I'm a (relative) newcomer to Perlmonks myself, having been here for not quite a year.  But the saga of paco continues to illicit curiousity, speculation and fantasy, and is now a Perlmonks treasure.

For my own part, I like to imagine that paco has been off studying, and has long since become a Perl guru.  It's nice to see that all votes go to him; had I voted, that's for sure where my vote would have gone anyway.

It was only a short while ago I found out about paco, and his story at Perlmonks.

Ok, now I'm curious. What is paco's story, or is the lone 557XP question all there is?

paco posted a single question and was never seen again. Sometime after that, Ovid started a campaign to make paco a Saint by trying to get every monk to vote for paco. It's succeeding quite nicely, given that paco has only one node to vote on. (It is the second highest-ranked node of all time.)

Update: I'll happily stand corrected. Erudil's node is the singularly most-recognized piece of Perl code.

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My criteria for good software:

1. Does it work?
2. Can someone else come in, make a change, and be reasonably certain no bugs were introduced?

The myth continued

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Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

As I've heared, he was the first real visitor of perlmonks, he posted a question first after the opening of The Monastery Gates. Everyone before him cound as natives, not visitors.

But where's the Electric Monk? You know, the one who believed everything was a uniform shade of pink?

He stopped believing. The shock of doing so permanently fried what was left of his eclectic little circuits. It was very sad. :-(

A close 2nd would have been mt2k. I only discovered him the other day, and after reading a few of his posts he started to grow on me - shame he isn't around any more :)

Nice to see Abigail-II's name again, I may be the only one but I miss his acerbic wit and pull no punches style as much as his technical insight.

Is this a way of saying that he was brilliant but lacked even the most rudimentary social skills?

I am afraid to say that I was not a fan, given that he insulted people on a personal level and responded with further tirades when gently pulled up on it. I am sorry that we have lost his great technical acumen though.

Elgon

It is better either to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence. Sooner throw a pearl at hazard than an idle or useless word; and do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few.

Pythagoras (582 BC - 507 BC)

You're not the only one.

GO PACO!

PACO for PRESIDENT!

Where are the likes of Corion, Grandfather, McDarren, rhesa, Tanktalus, ikegami, Limbic Region, to name but a few who spend considerable time helping others.

You're right, that's why I voted for paco, too ;-)

Cheers, Sören

Where are the likes of Corion, Grandfather, McDarren, rhesa, Tanktalus, ikegami, Limbic Region, to name but a few

They don't have enough XP to deserve appearing in this poll :) (no offense intended, of course). Check out the statistics page.

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David Serrano

I don't generally like picking favourites so I actually voted for paco, mainly because he's the only one listed that isn't a regular visitor here. :)

When I saw it, this poll reminded me of Sharing all your experiences about other users so I found it strange. I voted for <CENSORED> but I'm glad to see that my vote ended on paco, following the spirit of that thread.

Update: s/\AWhat/When/;

Cheers,

JohnGG

One small question. Where did the other vote go? The poll showed a total of 25 votes when I visited with only 24 of those going to paco, but none to anyone else!

I'm thinking there's a deliberate fencepost error, in that something to the effect of $#votes vs scalar(@votes) is being used.

emc

"Being forced to write comments actually improves code, because it is easier to fix a crock than to explain it. "
—G. Steele

They used to be equal, and now the count is off by two.

OMG! WTF! Who is this paco and why has his lame node got such a high reputation?

;-)

/J\

I voted Ovid, like others, for me also the vote casted to paco. Like April 1st, is today (May 7th) any special? So paco won the contest unopposed as Favourite Monk for all in the Monastery. :-)

I think it is related to this node 547050 (Sharing all your experiences about other users) and the response it got.

I thought about it, but decided someone might think I meant one of the actual perlmonks users Thelonius Monk, Thelonious, or Thelonius.

Wait...this is limited to voting for Perlmonks?

No wonder Thomas Merton wasn't on the list!

emc

"Being forced to write comments actually improves code, because it is easier to fix a crock than to explain it. "
—G. Steele

Somebody (paco, Ovid? :) needs to learn mo' betta Perl. :))) :D

ps GOOD ONE, hehehe! :D

Don Wilde
"There's more than one level to any answer."

Being a sensible dweller in a cubicle, I really wanted to vote for vroom, because he is the one in charge the asylum monastary, kudra, because she's on her way to world domination or planetscape, because I'd rather not end up being lunch (even if blue_cowdawg is cooking).

Where ever paco may be...

I voted for 'Ovid', but the vote gone to 'paco' ...Oops... how this can happen?

'Davido' is my favourite monk... but, i dont see his name in the list.

:(
Frank

Missing options:
NodeReaper
Shaolin
Thelonious (as somebody already mentioned)
Tony Shalhoub

    VOTE
     FOR 
    PEDRO

Well technically you are a Hermit :) OTOH since you are a hermit it's OK because there is probably no-one around to notice :-)

--
Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. -Basho

Makes me feel right at home... Vote early and often. I voted for Paco anyway.

I'm glad the poll isn't recording votes correctly. We're all here for one common goal, share our knowledge of perl. It is important we don't forget that by getting bogged down in personality conflicts. We should use this thread to thank some people who have been espeically helpful.

Hmm... I just noticed that my name didn't appear on the list. I can't imagine how that oversight occurred, but I'm sure it will be remedied quickly...

spiritway++, excellent!

But surely "We are all Sparatacus paco"? :-)

This reminds me of the elections in former socialist countries. If you went to the polls in East Germany before 1989, you had only one piece of paper with one list of pre-elected candidates on it, which you were supposed to put in the ballot box, thereby voting for those candidates.

There is a vote missing. A recount will be necessary.

Paco voted for himself, and it was disallowed.

is 's are ... those that can still be bothered to take a part in the primary activity of this place.

Well, you could try voting for paco!

Brilliant.. lodging vote now!