Ha. I wonder if we all visited bored.com in the same week. I just checked, and the site still exists. It’s such an obvious domain name though, I wouldn’t be surprised if ownership has changed hands a couple of times over the years.
I was 14 when I first signed up, and I went to my first Dopefest when I was 15 or 16, I think. I’m 19 now.
Sorry, bad math. I was 16 when I signed up, although I’d been lurking since I was 14 or 15, so the Dopefest was when I was 16 or 17. I know I wasn’t 18 yet when I went to my second Dopefest.
Back in the AOL days we had fewer age restriction rules, and a fellow named Ben-something-or-other with a chip on his shoulder about ageism, about 12, was a prolific participant, although not a good argument for younger participants overall. There was also Cmmdr Zil or some such screen-name, another 12-year-old who, in contrast to Ben, fit in well and was more mature than lots of folks far older. I believe Zil is still nominally around (and by now of quite legal age for SDMB participation), but isn’t prolific and has a different screen name on the modern board.
My niece was lurking a bit at the age of 10, but lost interest and then lost internet access for awhile (such things happen when you are a kid). She may reappear, but she is also well past the legal cutoff point nowadays so it’s not an issue.
I’m 22, been lurking for a few years and signed up today. I actually went looking for the website after reading a copy of the SD book. I believe I was into the drug culture books at the time, and the Dope caught my eye on the shelf.
I discovered the Straight Dope a bit after turning 16 and lurked a while before signing up. I’m 17 now. I think that makes me one of the younger members currently but definitely not the youngest.
She’s not really a Doper, but MilliCal sometimes comes in to read posts while I’m on the Board, and she posted one under my name. She’s 8.
I discovered this board when I was 17 (late 2002), and joined it at 18 (early 2003).
I turn 21 next week.