How Long Has This Board Been Here?

[nikki-uk]

I just wondered how many years this board has been up and running-I see now that there are over 7000 members(!).

Are there any members who have been around from the start-how popular was it in the beginning,and most importantly how on earth did you manage before?

The internet's a great thing,stops you feeling isolated and in turn helps us all 'cope' with the inconvenience of a gluten free diet,and of course is a great source of information for us to share with one another.

one things for sure,-I hadn't even heard of coeliac disease before hubbies dx 18 months ago.Now-well I know alot ,and am still learning!!

[celiac3270]

I joined three months after the creation of this board.

Before that there was an old board with an outdated layout, and it is still around--I can find the link if you want it--but it's no longer used, obviously.

I know Mariann (gf4life) was on the previous board, though I'm not sure how long. There are undoubtedly others.

[Rachel--24]

I think I remeber seeing that Tarnalberry is member #1 or maybe it was member #2. I dont remember exactly but she must have been here since day one.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

The board was here a long time but very different when I first joined. When it was changed to how it is today everyone had to re-sign up.

[jerseyangel]

Nikki--Great questions! I've been wondering the same things. I have never been a member of a forum before--I only accidently stumbled onto this one while doing a Google search. It was a couple months after my diagnosis, and I was pretty lost in terms of what to expect, what to eat and just about everything, really. It was a lucky day for me, though. For all the computer 'veterans', is it typical for a group to have 7000+ members, and a much smaller number who regularly post? There must be a lot of people out there just reading.

[Rachel--24]

The board was here a long time but very different when I first joined. When it was changed to how it is today everyone had to re-sign up.

Ahh...so Tarnalberry may have just been the first to "re-sign" up....but not actually one of the first members?

[angel-jd1]

Open Original Shared Link

That is the link to the old board. I was on the old board for quite a while also before Scott moved us over to this new updated one. Lots of good info.

-Jessica

I joined three months after the creation of this board.

Before that there was an old board with an outdated layout, and it is still around--I can find the link if you want it--but it's no longer used, obviously.

I know Mariann (gf4life) was on the previous board, though I'm not sure how long. There are undoubtedly others.

[jerseyangel]

Thanks, Jessica!

[angel-jd1]

You're welcome

-Jessica

Thanks, Jessica!

[ianm]

For all the computer 'veterans', is it typical for a group to have 7000+ members, and a much smaller number who regularly post? There must be a lot of people out there just reading.

That is pretty typical. I belong to some other forums and you get a few hardcore users and the rest stay on the sidelines.

I never would have made it without this forum.

[jerseyangel]

I never would have made it without this forum.

Nope--me either, I'm convinced of it.

[Rachel--24]

Yeah...its the same with all the forums I've been on. Actually I see more participation on here than any of the other forums I've joined but yeah most people are just "lurking" and never post.

[jerseyangel]

I guess I never would have expected the comradery we all seem to have here--such a good feeling to know my cyber friends are out there

[VydorScope]

Its likely that most of that 7000 never come here anymore. Its fairly typical for ppl to sign up, hang out for a short bit then fade away. Some boards actively trim thier user lists to keep the numbers realistic, but Scott does not appear to, nor does he appear to do anything about the artificaly inflated online user count (most of that number is spiders/bots/etc). Dont blame him, its alot of extra work, and realy does nothing meaningful.

[paw]

I am still learning so I don't have all kinds of gread advice to offer -- at least not yet. I do post questions sometimes. I would not want to say some food or product is ok and have someone get sick because I am just learning.

[jerseyangel]

Thanks Vincent--I'm learning something new every day

[tarnalberry]

Ahh...so Tarnalberry may have just been the first to "re-sign" up....but not actually one of the first members?

Yep. I had been signed up on the old format board for ... a year, maybe just half a year? Something like that. Then signed up promptly when Scott moved to the new format, which I think was first thing in 2004.

[flagbabyds]

I was on the old board since the beginning, I would really only post in the teen section, because the old board was really hard to navigate about, but when the new board came up, it took me a couple tries to get it right,but it is soooo much better.

[plantime]

I don't know how long it has been here. I found it before I was diagnosed, and I don't think I would have been able to manage without it.

[flagbabyds]

It's an awesome resource for newly diagnosed, I just like reading people's posts, and responding, and then making radom posts here and there when I have quick questions. The size has really jumped since Scott made the new format, it is much easier to navigate around:0