MetaFilter

MetaTalk post: *end theme from Incredible Hulk plays*

Oh, man. Thanks, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by minsies at 10:26 AM on April 26, 2016

What? NO!

[sob]

This is one of my favorite MetaFilter things ever.

It has been amazing and wonderful having you here, pb. Thanks for everything you've done. I hope your next nine years are fantastic!
posted to MetaTalk by kristi at 10:26 AM on April 26, 2016

I have no idea how you did what you did, consistently, and so well, and with seemingly little or no ill will (even when the community demanded crazy unrealistic things, which it did often). You'll be missed!
posted to MetaTalk by naju at 10:23 AM on April 26, 2016

So long and thanks for all the fish!
posted to MetaTalk by grouse at 10:23 AM on April 26, 2016

Best of luck pb. You will be missed.
posted to MetaTalk by nubs at 10:20 AM on April 26, 2016

Leaving behind some real big shoes, pb. Bigger than cortex's giant doughnut, even. Thanks so much for everything you've done to make MetaFilter better!
posted to MetaTalk by EvaDestruction at 10:20 AM on April 26, 2016

pb, you're still invited in perpetuity to campouts!

Camping with pb would be awesome! :)
posted to MetaTalk by hippybear at 10:20 AM on April 26, 2016

Oh man, I can't believe it. I guess there's no point clutching at your coattails and wailing "Don't go!!" so I'll just wish you the very best of luck, which is the least you deserve.

> Thank you for all your work, and taking criticisms so well.

Did... did someone criticize pb?

*shakes fist at someone*

You bastard! You drove pb away!... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by languagehat at 10:19 AM on April 26, 2016

Greg Nog: "Can we get a description from the other mods about what kind of terrifyingly powerful creature pb becomes when he's coding?"

"...what will you become?"
posted to MetaTalk by Chrysostom at 10:17 AM on April 26, 2016

In 15 minutes: pb: "okay, it's done and also if you think a choice of toppings while pressing it, they should arrive as well."

Now wait a second, this brings up a valid point about why pb can't leave yet. We're still waiting for that feature that allows us to instantly transport food (mainly burritos) over TCP/IP.
posted to MetaTalk by loquacious at 10:14 AM on April 26, 2016

Thank you pb for all your hard work marshalling the Internet elves who keep this place running. They can be tricky little gits and you have commanded them with a firm, fair hand. I can't imagine any other wizard person being able to deal with their shenanigans as calmly and quickly as you. Very best of luck in all your future endeavours, don't be a stranger.
posted to MetaTalk by billiebee at 10:13 AM on April 26, 2016

Thanks, pb.
posted to MetaTalk by jedicus at 10:13 AM on April 26, 2016

Change is good. Enjoy the change.
And thanks!
posted to MetaTalk by heyho at 10:12 AM on April 26, 2016

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....well, okay then.

Best wishes, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by briank at 10:12 AM on April 26, 2016

Best of luck in future endeavors, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by tofu_crouton at 10:12 AM on April 26, 2016

Congratulations on shaping something so many people consider a core part of their lives. We all should be so lucky in our careers.
posted to MetaTalk by Space Coyote at 10:11 AM on April 26, 2016

I just thought pb was sort of part of the MeFi machine. I never thought you could leave. Now that you are, I want to thank you for all of the ponies and your amazing patience with all of us.
posted to MetaTalk by Sophie1 at 10:10 AM on April 26, 2016

Wow. Besides being just really skilled and thoughtful, you're one of the most responsible high-profile developers I can think of. Not a lot of people are living in code they wrote nine years ago (and with code made 16 years ago by others) and taking care of it well, despite how their brains and the world around them has changed. You are an inspiration to me, and I hope that you both enjoy being free of MetaFilter legacy and that you build something else that lasts as long!
posted to MetaTalk by ignignokt at 10:10 AM on April 26, 2016

pb, thanks so much for all that you've done to make MetaFilter great. Good luck!
posted to MetaTalk by tonycpsu at 10:09 AM on April 26, 2016

Thank you, pb. You helped make this amazing thing work.
posted to MetaTalk by MonkeyToes at 10:08 AM on April 26, 2016

WHAT
THE
FUCK
PB?

Seriously, congratulations! Very, very best wishes to you and know that you will be immensely missed!
posted to MetaTalk by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 10:01 AM on April 26, 2016

pb, you're still invited in perpetuity to campouts!
posted to MetaTalk by Greg_Ace at 9:59 AM on April 26, 2016

Congratulations, thank you, and all the best to you, pb. It was a pleasure to work with you and I look forward to whatever you do next.
posted to MetaTalk by matthewmcvickar at 9:59 AM on April 26, 2016

Paul, you're a developer who does things right and I'll miss having your good example around. Best wishes!
posted to MetaTalk by michaelh at 9:58 AM on April 26, 2016

Congratulations pb, excited to hear what you do next.

