A bit of history about our site

[tamarian]

O.k. I promised to write a bit on how this site came about, so here goes.

Last June, 2000 I was checking several boards and news groups to see if there's any information about low-carbing in Vancouver. I posted a message on eScribe-Atkins and found 2 Vancouverites on the Atkins eScribe board. I emailed them to see what they know, and if they'd be interested in sharing info over email. One said "yes", and one never replied. So, I created a list at eGroup and by the next day, the 2 of us were joined by about 5 and by week's end 10 more, and kept growing.

By the end of the month, the list was quite busy with members from all over Canada, and a few members from Washington, so we created another email list, low-carb Canada to make it available to all, not just Vancouverites.

We started our website on Geocities a month later, July 4th to be exact. it was at http://www.geocities.com/wwoha/lowcarbcanada.html The site kept getting bigger and our traffic increased, as well as the size, around 300 pages then. I simply wanted to post the info we discovered in the list to the world-wide web, since many emailed me directly to ask questions and didn't want to join a list, so I can just send them the link instead of typing the same info over and over.

The URL lowcarbcanada.com was registered 2 days later by someone else. And a year later, the URL is still under construction. I considered it a cyber-squatting incident, still do :) At the time Canadian URL registration was frozen, pending a move for URL registeration from UBC to a new entity called CIRA. I signed up not knowing if we'll get the name lowcarb.ca. After 6 months or so, we officially got it. But while waiting, I registered lowcarber.org to enable us to move from Geocities. Geocities was good, and still is for small sites, but if you have hundreds of pages to maintain, you need more power through scripting languages like Perl/PHP/MySQL etc. to mange things without editing each and every page when you want to change something, so we opted for a new commercial host (October 2000) with all these goodeis for me to play with ;)

The new list kept growing as well, and I noticed, as did some other members, like Karen, that the discussion was too focused sometimes on LC products, and chocolates, which is fine, since that was initially what I had in mind for the list. But I learned later, and thanks to Karen, to think "outside the box", and started to focus more on real food, and not focus on low-carb "products". Don't get me wrong, I still like to know and publish where things are, and how to get them, but I didn't want the info in my face (well, in my email box anyway) every day, particularly when I'm week and cravings are hard to resist.

This lead me to think about the "forums" way of doing things. If you're into exercise, you know where to look, same for products, same for recipes, jokes, etc. I had some second thoughts about the forum, first, our members didn't like my hyper mood for constant changing :) . I learned this when I wanted to change the Vancouver list to a Canada list, and the emails started coming, encouragement, anger, protest. So, I decided to create another list (o.k. I was being a chicken). Second, there was already few forums/boards on the web, why reinvent the wheel? But I noticed the existing forums at the time were all Atkins, and one for PP. So I thought a general low-carb forum should be able to fill the gap. So, last October 2000 we played with a few software packages, and for a few weeks it seemed like there's only me, Doreen, Karen, Rachel and Sharon chatting with each other, but things slowly started picking up since then ;)

[Karen]

Not to mention the hundreds of hours you've put into this site to keep it alive and always growing!

Wa'il, you should put this in the red bar somewhere - maybe under its own title so it doesn't get buried.

K

[fiona]

Thanks Tamarin

I enjoyed reading that. You've done very well in such a short time. My first impression was that you'd been here much longer to have perfected your support and useful information to such a degree.

Keep it up.

[debbiedobson]

wa'il, thank-you so much for this post! it's great to know our roots! thank-you for all the time and effort and love and sweat that you put into this site! you're a real sweetheart!:D

[tamarian]

Originally posted by Karen
[B]Not to mention the hundreds of hours you've put into this site to keep it alive and always growing!


Awwh, but how many hours did you put in? Those recipes of yours aren't just a 5 minute hack thingy, and there's over 50 of them. Plus your constant reminders of thinking outside the box :)


Wa'il, you should put this in the red bar somewhere - maybe under its own title so it doesn't get buried.


This red bar if gaining weight and will soon burst :)

I'll have it bookmarked for next time the question comes up.

