I hardly post here anymore, as my MAME/cab hobby has always been on and off, since I started using MAME in 1999. However, one constant through most of my time in and out, has been R. Belmont's presence here and his helpful posts. I had taken his participation here for granted and recognize this will be a huge loss.
I will not speculate on the reasons for his unexplained departure but wish him the best in his personal life.
RB: Thank you for all you've done for this community. You will be greatly missed.
Over the years I read a heck of a lot more than I post to both MAMEWorld and bannister.org with a few exceptions. I'm trying to figure when I exactly first encountered posts by R. Belmont, whether Dave's Video Game Classics or MAME.net and what year.
I'm thinking late 90's? Not sure. One thing I do know is he will be sorely missed. It's like someone just dropped a nuke in the middle of the emulation community.
I see R. Belmont as a vestige of what was the 'golden age' of emulation. This is a hobby, I know. But it's one heavily invested in by me. I feel my investment has just taken a huge loss.
All the best R. Belmont; a class act that always has a great balance of being helpful and brilliant without coming across as obnoxious. A very rare commodity and talent to the community that I wish nothing but the best for...take care!
RB - you will be missed. Thank you for all of what you have done (with both MAME and other things that you have helped me with)
I can't say I blame him after reading a lot of what gets posted here (and on bannister). I hope that all of the whiners are happy now - we just lost a huge MAME (and MESS) asset. I'm sure that there are many talented folks working on MAME that we are both aware and unaware of. RB is a household name in regards to MAME. Yes, MAME and MESS will go on (as it always does) but this certainly does make one step back and wonder ...
Well, as the post above suggests, just when we were about to pull together to buy a wreath, it looks like his departure is only limited to his active work on MAME and MESS drivers, but that he'll still be around to regale us with his trademark clever humor and vast knowledge.
He edited the post on this WIP site:
Quote: ETA: Just to clarify, this is not a “quit the sk3n3″ thing. I’ll still post in the usual places. New versions of Audio Overload and M1 are still on the docket and I will continue to work with the SuperModel project to keep it running well on Linux and OS X.
You are doing a good job for many years. We shall never forgot you. By the way, I am keeping my eyes on Supermodel for both linux and Mac OSX from you. *SNIFFING*
> R.B. is quiting - (no explanation, at least on his site) > All I can say is : > Thank You for all Your work and dedication to MAME and MAME comunity !
I don't know what transpired on the boards that may have turned you off to MAME but I just wanted you to know that I (and others) are huge fans of yours. You've been the most accessible developer around. You've have always answered/commented on MAME related questions (especially dumb ones of my own).
I hope you will still hang around here. I still have a bunch of dumb questions for you.
I really hope you focus on M1, it really needs an update The neatest program around.
All kidding aside, if it was the chatter on the boards, that would be a travesty. It's amazing how something fun(emulation) turns out to be too serious to others.
Can someone tell me what the "R" is for? Ralph, Reuben, Richard...Ringo?
> R.B. is quiting - (no explanation, at least on his site) > All I can say is : > Thank You for all Your work and dedication to MAME and MAME community !
R.B. vs Arbee.
'R.B.' is Richard Bannister. 'Arbee' is R. Belmont.
Everyone has a time to move on... To different and/or better (more important?) things.
Good luck and God Speed - R. Belmont. When I think of MAMEDev you're one of the first persons to come to mind.
> Well, as the post above suggests, just when we were about to pull together to buy a > wreath, it looks like his departure is only limited to his active work on MAME and > MESS drivers, but that he'll still be around to regale us with his trademark clever > humor and vast knowledge.
Still a big loss for the MAME team, but I'm glad to hear he's not disappearing entirely.
"Wait, NO," I said. My eyes aren't reading this, or at best, they are lying to my brain.
What a shock out of the blue; I'm so sorry to see you go. Such a huge loss that no doubt affects far more people in the community than this thread may make it seem, whether they realize it or not.
Ok that may be a BIT stretching it, so... [/hyperbole]. There. Seriously, I don't think anyone can overestimate the importance of the contributions you've made to the preservation effort, entirely selflessly, devoting precious personal time as have all those involved with the project (though out of all the amazing stuff you're capable of, I think I'll miss your Apple II contributions the most). I hope you consider coming back someday, but I respect your decision if you don't. At least take the downtime, get away, don't let people get to you even if you believe they mean you harm. There be dragons.
Dammit, this is starting to sound like a frickin teary-eyed eulogy but I wanted to say what I know everyone else should but hasn't yet. No long goodbyes. Take care, my friend.
Sorry to hear that. I am a big fan. Well if ya gotta go go with a smile. Take care R. B. and thanks for the helpful advice over the years.
[ATTACHED IMAGE]
I’m convinced Mario is a hobo.
He wakes up everyday in the same clothes, runs around in sewers, and collects coins for a living.
At the end of the day, he uses the coins to buy mushrooms
Thanks for all the contributions Belmont. Now each time i see a konami game that's been emulated on MAME (especially with all the hard work to make Lethal Enforcers 1 on MAME a possibility) i shall think of you. Best wishes.
If MESS various emulated Mac systems can eventually run Glider (Mac version), that is something I look forward to.
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glider_PRO After publisher Casady & Greene crumbled and Glider creator John Calhoun began working at Apple, he released the game online.