do you do on SS?
I am the site owner and designer. I design and code the front page as well as most of what you see on the content pages (such as the top image, the side blocks, etc). I also stand for financing and that type of thing.

Where did you get the idea to start a Harry Potter site?
Sorry to cheat but I have answered that in a previous interview. The answer is the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by from old motw interview

When did you first create snitchseeker.com? And why?

I came up with the idea in November 2001.

Back in 1999 I had a Star Wars fan site. It was getting pretty popular. We had downloads, images, and multimedia. But popularity slowed down when TheForce.net and JediNet.com became so popular. So in 2000 I had to shut it down.

When I first heard about Harry Potter - and that there would be 7 books, all made into movies - I knew there could be good potential in starting a Harry Potter site. But first I had to look around and see if there were any major competitors, because I didn't want to have to shut down after putting so much work into something.

At the time I started checking around, there wasn't really much out there, most of the sites had a really bad layout and very little content.

My original intention was to just design and code the site, and then give it over to my niece, Kaleigh, who lives in Oregon. She was 13 or so at the time, and really excited about the Wizarding World. So I spent a month or so drawing up drafts and coming up with a catchy name. Then, when I finished the site, and launched it in February 2002, she changed her mind and didn't want to run it!

What is the worst thing you've had to sort out on SS?
Excellent question. I guess the worst thing I have had to sort out would be conflicts involving staff members. Especially a big one that happened a couple of years ago. Luckily the current team has been working smoothly together for a long time without kinks, but when conflicts occur it is really quite taxing on Admins.

What is the best part about your job here?
Without a doubt it is working with such a terrific staff who have since become some of my closest friends!

What is your favorite book in the Harry Potter series?
It has always been book 4, Goblet of Fire. But now I am leaning towards book 6, Half-Blood Prince, though I doubt it will ever completely overtake 4 as my fave.

Whats your least favorite?
Maybe book 5? Order of the Phoenix was too long for what it covered in my opinion. It was great of course, but I wish it were a hundred pages shorter. Reading it the first time was very exciting but for multiple readings it is not as enjoyable as the other books. But this is one reason I think it will make for an excellent film! A lot of the fluff and unnecessary stuff can be dropped which will make for a very exciting movie.

Is there any character from the books you can relate to?
I think both Lupin and Mr. Weasley in different ways.

Lupin is a bit of an outcast who tries to maintain a positive outlook on life in spite of his "condition". I relate to him in a way because as a Christian (LDS) living in Norway, I am very much in the minority. Most Europeans do not really believe in God (in spite of "Christianity" often being the official religion of the country). The few of us who do are labelled as "ignorant" or "disillusioned" and thus shunned in some ways by the public. Plus, I wear shabby old clothes because I can't afford to buy new ones each year. In spite of all this I try desperately to maintain a positive outlook and to spread sunshine.

Mr. Weasley has a lot of kids, loves his family and supports them all on a meager income. I have four (soon five) children and the "norm" here is like one or two at the most. So everybody thinks I am very strange and even irresponsible. My wife is a stay-at-home-mommy (possibly the only one I know in Norway), so our economy is quite limited. Virtually all families in Norway have both parents working. They have bigger houses, go on exotic vacations and wear fancy clothes. In contrast, we take short inexpensive vacations, wear hand-me-downs and live in a very small duplex house/apartment.

Who is your favorite character and who is your least favorite?
My favorite character has always been Dumbledore with Snape as a close second. Ironic how one turned out to kill the other. (Are spoilers allowed now?)

My least-favorite must be somebody completely uninteresting like Professor Binns or Grubbly-Plank.

When your not on SS, what do you enjoy doing?
I am very dull. I read a lot of history books, watch movies (mostly DVD's at home), play with my kids, flirt with my wife, go to church and design websites.

When you were in school, what was your favorite subject?
Drama and choir. Thinking back it is a bit strange that I was in an advanced choir class (and just that schools even have them!), but I really loved it! Drama was always fun because I enjoyed getting attention I guess.

If you were in Hogwarts, what do you think your house and favorite subject would be?
I'm afraid I would have probably been either a Slytherin (because I was naughty, and mischievous as a student) or a Hufflepuff. I was not very brave or especially academic so Ravenclaw and Gryffindor would have been out.

My favorite subject would have probably been either Muggle Studies or History of Magic. Or maybe Flying since I loved showing off so much and think flying would just be a blast!

Whats your favorite book and movie?
Those change a lot, but at or near the top of my list is always Les Miserables for books, and Star Wars for movies. I am possibly the biggest Star Wars fan at SS.
(Random question) Winter or Summer?
Definitely summer. Norway has the longest winters and shortest summers and I always wish summer would last longer. I love warmth. I love grass and trees. I dislike ice and cold.
And last but not least.... What is your favorite dessert? (officially stolen from MoTW :P)
Tough question. Strawberry cream cake, carrot cake, pumpkin pie, chocolate fudge ice cream, fudge brownie cookies, the list could go on! But if I had to narrow it down I guess I would choose the ice cream.

~~~~Rich's MotW interview can be viewed here~~~~