# 25th anniversary of SDMB! **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 3, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532 "2024-01-03T01:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/41 "2024-01-04T00:37:27Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I found it. Vintage 2000. Holy crap. I went to look if I’d posted in that thread, and it appears that my very first ever SDMB post was made there. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/42 "2024-01-04T00:43:06Z")
My SD history begins with the books, which I discovered as a teenager. Then in college I got a letter in the newspaper column, which I consider a part of my life resume. It wasn’t until some years later I came up on the boards, and I don’t remember precisely when. Certainly more than 20 years ago. But I changed user names / identities a couple of times before arriving at my current incarnation. I don’t think I’m a very memorable poster - I rarely go in for Pit threads about people and don’t have many controversial opinions. Just one of the gang from quite a ways back, who Cecil just happens to have addressed by name in the newspaper. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/43 "2024-01-04T01:10:47Z")
I became a fan of the Straight Dope column back in the mid 1970’s when it appeared in Baltimore’s _City Squeeze_ alternative paper. I started snarfing up the books pretty much shortly after each was published. I lurked on this message board starting in the fall of 1999 and didn’t join until April 18th, 2000. I doubt I’ve ever been away from the board for more than 10-14 days, save for the “winter of our missed content” when I hung out at the alternate board. Frankly, it’s still the brightest spot on the 'net for me. I’ve learned a LOT here, got old here (I was 42 when I first visited here, I’m 66 now). My SD gear includes a SD coffee mug, and a signed copy of Little Ed’s “Know it All!” And I’ve interacted with such amazing people here!! I remember so fondly many folks we lost; Lynn Bodoni, Jenny (TubaDiva), Equipoise (who for over a decade thought was Equiporpoise), Guin, Colibri, SamClem, Polycarp, Opal, QED and others. What a place! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/44 "2024-01-04T01:27:19Z")
Before I joined I was quite infatuated with Legomancer. I had read a Straight Dope book. Then one day as I was discovering the internet, Cecil was mentioned on a site called Vegan Porn. I thought, hey, I should check that out…and the rest is history. Impressed? I always like to keep my audience riveted. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/45 "2024-01-04T01:33:35Z")
I don’t need the link, but does that site still exist? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/46 "2024-01-04T01:38:51Z")
I’ve often wondered, but I’m more cautious about investigating such things than I used to be. I found this: [http://www.veganporn.com/](http://www.veganporn.com/) Doesn’t seem to be active any longer. They used to have a cute logo of a cow straddling a carrot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/47 "2024-01-04T01:43:47Z")
I joined in May of '03. Like **commasense** , I’ve spent 31% of my life as a member of this board, since we are of an age. I’ve made some good friends here. Thanks to some Dopefests, I’ve met some wonderful people. I’ve even had dinner with **@Qadgop_the_Mercotan** and the human wench Cynthia! I had beers with **David Simmons.** @Stranger_On_A_Train took me for a bottle of decent scotch. Here’s to 25 more years - may we all still be here who want to be. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/48 "2024-01-04T02:19:38Z")
Been lurking here since the days of the pulsing brain on AOL although I didn’t join untl 10 years later. The thread that hooked me was Velma and the Cooler of Evil. Over a third of my life. Time well spent!! Sniff…I love you guys… ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/49 "2024-01-04T02:28:31Z")
I first read the columns, maybe in a Boston free paper? Then discovered the books, and a long time later (2001?), the site. But I only read the columns online for a while, then accidentally discovered the boards by clicking the wrong link. Joined immediately in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/50 "2024-01-04T02:53:17Z")
Books for me. Still have them. Am now rereading them. There were five. Please correct me if any of my dates or titles are wrong. - _The Straight Dope_ (1984) [mass-market paperback; reprinted as trade paperback in 1986 when the Dope blew up nationally; all the rest were published as trade paperbacks to make a uniform series] - _More of the Straight Dope_ (1988) - _Return of the Straight Dope_ (1994) - _The Straight Dope Tells All_ (1998) - _Triumph of the Straight Dope_ (1999) Someone on ebay has the last four as a lot. Three of them signed by Ed Zotti, whoever he was. Grab it now for next Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/51 "2024-01-04T03:10:55Z")
Registered here July 31, 1999. Was on the AOL board before that. Anyone else remember the pulsating brain? I also remember this posted there by Little Ed: “When you learn to spell, suddenly things start to make a lot more sense.” ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/52 "2024-01-04T19:56:24Z")
Joined May 00. Kinda surprising to me, as I am not generally a “rapid adopter.” If I were to guess, I’d assume that was when we got the net at work and were encouraged to “explore”! 😃 First became aware of the Dope reading old Readers I found while in high school. Happy anniversary, all! ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/53 "2024-01-04T20:49:20Z")
I joined on July 5, 2004 – coming up on 37.7% of my lifetime. I no longer have any idea what brought me here, but I credit my longevity to deliberately avoiding Great Debates (and, later, Politics & Elections) for the past 20 years. 🙂 (I’d participated in other message boards, and those kinds of topics were where I’d lose my cool/get warnings. So when I discovered this place, I decided to stick to Cafe Society, IMHO, and MPSIMS…and I’ve lived happily ever after!) ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/54 "2024-01-04T21:01:31Z")
I was active on the AOL board starting in 1995. When the new board started I joined but had issues with the format, so I moved over to afca (alt.fan.cecil.adams) for awhile, then I moved back here in 2005 or thereabouts. It’s been a long ride, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/55 "2024-01-04T22:12:17Z")
Found my old ID! March 16, '99! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/56 "2024-01-04T22:17:24Z")
The modes should be able to merge the two accounts with the old date and “new” username. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/57 "2024-01-04T22:48:09Z")
I found the books first. But was thrilled to see the column in the _Montreal Mirror_. Been around since AOL days, preceding my date in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/58 "2024-01-04T23:00:59Z")
Joined in May of 2000. The first thread I ever posted in was called “Very Vaguely Creepy” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/59 "2024-01-04T23:06:19Z")
My mom bought me the first book at a rest stop on vacation many decades ago. Back in 2000, I wondered if the Straight Dope had an internet presence. I did a search and found the site and the SDMB. I joined right away. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2024, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532/60 "2024-01-04T23:09:28Z")
I was a big fan of the columns. I lived in San Diego for most of the 80s and the San Diego Reader had its own version of Cecil (Matthew Alice as I recall) but would also run the Cecil columns. I moved to Santa Barbara in 1990 and didn’t have access any more. I did the free AOL with the mailed in disks a few times a year and would use that to catch up on the columns that I missed. I was somehow unaware of the message board aspect at the time. I eventually found webpage after the AOL thing ended and read the columns that way and eventually found the message board and signed up within a day. I obviously have gotten a lot out of the place with the slight “never meet your heroes” downside. I hope that I have given back at least some of what I have gained. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/25th-anniversary-of-sdmb/995532.md?page=4)