Name:   Peter Stegemann
 E-Mail: pst@cocoon.infra.de
 Dir.:   UMS


[translated by Jan Willemsen]

I was born on 15 of July 1975 in Freiburg/Germany. This means I'm "Krebs" (hm...
what does this mean in english? I don't know...)  ascendent Moon and concerning
to chinese astrology I'm a rabbit, too. Sounds like I'm a default victim...

I was put into school 1981, which is early if you're born in the mid of July. So
I was the "youngster" most time of my life, but this wasn't really a problem...
except when hunting for girls. It's not easy to get them, if they are older than
you. :-)

Intermission: When I was in 4th grade, I owned my first a computer, a C 64!
              (O.k., I shared it with my brother... grmpfl.)

After sitting around in school for 4 years (hey, that's the normal period!) I
was decided to go to the "Gymnasium". Hm. Not the right place for me... I left
it after 2 1/2 years, I was too stupid for speaking french. Nobody wants to
speak french...

I continued my way on something we call "Realschule" in Germany... hm. I took
technics instead of french there and my choice was right. Technics is one of the
few things I'm good in.

Intermission: In the 8th grade, 1988, my brother and I bought our first Amiga.
              An incredible machine!

I've managed to finish the "Realschule" without any further complications and
decided to get some more knowledge on the technical gymnasium. Gymnasium sounded
good, a technical one sounded even better! And there was no need to learn french
for getting my exams there... great! It's an exam which restricts me to study
something technical, but where's the problem? I like technical things!

In the technical gym, I met Felix Ruessel the first time, he's the one who
brought me into scene... and scene was to reason why I became a real programmer
and not just a BASIC hacker.

Intermission: In 1991, my brother bought an A3000. An even more incredible
              machine! He owned it till 1992, when I bought it from him. And I
              still own it. You guessed it: It's the good old cocoon.

My contacts to the scene started it all... I think it was in 1992, too, when I
got my own phone line and me and my brother bought our first modem. In early
1993, I become point in FidoNet and some time later in "fido.de", a gated part
of Usenet. In late 1993 I became Node in the FidoNet.

But let's come back to my schoolish life... on technical gym I discovered, that
my ability to understand mathematics is restricted... or was it the teacher? If
you aks me and a complete maths curse: It WAS him. But finally I managed to get
trough those exams without to much trouble.

In August 1994, one month after finishing my exams, I started my civil-service.
I should stay there for 15 long months... It was NOT a job where I was able to
rest on my butt, it was REAL work. And it wasn't easy most times... But if I
would have to do it again I would... -NO- I would not! I would duck and cover
as fast as I could. Am I a goddamn' hero?

Intermission: There was one good thing on doing civil-service: I went to school
              for 13 years and this was my real job. And I earned real money.
              Sure, it was not much, but it was enough get an ISDN-line. Great
              thing. Since this time, I've never more been without ISDN.

In early 1995, I went to my first Meeting in Karlsruhe, where Bernhard
Moellemann invited me to. I quit scene long time ago, because it was too stupid
(most of those guys started trading... urks, how boring). But this was something
completely different! I met a lot of nice guys there and found some new friends.
In late 1995, I got my first REAL access to the Internet due to my activities in
the INFRa e.V. To be true: I'm not very active in the INFRa e.V., but I'm a
former member and I help if I can.

After my civil service, I immediately moved to Furtwangen to start to study
general informatics. This was in late 1995. And this is, where my story nearly
ends... It's mids 1996 and I'm still here and I'm still studying.

Intermission: Here in Furtwangen I got my second REAL contact to the Internet.
              Since early 1996 there is a cable in my wall which directly
              connects cocoon to the internet. Really a nice thing... I think
              I'll need such a cable when I have to move to another place some
              day, too.

Intermission2: In early 1996 I bought another computer: A BeBox. This machine
               is REALLY great.

I think meanwhile I'm really good in programming C. I developed several tools
and some shareware and I never show up in my programing lessons :-) Maths is
still difficult, but as I started to hate it on the technical gym this makes no
wonder.

to be continued...

Hubba Balu...


Some pictures:

 Picture 1:  Portrait




 Picture 2:  At MEKA-II Meeting in Karlsruhe January 95.




 Picture 3:  At ISEL-II Meeting in Burlafingen.
             From left to right: Markus Kuba, myself
             and Andre Schenk.




 Picture 4,




 Picture 5:   Both at PARA-I Meeting.