Day Dreaming About ASPD and Providers of the Past

[GlobeSpotter]

Originally Posted by BigLouie

..... they thought they were the Hobby Police and tried to control everything and everyone.

I've never heard of such a thing.

It's hard to believe a person could act that way and be so arrogant. They'd be better off.....asleep.

[Mr. Romantic]

For those who may not know how ASPD got started (keeping in mind there would be no ECCIE without it), here is some history directly from Amber back in 2001:

The History and Evolution of ASPD
i am often asked when/how i got the idea for ASPD, and so, when reading the thread today for how people found the site, i decided that i might as well tell the story for those who have never heard it.

Originally, i was mainly hanging out on USENET. In that group, users add ASP to the subject line of actual messages to help filter the spam from actual content. When i hit the group, i began asking some WAY different questions from what the guys were used to seeing...such as what music, lingerie, fragrances, etc. the clients preferred. At that time, the ladies usually only posted ads and such, so this was a little unusual. The guys loved it, however, and many long discussion threads began to pop up. One of the ladies from the NorthWest coast took offense to how many of these discussions were being had, and began flaming each time we posted these threads, and claimed if we were not posting ads or reviews, we should not use ASP in the header...so i came up with a compromise. I called a truce, offering to use ASPD (d standing for discussion) to prevent others from being offended.

Then came the first ASPD gathering place...a chat room i created on IRC EFnet. Most people that visited loved the chat room, and eventually, i set up a server machine with NNTP so that we had our own news server as well. Finally, the site was put up to help guide others into setting up their news client. After a few months, we had a hard drive crash and lost most of the News content we had. At that time, we lost many of the visitors to the News server, since it took me a little too long to figure out how to fix it.

In the interim, i set up the ASPD discussion boards. Those were QUITE active for some time...until i added RAPS.

Many seem to think RAPS was created due to the closing of Delphi. Actually, this was not the case. RAPS was created when a group of guys who were members of JAG got upset over the overnight change of JAG from a free to a paid site. They asked me to design them a new system they could use. I did so, and turned over total control of the boards to them. However, some of the things they changed upon assuming possession upset the webmaster of JAG greatly, and i went through a few weeks of threats and such over it. Instead of closing the boards, i simply resumed ADMIN control of the boards, and put things back the way i had originally had them.

A few days later, Delphi closed down, and when the uproar ensued from the guys who were upset at their playground being gone, i invited them to use RAPS.

During the course of all of this, other features were constantly being added: Classifieds, Directory, Opinion Polls, Free email service, Free web hosting for one page provider sites, our own IRC server, Members areas, and of course, the client primers.

Each addition to ASPD has occured when i found a new script that i thought would be fun for us to have, and we have gone through many stages of trial and error.

On the Discussion boards as an example we once had a "UserImage" hack which allowed a small avatar photo which would accompany each post from a user. This proved not to be such a great idea, since the photos ate up a LOT of bandwidth as our users increased. (Those of you who are web savy will understand how much it bogged the loading of pages with 25 posts per page, and the images for all 25 loading)

We have also tried other things that didn't pan out, and so we always revert to the original way.

We will continue to grow and expand as time goes on, although these days the time i can commit to ASPD is quite a bit less, due to the time i spend on tech support etc. in addition to my own clientele, and personal responsibilities.

So now, you all know how things came to exist. This site was designed to be a community, and if you research some of the earliest posts you will find many threads in which i used to ask the users to help make decisions. Unfortunately, few of these posts were ever answered, and the most typical answer was usually: "Do what You want Amber, you are doing great so far". I finally realized that no matter how many times i asked, few were going to help make the decisions, and thus, i had to make the calls myself.

I have long since thought of forming an email list for brainstorming and decision making, but alas, that has not yet occured.

Maybe one day.....

------------------
Amber
------------------------------
"i am always a good girl....even when i am bad...i am VERY good at it!! "

[Wakeup]

Now, post the drama behind why it imploded...no one gives a fuck about the geekuserspeak behind why it started...