And thanks Debbei and Fiona for the kind words. I really didn't mean to claim credit all by myself through this post. This site would literally never be here had it not been for the support of earlier members (Doreen, Karen, Rachel, Sharon) and the constant growing support of new(er) comers such as yourselves.

Wa'il

[Karen]

True enough Wa'il, but if this site didn't exist, there would be no one for me to nag about that old box! ;) For this, I am grateful.

K

[doreen T]

What about including it with the "About us" statement?? Or on the Stories page. So, folks can not only read the success stories of members, they can also read the success story of the site!

Only, give it its own frame, so it doesn't get lost in the list of stories.

Just a thought.

Doreen

[tamarian]

O.k., it shall be added to our about page :)

Wa'il

[Stina]

I know for me personally, that I absolutely rely on this site on a daily basis. I get up, make a coffee, and start reading. It is like having a constant reassurance that I am not alone in this and a constant supply of knowledge and support. The great journal idea helps me stay on tract (for the most part) and I have made some wonderful new friends.

Thanks for setting this up and bringing such a wonderful group together!!!

Ironically, y'all know how much I weigh but the rest of my world doesn't have a clue. I wonder how many other people are willing to share this info with strangers but not with people in their immediate lives? Is it just me?

[Karen]

Ironically, y'all know how much I weigh but the rest of my world doesn't have a clue. I wonder how many other people are willing to share this info with strangers but not with people in their immediate lives? Is it just me?

We should all have a look at what our weight is on our Driver's Licences! ;)

You're right Stina, in a way we are strangers, but we're also a community striving towards common personal goals. Here we don't judge by someones weight. We may judge by other things but you'll never have someone's eye bug here because they know what someones weight is. Because of that, we're a bit more willing to "share".

Karen

[Sharon]

Wa'il...you keep nothing but improving this site constantly...I'm not just sure how you find the time.

I've surfed around many other low carb sites....and there is no doubt this in my favourite....so informative and so personal. All the friendly, patient people here make it that way. I think it's the tone that's picked up right away when you start reading posts.

I too remember back last fall when you switched to this website. I also remember my first crossing of paths online with you.. Remember I think I was a little annoyed about not being able to buy many low carb products in Canada. I probably didn't make a very good first impression!!

The growth of the "forum" has also been a great low carb journey in itself. Soon some of our friendships will be one year old...and what a great year it's been.

Keep up the great work....we do all appreciate it.

[tamarian]

Originally posted by Sharon
Remember I think I was a little annoyed about not being able to buy many low carb products in Canada. I probably didn't make a very good first impression!!

Yes, I remember. ;)

Wa'il

[Andy Davies]

This is a great story, about a great site. In a way, the qualities which many of us so admire about this site are a reflection on those few dedicated individuals who all came together to found and expand it. There is a parallael to me with early pop music and the Beatles...there were many groups around at the time, but the Beatles had a combination of talent and drive, and an ability to relate to the mood and needs of the people around the world. This site has done a similar thing. From the drive, enthusiasm, commitment, dedication, hard work and innovation of the original core characters has grown this huge and vastly successful site which has been a positive benefit to very many people, and as much a part of their daily lives as their family. And that word holds another key. The values, the attitudes, the inspiration, the support, the encouragement, the reassurance, the tolerance, and the guidance when it is sought, are all values you associate with a family. This site is so successful because it is like a big family, and even as it grows organically, they will still continue to bind it together, and to make it a truly worthwhile place to come and visit.

So, thanks to Wa'il, Karen, Doreen, Rachel, Sharon, and the amazing wonderful creation they made. Thanks, too, to the moderators who so tirelessly help these founders operate and expand it, and the loyal members who form its backbone. It's great to be associated with something special, as well as useful.

[LC Sponge]

Wa'il - what a spot of luck to find in one person a low carber and a web expert and a devotee. And for you to have attracted and kept terrifically supportive moderators like there are on this site is absolutely wonderful. This is a great site.

