1. When did you start using the GNU/Linux operating system?

In late 2008, the first GNU/Linux distribution I installed and used was Fedora 9.

2. How is your name pronounced?

Short answer: /’pɛdrɔ ˈaɪ vən ˈlɔpɛs/

Long answer: Don’t worry too much about it, if you speak functional English, you are likely to pronounce it in an acceptable manner. I’m OK with both the English (/’pɛdrɔ ˈaɪ vən ˈlɔpɛs/) and Spanish (/’pɛdrɔ iˈvɑːn ˈlɔpɛs/) pronunciations.

3. What does dreilopz mean?

It’s my main internet nickname that I use on some sites. The “word” dreilopz is just a pronounceable permutation of the set of characters in my name (Pedro I. Lopez).

4. What websites do you maintain?

As of 2016, just two:

5. When did you start being a vegetarian?

In September 2011.

6. Why are you a vegetarian?

In short, because it’s ethically efficient. A great body of robust evidence points out that the more vegan one is, the better society is as a whole. Reducing the consumption of animal products prevents bad stuff from happening while providing concrete benefits to sentient beings in the present and the future. It also has the potential of inspiring others to care more about moral progress.

7. What happened to the music videos on your YouTube channel?

I removed some pre-2013 recordings of me playing covers and original songs on the guitar and bass from my YouTube channel. I no longer feel comfortable with the quality of such material and I look forward to recording and posting new videos. Also, I may commercialize some of the original stuff, so I think it’s best to keep it private.

8. Why do you use your middle name?

In short, because I think it’s a good choice for optimizing recognizability.

I don’t use Pedro López because it is one of the most common names in México and probably of all the Hispanic world. Also, there are several famous people already with that name. In the past, I used Pedro I. López for a while.

After doing a few web searches with several combinations of my names, it seems that Pedro Ivan Lopez has the best chance of showing top results related to me. As mentioned in this question, I own several domains with my name on them, all of them redirecting to this website.

Honestly, I don’t feel entirely sure about all of this, and I don’t have a particular attachment to any names, but I am trying to optimize recognizability. I may change my opinion on this in the future. By the way, my full name is Pedro Iván López Hernández.

9. What are your favorite music genres?

At heart, I’m a rhythm kind of guy, so I tend to listen more to metal (progressive, tech, death, etc.), EDM and some jazz/fusion too. I also enjoy ambient and film music among other genres. See page music.

10. Do you play any musical instruments?

Yes, I play guitar and bass guitar. See page music.

11. What are your favorite TV/film genres?

Comedy is my favorite TV/film genre, particularly sitcoms and stand up. I do watch a lot of other stuff, though.

12. Why are you public about your giving?

Because I want to inspire and encourage people to give effectively, and help develop a culture of giving. Research shows that when people know that others are giving, they are themselves more likely to give. Socially, there may be a small price to pay if it’s regarded as boasting, but I think the benefits outweigh it. See To Inspire People to Give, Be Public About Your Giving by Peter Hurford at Effective Altruism Forum

Also, it signals my true interests; I like the saying “Put your money where your mouth is.”

13. Why do you sometimes post stuff privately, and later make it public?

In short, it’s because I judge some content not worthy of my immediate attention points, while still thinking it might be useful for something/someone later.

Here’s an example. Suppose I want to publish flattering full-body pictures of myself to signal health/fitness; this information might eventually be useful to potential employers, potential romantic partners, and so on. But if it doesn’t seem obvious to me that it might be immediately useful, I may choose to spend those immediate attention points on something else.