[Oralist]

Michelle Sandra Bell
Sweet Nichole
River Adams
Laura Garza
Ava Baker

[DEAR_JOHN]

Originally Posted by Don T. Lukbak

You don't like wakeup; I think we all get that.

Be that as it may, his post hit dead solid center, right in the 10-ring.

Originally Posted by idiot savant

^^^ This.

I like WU's posts. I think he's pretty damn smart. I know other's don't feel the same. Oh well.

I stand by my comments.

Originally Posted by chicagoboy

A little respect, please, for the new Super Moderator.

I once saw a movie called Pure Country, and in one of the scenes one guy stated, "you know that little white speck on chicken shit........well that's chicken shit also".

It was a good movie for George Strait fans.

[GlobeSpotter]

Originally Posted by Wakeup

Now, post the drama behind why it imploded...no one gives a fuck about the geekuserspeak behind why it started...

Don't keep us in suspense. Let's hear it from you.

[Mr. Romantic]

Originally Posted by Wakeup

Now, post the drama behind why it imploded...no one gives a fuck about the geekuserspeak behind why it started...

I know why, like GS said let's hear your take on it. History has a tendency to repeat itself. Just sayin'.

[Sweet n sassy]

Ahh yes, i do miss ASPD. Things were very different. May not be from Houston and i didnt travel here when i was on aspd... but i do now lol!

[Dorian Gray]

^^^^
& we're oh so glad you do.

[pyramider]

Originally Posted by Brittanybellastar

And I'm semi insulted to not have even been mentioned here!
What's up with that?!
Have u really forgotten me Houston?!

How could BBS be forgotten? Have you posted taint photos lately?

[chicagoboy]

BBS's awesomeness is unforgettable.

[pyramider]

Originally Posted by DEAR_JOHN

I once saw a movie called Pure Country, and in one of the scenes one guy stated, "you know that little white speck on chicken shit........well that's chicken shit also".

It was a good movie for George Strait fans.

Wasn't that a gay movie with cowboys? Must be since you mention George Strait ...

[DEAR_JOHN]

Originally Posted by pyramider

Wasn't that a gay movie with cowboys? Must be since you mention George Strait ...

Hey, you're the guy with the avatar showing a dick, not me.

[WTF]

Originally Posted by Mr. Romantic

. History has a tendency to repeat itself. Just sayin'.

aspd was ahead of the LE curve, LE caught up in a hurry. Some folks will have learnt from that and some folks will never learn.

Originally Posted by sharkman29

No, it did not! All it did was concentrate on the negative aspect. As are almost all his posts. Negative or the bad side of something. This thread is about the good aspects of ASPD. Sure, there were some problems with ASPD, but this thread wants to remember the good aspects of it. What's wrong with that? What kind of person only concentrates on the negative aspect of everything? A sad one.

My take on remembering just the good is like a person that just wants to remember speeding around town and not all the tickets and wrecks that were cause by that fun driving. Or drinking all night and not thinking about the headache afterward. aspd was a world where people seemed to disregard that this hobby was and still is illegal. You had Spa's popping up next to places they had no business being next to and folks acting as if you were crazy for reminding them so.

The Spa's were eventually reminded ten years ago and a few years later Indy's and Mod's were reminded at a Christmas Party...

Seems like a Pussy version of Tragedy of the Commons http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-...#didyouknowout

[LexusLover]

Originally Posted by WTF

aspd was ahead of the LE curve, LE caught up in a hurry. Some folks will have learnt from that and some folks will never learn ....

Thanks, and I mean it.

So that's why it is NOW acceptable ON ECCIE to recklessly and spuriously attempt to label people as LE by outright stating it and childishly calling them names like "Miss CLEO" with impunity and perceived authority. Tattoo and brand anyone we don't like or with whom we disagree. Got it.