Now that I've read the history, I think I remember one of the 'old' versions and probably stopped in a couple of times. Obviously this evolutionary end product is far improved because when I stopped in here, I stayed :)

[Bez]

:) Hi Wa'il,

Just thought I'd have my little say.

Occasionally through work I'm asked to look at web sites to see how user friendley they - and this is the most user friendley one I have found....I was however looking for this one for me.

It's informative, fun, 'safe' as well as a brilliant way to communicate with others - I prefere it to chat rooms because it gives you time to think about what you have written down and although sometimes we have to wait for a response from others (that isn't down to you), we do eventually get our response.

Well done on a wonderful invention on your part and to those others that were involved...you truly have done good for all of us that rely on this board for encouragement amongst other things.

I would just like you to know that when I first posted, I was so excited about it and about the responses I would get. (Even though I made a hash of it), I did eventually get there and here I still am.

The other thing is that there are friendships and communications with others being made on a far greater level and hopefully these will flourish and grow too!!

Well done Wa'il and thanks for the post, it's always nice to know where things came from or when they started.

Bez

:wiggle: :rose: :wiggle: :rose: :wiggle: :rose: :wiggle: :rose:

[madpiano]

Hello Wa'il.

Thanks a lot for all your effort, this is a great site. You mentioned, that there was already a couple of lists and forums. I am subscribed to some of them, but this one is the friendliest and most helpful of the lot. Some of the other lists are not for the faint hearted (alt.support.diet.low-carb being a good example).
I also like the way the web-site is set up. It is user friendly, and even newbies have no problem with it.

great work

Sabine

[Ka3n]

Thank you Wa'il for a perfectly wonderful site. It's so user-friendly and packed with great information to help us on this WOL. Thanks to Karen, Doreen, Rachel and Sharon, too! You've each taught and encouraged so many people.

It's amazing that the site is only 14 months old, a tribute to your hard work, Wa'il.

Does it help to finance 'our' site if we click on the advertisements?

[Marlaine]

Wa'il....firstly. Thank you so much for creating the site....and thanks to all of co-conspirators!!

It was great to read the little history of the site. I've been curious about it since I'm a recent grad of a Cap College IT course and I was curious about the back end. I'm not sure why but I'm on a Mac and I can't use lots of the bells and whistles and I haven't tried to nail down a reason yet.

I really appreciate that this forum is here. I was at my wits end with my LC experience and even my doc was ready to have me give up. But I found this site and found inspiration and the will to carry on.

Again....thanks!

[tamarian]

Originally posted by Ka3n
Does it help to finance 'our' site if we click on the advertisements?

Not sure if it would. Best thing to do, I think, is only click on what interests you. I don't like to post signs like "help our site" or "visit our sponsor" etc.

Thanks for the thought. :)

Wa'il

[tamarian]

I've been curious about it since I'm a recent grad of a Cap College IT course and I was curious about the back end.

Congrats! Our back end is Linux 6.2 server and MySQL database, and most scripts are PHP, with some Perl.

I'm not sure why but I'm on a Mac and I can't use lots of the bells and whistles and I haven't tried to nail down a reason yet.

I can't think of any reason for this. I can access everything from my Linux box, just like from my PC with no problems. Let me know if you still have problems, as I'd be disappointed if it turns out we're Mac-challenged. :)

Wa'il

[Marlaine]

Wa'il...
I went and looked and discovered that everything runs fine in Netscape 4.73, but IE 5 pops up a JScript runtime error when I try to post.

So......it's not my beloved G4.

Marlaine

[goldie]

I'm a newcomer (only two weeks) and I really want to thank you guys. The advice, the recipes, the simple kindness and friendliness in your replies provide first-class support for all of us.

Goldie

[Karen]

I think it's good to revive this thread every so often so newcomers can get a glimpse of the Forum's history.

Karen

[alto]

Thanks to Karen for bumping this up. I hadn't seen this thread before.

I discovered the site from something posted on alt.support.diet.low-carb (to which I've never posted, but which I would turn to every time I restarted lowcarbing :) ) -- the Banting Diet. I was reluctant to post at first because I didn't want to "trespass" on a Canadian site. (We Americans have this odd reputation for being pushy :) ) Then I noticed there were people from all over, and no one seemed to be shooting foreigners.

