Five years with the SDMB. Thank you.

About This Message Board
1

I know that normally this sort of thing should go into MPSIMS. However, I feel that this post is neither mundane nor pointless, and so I ask our moderators to please leave it here, if possible.

It was five years ago today (1/25/2000), that I first registered for the SDMB, and I want to thank you all for making the last five years enjoyable.

When I first came here, I was a refugee from Usenet. On some Usenet forums, flame wars are more the norm than the exception. In some of the forums that I was coming from, it was virtually impossible to actually have an informed discussion/debate without at least two personal attacks. It was very frustrating for me.

Then I found you folks. And I’ve got to tell you, once I found you, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe that there was actually a forum out there where one could have a discussion or debate on just about any topic without it turning nasty if the person didn’t disagree with you. And, to boot, you could even have a discussion on things that weren’t so earth-shattering. Where else on the net can one go to argue/debate/discuss Judaism, Pete Rose, abortion, Lost, the British Monarchy, potty-trained elephants and 401(K) plans all in the same place?

And I found that this was a community of people who care for one another. The outpouring of grief when WallyM7 passed away was palpable. I never knew WallyM7 well, so I didn’t have the same feelings that everyone else did; but the fact that here was a group of people that, for the most part, never met each other in real life, but nonetheless had a person who touched thier lives so; that touched me sincerely.

And I found out that it wasn’t a one-time phenomenon. When some people couldn’t afford to continue on the boards when the Chicago Reader felt to need to charge for posting privliges, there were lines of people (so to speak) ready to help out those who couldn’t pay. When a poster stated that he literally had no money and asked what cheap foods could sustain him the longest, members here pulled out their wallets (or Paypal accounts) to send the poster some money so that he could meet his basic expenses.

And I, too, have benefited from the kindness of the people on these boards. Whenever I have a question, from the serious and earth-shattering (to my life) to the downright silly, I know that I can come here and that you kind folks will do your best to give me the best advice that you can.

I have had lots of enjoyment from this community, both in my time spent reading and posting on these boards, to the events that I participate in off the boards with members of this community (such as my Out of the Park Baseball League and my Fantasy Baseball league). I’ve had fun at the KosherDopefests that we’ve had and have enjoyed meeting those of you whom I’ve met. I consider many of you to be my friends, even though we have never met in real life, and look forward to making many, many more friends on these boards.

I have real-life friends and family who don’t understand how a group of (mostly) anonymous people posting on a message board could possibly be interesting, let alone a real part of your life. And I try to explain to them about this community and the people in it. They just don’t get it. Maybe I’m not explaining it well; maybe it just needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

I wanted to thank you all for making my posting experience here a pleasureable one. I want to thank you for answering my questions, putting up with my rants (lame as they usually are), being a sounding boards for ideas I may have, participating in games with me and for just being there when I need someone to “talk” to. I just want to thank you all for being there for me when I needed you and being such a wonderfully diverse group of people. In addition, I just want to express a sincere “thank you” to our moderators and administrators, who, for little more than a coffee mug and the opportunity to sit at the Perfect Master’s feet, put up with all of us and make sure that this place stays the wonderful place that it is.

It’s been a blast for the last five years, and I hope it continues to be for many more years to come. Again, thank you all.

Zev Steinhardt

2

Jeez, Zev, don’t scare us like that! I kept thinking you were building up to tell us you were leaving!

I’m very relieved that’s not the case. You’re knowledgeable, insightful and an asset to the boards.

Glad to have you here.

3

You have served your five years and are now eligible for parole. Here are your possessions. Go away, be good and don’t offend again and you won’t have to end up here :slight_smile:

4

Congrats, Zev, on reaching this milestone. Consider this an online delivery of a ruggeleh with five lit candles, for you to extinguish.

And thanks for the nice words. The concept of “building a community” is what we’re all about, and the reason for most of our rules and policies. Nice to know it’s succeeding!

5

Well, I just checked my profile, and realized that I signed up the day before Zev (I’m one day older, nyah, nyah, nyah!). I have to echo what he’s said about the experience.

The one thing I’d add and emphasize is that the best thing I’ve gotten out of the board is the opportunity to meet some great people who’ve become “real-life” friends. Although the board is indeed a community, they have spawned several communities that live not out here in the meat space, something for which I’m particularly grateful.

Thanks for the ride, guys.

6

I am proud to say that I was one of the “founding” members of this board. In fact, I pre-date this board all the way back to the AOL community. My name there was LlRex2. It was there that I first met a few of the characters that are still around, like OpalCat, Diane, and Lynn. I loved the AOL boards and hated, hated when the SD first transitioned to the web. Of course, I was an idjit because had only AOL users been members, we wouldn’t have the diversity that makes this place great. And if I’ve learned nothing in the last six years, it’s that “AOL sucks!” :slight_smile:

Zev, I’m glad you’re here. You’re one of the many characters that makes this place an outstanding place to visit while I’m sipping my virtual cup of joe.

7

Me too. There honestly is no one here whom I don’t like. I’ve learned so much from so many people. This is a great place.

8

No…thank you. Your contibutions are legion. :cool:

9

Phew is right! I’m so glad that other shoe didn’t fall. We don’t know each other, Zev, but I read your posts whenever I see them. You are among my favorite dopers.

10

Another rah! for Zev.

11

I’ll be hitting my five-year point this coming May, but even I have to admit that I’ve never seen such a close-knit group of friends anywhere than on these anonymous boards.

And even these boards compare with the friendship some of my squadrons have had. I mean, who else has tried to keep track of me after 9/11 and my recent deployment this past spring? Who’s taken it upon themselves to send a few cards and pictures just to say “howdy” if not “Thank you!”

I don’t need to say it, but a Doper always has a home with me, and whatever help I can give them when they need it… It’s because of the power of friendship that this place draws me back, and I thank you all for it.

Tripler
And them’s just my $0.02.

12

I am grateful that you’re here, Zev. You are a solid source of information and wit. Live long and prosper. \//