Why is there a gap in threads in the BBQ pit? I was on page #whatever and it goes striaght from dec '01 to around feb '02.
It’s not just the BBQ Pit. The boards were down for that entire period. It was quite a crisis for many, the likes of which this board has not seen before or since. Many threads were lost, but the main reason there are no threads from that time is that nobody could get on to post in the first place.
What caused it?
Someone hacked the site ( my registration date is after the event, but that is because my first incarnation, under the same user name, was lost in the crash).
The period was called the Winter of Lost Content, mainly in February 2002. As has been said, it was a major event in the history of the board.
I thought it was “Winter of our Missed Content”. I thought it was funnier like that, anyway. 
You’re right, Achernar. I’ve seen it referred to as both.
I got a second chance to make a memorable 1000th post. Oh well, there’s always 2000.
Correctly one way.
(It’s a play on word. “The Winter of our Miscontent.” “The Winter of our Missed Content.” Genius.)