It's good to know the history, and I can only echo the praise. It's a lovely site, with kind and helpful people and oodles of information.

My sincere thanks to all of you.

[doreen T]

hi alto,

Actually, the thanks go to all of "you", the members who join and are helped and who choose to turn that around and help others.

Every blessing and every success to you, and to all who read this and are inspired.

:rose: Doreen

[Chrissy]

I too check in daily for inspirational advice, wisdom, a good laugh and a boot in the butt to get off the couch and exercise. LOL
With all the energy and professional advice here at the board, I thought you guys were here for years! Wow it's amazing with all your knowledge and your friendliness!
However, the most favorable part I like about this forum is that we have space to post our photos by our stats, as well, I love those Smilies!!!!! :clap:

I’ll be a member for life, thanks for all you have done to help me reach my goal!

btw......I'm curious on how many people reached goal while being a member here for 14 months? Do you keep track of that?

*<{:-{)

[shelley]

I cannot thank you enough for this site. It is very comforting to know that I can enter this site ask for advise and ALWAYS get a reply without criticism or fear. This site is always loaded with helpful hints and some good laughs. I look forward to checking in each day. Great job guys. Thanks.
Shell.

[wangeci]

Before coming to this site, I never thought I would ever get the support and help I needed to lose my weight. You are all "angels among us", helping us understand more, learn more and conquer are weight issues and addictions. This is the kind of support I have been looking for my whole life.

Thank you
Cindy

PS, did I mention I am addicted to this site???????

[kyfaithly]

Just stopped in to see what the forum was about, happy LCing all :D

[Sh'ra]

Wa'il,
As you posted on this thread so long ago, I'm actually very grateful to that "squatter" for taking your first name. Otherwise, I might have thought it was only a site for Canadians and passed it over.

As it is, I'm SO glad you've made it available for all of us down under (under you, at least on the map :D ). If I'd had this site before, I might not have gone off LC-ing in the first place. As it was, I had no support.

This site is wonderful, and I appreciate all the hosts, moderators, mentors, and the like - and I just appreciate being able to share knowledge and ideas without getting our heads bitten off.

I've been on a lot of forums, and it doesn't ever seem to fail that they can turn into horrid, bickering places (and I'm talking about the religious ones, too! Or maybe especially). I've only seen one thread since I've been here in the last month that even showed hard disagreement, and it wasn't even ugly. Wow.

Maybe this should be given an award for "most peaceful forum on the web." Nah - then the nasties would show up and try to ruin it all ;)

Just wanted to let you know I do truly appreciate what I've found here. What a wealth of information! I haven't even been able to get through it.

Sh'ra

[MaryB]

This forum gives me what I need the most -
Hope, Acceptance, Co-dieters who are successful, Support, Recipes, Information, and again - Hope.
(Plus it free! :D )

Thank you so much, Wa'il, and to all of the moderators, for the creation and maintenance of the site.

MaryB

[PatHawk]

This really is a great site - and very well thought out and run. Thanks for all your efforts, and for the quick history of the site. I also thought that it had been in existence much longer. YOu are doing a brilliant job :D

I do have a question - when I sometimes print a passage or tow from the site, there is a copy right at the bottom that says that all the material belongs to Dr. Atkins - is this true :q: What is the connection :q:

I have been confused about this before, as I did understand that it was a site that originated in Vancouver - so I couldn't figure it out :confused:

I have checked out a couple of other LC sites, and they do not hold a candle to this one.

Congratulations, again.

Cheers
Pat

[tamarian]

Originally posted by PatHawk
I do have a question - when I sometimes print a passage or tow from the site, there is a copy right at the bottom that says that all the material belongs to Dr. Atkins - is this true :q: What is the connection :q:


Are you sure, Pat? I can't see any Dr. Atkins note at the bottom of the page. There our site's note, and Jelsoft (makers of vBulletin forum software).

