Reading back in time. Much feels

[Folio]

Out of curiosity, I clicked back to 2007 in the keyboard forum and read the very first posts ever made by xsphat and iMav. Such an innocent and already professional forum even way back then. The back and forth of two keyboard fanatics that started it all really made me feel glad that they kept it going like they did. I know there were definitely others involved in Geek Hack's making, but this was just reading the very last post on the very last page. Whiskey in the Jar-o was also part of this 

I just wanted to appreciate how far Geek Hack has come along. I mean, I've only been here for maybe two years, but I'm still so glad GH is what it is today. The community is so welcoming and nice even when someone is completely new to keyboards, and it's always been like that ever since the first post. I've learned so much since joining and I've been coming back every day just to see what shenanigans you guys are up to even if I don't understand some of the advanced jargon some of you use 

Thanks for being you GH community. I love you 

EDIT:
I've actually only been here for a year! Just looked  But it feels like it's been so much longer than that!

[mashby]

Nicely put Folio. I'll have to go back and read those as well. What a great idea!

I've only been here a little more than a year, but I agree with everything you just said about the GH community. Ditto!

[SpAmRaY]

I like to read the old stuff from time to time.

[eth0s]

Out of curiosity, I clicked back to 2007 in the keyboard forum and read the very first posts ever made by xsphat and iMav. Such an innocent and already professional forum even way back then. The back and forth of two keyboard fanatics that started it all really made me feel glad that they kept it going like they did. I know there were definitely others involved in Geek Hack's making, but this was just reading the very last post on the very last page. Whiskey in the Jar-o was also part of this 

I just wanted to appreciate how far Geek Hack has come along. I mean, I've only been here for maybe two years, but I'm still so glad GH is what it is today. The community is so welcoming and nice even when someone is completely new to keyboards, and it's always been like that ever since the first post. I've learned so much since joining and I've been coming back every day just to see what shenanigans you guys are up to even if I don't understand some of the advanced jargon some of you use 

Thanks for being you GH community. I love you 

Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed the good 'ol days that occurred during the genesis of GH.  And I'm also glad that you are enjoying the current era of good feelings.  But, I'm most glad that you missed the horrible days in the middle that were the r!pst3r era:  you have been spared the incessant spam (55,000 posts), abusive language, virulent racism, incoherent ranting, and crude, unsophisticated and immature misinformation masquerading as "keyboard science".  Yay for you!

Anyway, welcome to the new and improved GH.

[Folio]

Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed the good 'ol days that occurred during the genesis of GH.  And I'm also glad that you are enjoying the current era of good feelings.  But, I'm most glad that you missed the horrible days in the middle that were the r!pst3r era:  you have been spared the incessant spam (55,000 posts), abusive language, virulent racism, incoherent ranting, and crude, unsophisticated and immature misinformation masquerading as "keyboard science".  Yay for you!

Anyway, welcome to the new and improved GH.

What is the r!pst3r era all about? I recall something about the site being hacked at some point and that's why we had an interface design change (white background) implemented around midyear last year to commemorate the invasion and to never forget. Is that the same thing? Also, please correct me on any of this if I'm wrong.

[rowdy]

That era was drawing to a close when I joined, and then shortly afterwards r00tw0rm happened and the newly discovered keyboard site was down for a long time.

[mashby]

What is the r!pst3r era all about?

I wasn't around at the time, but apparently there was a user named Ripster who took things to extreme and wrecked havoc on the community here. He was banned, but it was ugly. He's now a moderator over at /r/MechanicalKeyboards/search and appears to still have a chip on his shoulder regarding GH.

I recall something about the site being hacked at some point and that's why we had an interface design change (white background) implemented around midyear last year to commemorate the invasion and to never forget. Is that the same thing? Also, please correct me on any of this if I'm wrong.

That was, r00tw0rm, which was a different event where the forums were hacked and data was lost, including the wiki. As I understand it, those were two separate events, but I could be wrong about that.

[hashbaz]

The ripster situation was coming to a head around the same time we started getting hacked frequently (Spring 2012 IIRC?).  The two are unrelated.  Rip was eventually banned (from Deskthority and r/keyboards as well), and formed r/mechanicalkeyboards (and r/ripster).  Then early summer 2012 the site was taken down hard and data was deleted.  I think the name of the exploit was r00tw0rm?  Or maybe the person/group that did it called themselves that.  I forget (I was not part of the forum staff at this time).