I say this as a colleague: Paul is a remarkably talented and capable engineer. Metafilter has been incredibly lucky to have someone with his skill and maturity making the engines go. Best of luck, and may your next job not involve ColdFusion ;-)
posted to MetaTalk by Nelson at 9:57 AM on April 26, 2016

all the best PB, you're a real mensch and hell of an engineer. Wherever you are headed off too, they are getting gold. I wish it was where I worked hahahaha I've long wanted talent like yours around my workspaces.
posted to MetaTalk by Annika Cicada at 9:57 AM on April 26, 2016

We will miss you and your wizardry!
posted to MetaTalk by ocherdraco at 9:56 AM on April 26, 2016

This is not a very good birthday gift for cortex!

Thanks for all of your amazing work here, pb, and best wishes in all future endeavors. Please don't be a stranger.
posted to MetaTalk by Chrysostom at 9:56 AM on April 26, 2016

pb now that you're leaving, can you please show me the brick that if you hit it right all of MeFi comes tumbling down?
posted to MetaTalk by griphus at 9:55 AM on April 26, 2016

If more sites had people like pb working on them, the internet would be a much better place.
Thanks for everything pb and best of luck in your future endeavors.
posted to MetaTalk by NoraCharles at 9:53 AM on April 26, 2016

Aw. Thanks for everything, pb.
posted to MetaTalk by yhbc at 9:52 AM on April 26, 2016

I feel like a sailor on an aircraft carrier, hearing the chief of engineering is leaving. Of course it's absurd to ask whether the giant machine will continue to run, but still... *gulp*

Good luck, pb! From one nerd to another, this is an amazing system and you should take great pride in it.
posted to MetaTalk by wenestvedt at 9:51 AM on April 26, 2016

Oh man. This is the most bittersweet news. All the best luck to you, pb. Wherever you're heading next is going to be so damned lucky to have someone of your caliber on their team. Thank you for the eighty billion things you've done to make Metafilter a better place. We will miss you.
posted to MetaTalk by shiu mai baby at 9:49 AM on April 26, 2016

Any chance of getting pb as the special guest for the May podcast, as a sendoff?
posted to MetaTalk by hippybear at 9:49 AM on April 26, 2016

Thank you, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by Shepherd at 9:47 AM on April 26, 2016

Thank you for all your work, and taking criticisms so well. You'll be missed. I admire your ability to stay well 'out of the fray' and remain a high-road-taking tech wizard. All the best.
posted to MetaTalk by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 9:47 AM on April 26, 2016

Thanks, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by Pater Aletheias at 9:47 AM on April 26, 2016

what is happening to our beautiful cabal?
posted to MetaTalk by a humble nudibranch at 9:47 AM on April 26, 2016

PB has a permanent link to my heart. He's a lovely gentleman and I'm sorry he's dead now. Wait. What?
posted to MetaTalk by ColdChef at 9:44 AM on April 26, 2016

oh wow. pb, thank you so much for everything you've done for us for all these years—the work you've done to keep a community like MetaFilter running is no small task! You were also a major part of making my MetaFilter research possible; I literally could not have done any of it if you hadn't taken the time to help me out with those surveys and such. Thank you thank you thank you.

Best of luck to you and know that you will always be thought of fondly and missed here!
posted to MetaTalk by iamkimiam at 9:43 AM on April 26, 2016

thank you!!
posted to MetaTalk by fingers_of_fire at 9:42 AM on April 26, 2016

Oh wow. We'll miss you, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by ODiV at 9:41 AM on April 26, 2016

Thanks pb!
posted to MetaTalk by rustcellar at 9:41 AM on April 26, 2016

Thanks, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by zamboni at 9:39 AM on April 26, 2016

This site and this community have been incredibly lucky to have you, pb, and we are grateful, even as we move into an uncertain future where somebody new will be caring for our backend.

Wait, that came out wrong...
posted to MetaTalk by Horace Rumpole at 9:39 AM on April 26, 2016

So much to say but I'm not gonna bother to say it. Just... thanks. Thanks for keeping this place running, thanks for all the features you've added over the years (including one that I suggested, which was implemented in just a few hours after I suggested it!) and for generally appearing to be some sort of super-human programmer person.

Best to you, pb!
posted to MetaTalk by bondcliff at 9:39 AM on April 26, 2016

In 5 minutes: mefite: "pb should make a button on MeFi that says 'bye pb' and when you press it, it sends pb a free pizza"

In 15 minutes: pb: "okay, it's done and also if you think a choice of toppings while pressing it, they should arrive as well."

Godspeed, fair wizard.
posted to MetaTalk by griphus at 9:38 AM on April 26, 2016

*silent sobbing*
posted to MetaTalk by Eyebrows McGee at 9:38 AM on April 26, 2016

But seriously, all the best and thank you for everything. Metafilter was lucky to have you for as long as it did.
posted to MetaTalk by Phire at 9:38 AM on April 26, 2016

Oh man, I hope all the code has well-named variables and is fully commented!

pb, you worked miracles here. Our community owes so much to you it would be hard to ever express it all. I hope you know, anytime I run into you, I will happily buy you a beer. Offer good in perpetuity.

Thanks for your hard work and best wishes for your next adventure!
posted to MetaTalk by hippybear at 9:37 AM on April 26, 2016