Wa'il

[doreen T]

This is what I get at the bottom of a printable page:Copyright © 2000-2001 Active Low-Carber Forums at forum.lowcarber.org; All rights reserved.

Perhaps the Active Low-Carber sounds like Atkins Low-Carber?

just a thought :idea:

Doreen

[BaileyWS]

I just wanted to say thanks for the history lesson ... It amazes me, too, how recent this site came into being. I know that it is one of the biggest reasons I'm able to stay on this woe. Lots of support and information I wouldn't have gotten another way. I wondered when I started if I would miss the "meeting" component of the ww plan. I hated going to them, but I also knew they were vital to my staying "psyched" for the diet. This forum really fills that need for LCing -- in a way that fits my lifestyle -- I can "attend" at any hour of the day, whenever I need a boost or have a question or want some information or a recipe ... it's really great ... thanks for helping me change my life.

[zellie]

Congrats and thank you! I'm a newbie here. I find this to be one of the best sites that I have found. The comparative information is outstanding! And so friendly too!
It's the site I read most!

zellie

[PatHawk]

Hi Wa'il

On further thought, I guess the information that I printed that had the copy right to Dr. Atkins was the low carb counter - & I guess maybe that is his material :q:
Other information that I have printed does have the copy right to your forum :exclm:
I guess that I need to pay attention, and watch what happens when I am searching out different information - that the hyperlinks actually take me somewhere else - and that is someone else's copyright :idea:
It an interesting world we live in today, with information so easily available - and its easy for me to lose track of where it is coming from, if I am not careful.
Thanks again for the site, and for always being there to help :D
Cheers
Pat

[neener_15]

I just want to repeat the many thanks to Wa'il and the otheres for this site. I get up in the morning and look around , at lunch I look and come home in the evening and look for an hour or so after everyone is in bed. I love going through old post and learning more info. Thank You :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[donnaj]

Thank you for sharing how this site was formed. I really appreciate all the time and hard work that went into it. I have found this the best lo carb site on the web. :wave:

[Rosebud]

I have to add my tuppence worth, too.
I love this site for many reasons. The friendliness and support rank high although the amount of information is also extremely helpful.
Like others who've posted here, I assumed this site had been going for yonks.
Brilliant job, Wa'il et al!

Wa'il::angel:

[sunsight13]

This site has gotten me through the past two months and kept me on track when I wasn't sure I really wanted to put the effort forth. If it had been just me and my books I would not have known how to fine to this WOE and not been committed. The support that I have found is a boon to my daily life. There are so many dedicated people on here.

My curiosity wants to know all about these people because I feel part of there lives. There is alto in DC, sunshine out west, new friends from Scotland, just so many people to talk to (and that is rare for me as I tend to be a loner outside the office). Thanks so much for all your work and support. :angel:

Susan

[donnaj]

Susan, I agree with you. I would have made it this far without my friends here on line. I know that my day is complete until I come on line and visist my friends. :wave:

[dankar]

Wa'il,
My wife and myself want to thank you and the other founders for creating this wonderful source of information and support. We are truly grateful.

I hit the jackpot the day I was clicking around the net and stumbled across lowcarber.org - it changed our lives. Thank you. Dan and Karen

[kathy]

Wa'il,

You are still amazing. :thup:

I was here at the beginning and have watched over the last few years at what you have accomplished and am thrilled at your success! :wave:

Just think of all the people you have helped.

Kudos to you Tamarian!


The original, Kathy

[tamarian]

Kathy,

I can't beleive it's you!!! :Party: (Kathy was the LCVancouver e-list co-moderator).

In case you didn't know, I'm leaving Vancouver. We're meeting for coffee this Saturday, hope you can make it:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50642

Wa'il

[Cinderella]

I had no idea that so much work and time have been spent on building this wonderful site. Thank-you for sharing this wonderful story and Thank you so much to each of you for working so hard.

cin

[greentea]

A HUGE thank you from the US.
greentea

[VikkiJean]

Thank You for building this site You did a great job It has helped so many people. my favorite part is the journal :D and the support from the countless members that have joined

[JudyTrue]

A big THANKS and major HUGS to the creators of this site! :bhug: The support, understanding and information contained here is truly amazing, and I'm so glad to have found it.