There was a period of exodus for a month or so during which a lot of geekhackers posted on Deskthority.  Webwit was kind enough to create a subforum for us there.  mkawa, iMav, ashort and others worked very hard to bring the forum back and keep it up.  We switched over from vbulletin to SMF forum software at that time.  I don't think we've had any security problems since then.

[Folio]

I wasn't around at the time, but apparently there was a user named Ripster who took things to extreme and wrecked havoc on the community here. He was banned, but it was ugly. He's now a moderator over at /r/MechanicalKeyboards/search and appears to still have a chip on his shoulder regarding GH.

That was, r00tw0rm, which was a different event where the forums were hacked and data was lost, including the wiki. As I understand it, those were two separate events, but I could be wrong about that.

Anyway, welcome to the new and improved GH.

Wow that guy sounds like a total asshat. It's still a great feat that GH survived all the drama and invasions. It's also kind of flattering that GH was actually hacked and almost taken over/lost. It just goes to show how valuable and rare this community is. Kudos to the team of GH'ers who got the site back. If I was here when that happened. I would do anything to help out. I can't lose you guys.

eth0s, I'm still really glad I'm a part of this community, even more so now after finding out about GH's close calls.

[Folio]

The ripster situation was coming to a head around the same time we started getting hacked frequently (Spring 2012 IIRC?).  The two are unrelated.  Rip was eventually banned (from Deskthority and r/keyboards as well), and formed r/mechanicalkeyboards (and r/ripster).  Then early summer 2012 the site was taken down hard and data was deleted.  I think the name of the exploit was r00tw0rm?  Or maybe the person/group that did it called themselves that.  I forget (I was not part of the forum staff at this time).

There was a period of exodus for a month or so during which a lot of geekhackers posted on Deskthority.  Webwit was kind enough to create a subforum for us there.  mkawa, iMav, ashort and others worked very hard to bring the forum back and keep it up.  We switched over from vbulletin to SMF forum software at that time.  I don't think we've had any security problems since then.

I love it here, and I'm so glad we have such good emergency responders such as iMav, mkawa, and ashort. Tragic, but it makes us stronger in the end. We're still here and we're better now   

[rowdy]

R.I.P.ster was good to start with - his knowledge of keyboards was second to none.  But then something changed, leading to his permaban.

[demik]

he's probably walking around with a hard on (assisted by viagra of course) because once again you people are mentioning him.

[rowdy]

he's probably walking around with a hard on (assisted by viagra of course) because once again you people are mentioning him.

Exactly.

[Folio]

Wait who's reptar? Nvm. Doesn't sound like anything interesting. Anyways, how's everybody's day? 

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I miss the old days. I wasn't as knowledgeable back then, but at least the old vBulliten site had the forum arcade...

he's probably walking around with a hard on (assisted by viagra of course) because once again you people are mentioning him.

I bet this thread will be featured in /r/ripster...

EDIT: Apparently it already is.

[Folio]

I miss the old days. I wasn't as knowledgeable back then, but at least the old vBulliten site had the forum arcade...

Now THAT sounds fun

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I miss the old days. I wasn't as knowledgeable back then, but at least the old vBulliten site had the forum arcade...

Now THAT sounds fun

There is an arcade available for SMF, but I don't think the admins want to incorporate it...

[Folio]

I miss the old days. I wasn't as knowledgeable back then, but at least the old vBulliten site had the forum arcade...

Now THAT sounds fun

There is an arcade available for SMF, but I don't think the admins want to incorporate it...

Any idea why?

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I miss the old days. I wasn't as knowledgeable back then, but at least the old vBulliten site had the forum arcade...

Now THAT sounds fun

There is an arcade available for SMF, but I don't think the admins want to incorporate it...

Any idea why?

Not 100% sure, I could be assuming wrong. I'd guess it's something that's not a high priority for them...

Maybe they should make me an admin and let me do all the work...    #sarcasm?

[Folio]

Not 100% sure, I could be assuming wrong. I'd guess it's something that's not a high priority for them...

Maybe they should make me an admin and let me do all the work...    #sarcasm?

I vote yes. You're a swell guy.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Not 100% sure, I could be assuming wrong. I'd guess it's something that's not a high priority for them...

Maybe they should make me an admin and let me do all the work...    #sarcasm?

I vote yes. You're a swell guy.

I am flattered good sir!

Too bad it'll never happen...