I started lurking in 2000 and joined in 2001.
I still remember on 9/11 trying to get onto the news sites to find out what happened (I was at work so all I had was my computer, no TV or radio). They were slammed and wouldn’t load, so I came here and found others posting what they could find.
That’s when I realized that this site wasn’t just fun, it could be a valuable source of info too.
I joined in April 1999. I’m a better person because of it. It’s made me more analytical and logical, and I’m less likely to fall for B.S. and conspiracy theories. It’s also been good for my political beliefs; I’m a conservative-libertarian, and hearing “the other side” is refreshing and keeps me in check.
With 35,000 posts to your name, I say that makes you a Doper. (I’m so sorry Spoons. 
)
MfM, over 15,000 posts. My God.
Only 3.1k days or apparently 8 years, so I’m a baby here, but I like it. Am I a Doper? I don’t know.
Being a 99 here keeps me sane.
Living in Hooterville does not. (BTW–Hooterville is much less fun than it sounds.)
According to your profile (found by clicking on your name or picture in your profile), you joined in 2002. So, one of you is wrong.
Me? I used to visit a site called Dr. Neutrino and someone there suggested the Dope as a great place. Good advice! I’ve learned so much here - from YOU! Amazing place.
Yeesh. I’m just shy of twenty four years, making fifteen thousand posts, and reading three hundred thousand posts here.
And these numbers are about half those of Spoons. Who may have spent seven months reading stuff here. You could do worse. The Interwebz says the average woman spends 72 days shaving her legs…
I’m a Doper
he’s a Doper
she’s a Doper
we’re a Doper
Wouldn’t you like to be a Doper, too?
Be a Doper
Drink down the Kool-Aid
On a practical level, Dope threads have saved me a couple hundred bucks over the years (i.e. securing unclaimed funds, getting a credit from DirecTV over their Disney blackout).
Makes the occasional ulcer tolerable.
Conga-rats ALL!
2001 here, so almost a newbie compared to some here.
There aren’t many forums from the internet’s nascent years that are still as active and informative as this one, which frequently amazes me. I’ve been here for 25 years, and though my contributions are largely bland and unnecessary, I appreciate that I haven’t been run out on a rail yet. Still time, though, I guess.
Huh. So there was some time when I’d joined but not visited for awhile? Curious. Anyway, I’m pleased to be here now.
Yes, and now I’ll have to go to New York to meet you again! Well, any excuse to get to New York, I guess. 
Don’t be sorry. I’m glad I’ve been able to contribute so much. And I’m glad that you regard me as a Doper. Thank you!
Probably more than that, but sure, why not? Way back when, when we were dealing with 14.4 Kbaud modems, and bought online time by the hour from ISPs, I used most of my monthly allotment in two days, just reading through here. It was fascinating! I had used BBSs before, and liked the message board discussions I found there. Then, I discovered the SDMB and it was Katie, bar the door. I was lurking then, but I knew that this is where I belong and that I’d sign up eventually.
Been dragging the place down since 2003. I’ve pitted people and been pitted myself. A couple of them I even agree with. Met some good people and some dipsticks. All in all, it’s a fun place.
Am I glad I’m a Doper? Heck, yeah.
We’re a community and have been since the dawn of time. That’s a thing of beauty and comfort. Plus the stuff you can learn from working experts. How great is that?
Plenty great. I’ll be celebrating my 23rd anniversary soon. I joined in the fall of 2001 no matter what the computer says. My join date got lost in the Winter of Missed Content. Just to be in a group where somebody can make that pun and have it stick is glorious.
I recall joining around 2000 or so, which gives me more than 20 years, although there were some years where I wasn’t active.
Of course I am happy to be part of the SDMB. A few reasons:
I hope I have contributed a bit in my areas of knowledge, history, math or linguistics.
Yep! 
Ahem . . .
"With so much drama on the SDMB
it’s kinda hard bein’ the Tee-R-Eye-P
but I somehow, someway,
keep coming up with kinda-lame posts
like, every single day.
May I kick a lil somethin’ for the Ce-cil,
and make a few friends as I lurk thru?
It’s two in the mornin’, MPSIMS is still jumpin,
all around some time zones.
I shouldn’t post until six in the mornin’,
and get some coffee too.
So turn off the lights and close doors,
But (But what?) that thread’s full of trolls.
So we gonna bounce a post to this:
FQ up, GD down, while you drown a cup-o-joe to this . . .
I’ll be scrollin’ down the screen, skimmin’ threads yo,
Sippin’ on my latte-deuce,
(with my mind on a quote and a reply on my mind. . . )"
[My apologies to tha Dogg and moreso to the Gourds]
Tripler
Dope–in varying levels of entertainment–since 2000.