Just a thought: I was reading Newbies Questions and saw a post that referred to the history of the site being under Best Of. This information seems way too interesting to be "just another thread". How about moving it to a more visable location? I really think everyone would be very interested in the history who doesn't happen to find it here.

Anyway, thanks to all the creators who have helped so many! :)

[lkonzelman]

I can't thank you enough for creating a tool that helps people help to themselves.

You have empowered me! :rheart:

All the best always...

[Carol CA]

Best thing to do, I think, is only click on what interests you. I don't like to post signs like "help our site" or "visit our sponsor" etc.

Thanks for the thought.

Wa'il This unselfish generosity is so rare. I have my own website... and I know that server space, traffic expenses and site updating doesn't just happen. If ever you need financial support, I would like to think you'll post a sign or two... rather than pull the plug! My gawd... just the thought of that makes me cringe! I've only been here for a month... but it's been one wonderful month, indeed. I just might have traded one addiction for another... but hey... I can deal with this one! Just don't take my new drug of choice away. :)

I would love to help out financially. If you don't have a hidden Paypal link close by, you can be sure that I'll click and buy from your affiliates. Thank you so much for all you do. This is a remarkable service and environment. THANK YOU!

Carol CA

[Skamito]

I agree with Carol! A secret PayPal symbol wouldn't be such an evil thing. I can't imagine the bandwidth, etc. that it takes to keep up each person's wonderful journal, for example.

Anyway, I wanted to stop in and also pledge my thanks. This forum is indeed the best wealth and collection of low carb knowledge around. Moreover, when you don't know anyone else dedicated to LC, this place really makes you feel like part of a huge community. We are not crazy! :daze:

Speaking of which... I noticed DANDR and Atkins for Life are number 2 and 3 on Barnes&Noble.com's bestsellers after the pre-sales numbers of the next Harry Potter book.

There is a large community of breadless wonders and this site is a constant and wonderful reminder of that.

Three cheers to you lovely moderators!

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Angela

[tamarian]

Hi folks,

Thanks for all the compliments, and the suggestions.

I'm still uncomfortable with any "donate" and "paypal" or any similar donation links/systems. Don't get me wrong, I'm always touched and humbled when someone offers it, and it makes it all worth my while knowing our site has helped someone, somewhere. And I occasionally do get similar offers by emails and PM's.

What I prefer to do is make the site self-supporting. For example, we allow links to low-carb stores, books and products we like, trust and have a good reputation, and we turn down a lot of questionable advertisers, magic pills, casino and gambling banners, easy cash stuff and the like.

With our latest move to our dual server setup (I'll add more details to the original post later, as it is a milestone in terms of our growth and increased popularity) our cost has increased tremendously. You may remember from last December and early January this year, we had experienced a lot of server problems due to increased traffic, and things got worst after Dr. Atkins appeared on CNN on January 6th, and most of you got the error "server too busy". Since then we just realized our old dedicated server can't handle it any more.

So I decided to try a new idea :idea: to help the site, without requesting donations. I've always liked it when my favourite sites offered T-Shirts and mugs and these little gadgets with their colourful logos, URL's and cute slogans. So I thought we can try that and make our own site/forum T-shirst and mugs, and many of our members might enjoy wearing them and showing them off.

The only problem I have is that I don't have the graphical skills to come up with anything really attractive to be printed on these T-shirts, and I've tried, and I don't have any really good ideas for slogans and the like. I did come up with some half-decent designs, but that's not good enough, it has to be really good, attractive quality designs, or why bother?

For this reason we have announced our graphical design contest last week:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?threadid=85243

in the hope that some of our artistically gifted members may be willing to draw some for us. So if any member can help in that department, we'd certainly appreciate it.

