The SD is my first MB, I enjoyed reading Cecils columns and that is what led me to this site. I spent a few weeks reading nearly all of Cecils’s columns which I hadn’t read by way of his books. Then I saw this little hyperlink that said “Message Boards.” I suppose you know the rest…
Is this your first message board? If not, then, what was your first? And how did you find this MB?
Not only is it my first MB, but it’s the only message board I read and participate in. I too liked his books and went searching for him online when I got connected.
The others are so… well, bland.
This board has been my first message board experience. I was brought here last year by someone who was a friend at the time. I enjoy coming here, but admit that some of the crap with the trolls has made me come less than I used to.
Then there are days when my favourite posters are around and its awesome!!
It’s also my first and only. I shudder to say this, but it’s so easy to get caught up in these virtual conversations and debates and not take time to live one’s own life - so I reserve some time each evening to write and engage in somewhat intellectual discussions 
I stumbled across it purely by accident; it was an old, OLD bookmark in IE on my dad’s old computer, and I was trying to weed out the bad links…needless to say, I’m having a blast.
Yes, this was my very first one. And I lurked for a whole 45 minutes before deciding that I just HAD to get involved here!
This is my first and only message board. I found the message boards because I missed reading The Straight Dope in the Reader after moving from Chicago about 3.5 years ago. I have read it online ever since and about 6-8 months ago began lurking on the message boards. Smart people, cool topics, addictive combo (sorry for the newbie suckup). I swear I’ll work up the nerve for more recent posts soon.
Lol, Mr. Cyn, I think I too lurked for less than an hour before I said, “I want in!”
Me too. I used to watch SD tv show, and when I had an AOL account I stumbled across the site. I lurked for a long time before I joined in. I don’t post that much, but I love this board.
First internet MB. I started out in the world of BBSs, though, a long time ago.
Found the board because I rarely get to read Cecil’s column in print unless I make a conscious effort at 6:00AM, a time that does not lend itself to conscious efforts. I think I found the SD online while looking for something else. Then the “Threadspotting” thing was devoted to some people who were thinking that “The Simpsons” was going off the air because of the season finale. I knew it to be wrong, so I registered to correct them. The whole process from discovering the MB to posting my first know-it-all message took about five minutes. Then Shayna flirted with me and I was hooked. I didn’t lurk first and have suffered som growing pains because of it.
I second (sixth? eighth?) everyone here.
I was introduced to the column in a free weekly paper several years ago, and one night just for shits and grins typed “straigtdope.com” into a search engine and here I am.
My very first post was in respond to the columns, someone kinda flamed me, majormd came to my defense, and I lurked for a long long long time before I started posting again.
Um, nope. I started out posting on some of the topical message boards on MSN (dogs, photography, etc.) Then I stumbled on Snopes. That led me here. And I plan to stay.
I first stumbled upon the board when I was 15 on AOL. The original board. I was looking through Research and Learn on the AOL channels and somehow managed to find it by pure accident. I lurked for like two seconds and then jumped right in, only to be welcomed but gently rebuked by BugZap for not c&ping in the post. Luckily I learned quickly. And now that the AOL board is gone (okay, not really, there are still a handful of us there that go to it using an obscure link) I post here, though I’m more of a lurker than a poster I guess. I’ve enjoyed myself on the Straight Dope very much.
My first and only MB.
I’ve been a fan of the Straight Dope since 1987 when I saw and bought a copy of the first book. I just had to know the truth about Catherine the Great and the horse.
I was @ work.
One of my friends was laughing his ass off. I asked what was so funny, he gave me this URL: http://www.straightdope.com
I read about nucleation sites, about “rule of thumb”, about sainthood, about felching, about all kinds of other shit.
Then I read about time travel, and decided to start a thread about it.
I think it ended up in GD. Talk about putting your foot in a bucket!
Anyway, I proceeded to make a total ass out of myself, piss a bunch of people off, and otherwise contribute nothing to the board.
Then I wised up (mostly), re-registered under another name(totally), told everyone about it(openly), and started trying to make a good impression and make some friends(sucessfully).
And that’s how I came to be the poster I am today.
I am also a “first and only”.
~Santi
No, this isn’t my first. I started off at a X-Files message board, but there is only so long I could spend on one subject before getting bored. I evntually migrated to the cnn.com borads. I had no idea so many undereducation, overopinionated people frequent cnn.com. I was able to ahndle that for about tow months before the repetitive flame wars and slap-dash debate chased me away.
I had a friend who forwarded the “Ask the Gay Guy” link to me. I lurked for a week before diving in. Let me tell you, the IQ level is ten times higher than what I found at the IQ. Yes, it does get a bit contention here, but it’s not hard to steer clear of conflicts here, whereas at the cnn.com boards there was no escape.
I think there is enough here to hold my attention for years if necessary.
Yeah, this is my first message board… but I do have 10+ years of experience in Usenet newsgroups. There are pros and cons to each format but I must say… there’s nothing as simple, straightforward and as fun as reading Usenet in trn…
Strikingly similar to my situation, interesting.
I think my first message board was on…uh…some Christian forum, I’ve forgotten the name. I was there for a couple of years before getting fed up with the aggression some of the “louder” posters showed, not to mention their complete intolerance. I left and have never been back.
I’ve also participated in various horse racing forums, specifically Triple Crown and Breeder’s Cup boards (around when the time these events are held, May and November).
However, this is where I spend entirely too much of my daily time.
First message board? Yikes! Nope. My SO and I have two (both called the Feynndom - his username is Feynn - get it?), one at the Globe, and one at Delphi (I use message board and forum interchangeably, since I don’t see much difference). Star Trek, Urban Legends, Pregnancy and Birth, Toddlers and Parenting, 80’s music, Canada and Friends, Western Canada, Writing, Entertainment, General Discussion… I’ve been a regular at the 80’s forum for 2 years now. This is just a small list of all the message boards and forums I’ve been a regular at. Some of them I still go to, some of them not so much. Yahoo, Delphi, Globe, Snap…
I guess I’m just a message board slut.
And… staying at home for most of the last 3 years has meant a lot of time on my hands.
-just a lil bump before bed