I'm thinking of some ideas for a prize for the winning designs as an incentive, I think I found a good one, but the details are in the works.... stay tuned! :)

Wa'il

[IsisWinged]

Wa'il you are from heaven to give this site. Is this officially Dr. Atkins site?

Isis

[tamarian]

Originally posted by IsisWinged
Is this officially Dr. Atkins site?

No, to visit the official Atkins site, go to:

http://www.atkinscenter.com

It's a great site, and almost the entire book is online!

Wa'il

[jeanyyy]

I'd just like to add my thanks to the creators, founders, and moderators of this site for all their hard work and dedication! I am sure you all spend many, many hours here to maintain, counsel, inspire and administer the site. Please accept my heartfelt thanks and appreciation :)

[Eri Z]

Thanks! It was great to read the history of the forum. This website is so wonderful--all kinds of folks are drawn to it and we all get along pretty well! It's so well organized, so easy to find people and their posts...
Thank you thank you thank you!!!


Eri Z

[becky160]

Thanks Tamarian for sharing this with us!

I love this forum, I am addicted to it, I have met great people from all over the world.
Also need to mention the support I have gotten from the Moderators, Forum Founders, and memebers in a very fast and effective way.

CONGRATULATIONS


:Party: :yay: :Party: :yay: :Party: :yay: :Party: :yay:

[senimoni]

Thx

[doreen T]

Happy Birthday to Us!!

We are 3 years old today. :dazzle:



Doreen

[Sinbad]

Hiya!
Want to express my thanks for this site too! It's been a great inspiration and I've made some good friends too.

Now I'm a real geek at heart, and I'm curious! Do you run webtrends or anything like that? I'd love to know how many hits and stuff this site gets! What hardware does it run on? I'm CURIOUS! :)

Steven

[tamarian]

Hi Steven,

We used to run WebTrends over a year ago, but stopped due to cost, since for our growing traffic we'd need a corporate account for those over 20gigs/month (that won't last us a day). We currently have an Urchin license, and we run it on and off as needed. I prefer to reduce any unnecessary services on the server, to provide better response. It's hard to comment on hits/sessions etc as it depends on which definition and which software is counting them.

We run on Linux, using a dedicated dual server (dual 2.0 Ghz Xeon's, hyper-threaded) with 2Gigs RAM, and dual 72Gigs DA SCSI drives, with 1.2 terabytes of bandwidth/month. Obviously, we're using LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) :)

Feel free to PM me for more details.

Wa'il

[black57]

This is the best site I have ever seen. I have been on homeschool sites, Oprah,Woman's Day and none of them compare in quality and simplicity in tracking down information. This site is well moderated and I have advised many to visit low carb for nothing else but the quality.

Thank You,
Black57

[Ohio Kim]

Thank you so much for the information.

[BlitzedAng]

I fully agree with black57. This forum has made a difference in my life. Im forever greatful. Thank you :)
Angel

[BlitzedAng]

It's nice to know who built my new home. Thanks from the heart.
Angel

[LondonIan]

It has to be said, it IS the best forum I've ever seen.

[2Short]

Thank you for this site...can't imagine the internet without it. I have made so many awesome friends because of this site...Thank you so much for doing this for us.

My only problem is that paypal doesn't work for me. I would love to support the site...is there another way to do it except for paypal?


Thank you again!

Chris

[AFwife]

Without this site, the support and understanding I receive here, my weight loss journey would have ended long ago.

To be able to come here everyday, without being judged for what I weighed made me feel at home.

You are all officially my second family. And as long as this site is up and running, I will forever be a Contributing Member and Friend.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication.

God Bless!

[lburnikell]

wow that was a real interesting read!! you learn something new everyday, and its amazing to think something so small has grown so big!! yet helped thousands to shrink!!
Thank you for creating this site, belive me i dont know what I would have done without it!!

Lynda

[lburnikell]

ps I forgot to mention I have made some really good friends on this site as well.
May it continue for years to come

Lynda

[nikotyme]

Through the past few months I've made similar comments of appreciation for this site, in some of the posts I've made.

I should have said it here, can't really expect you and the other developers to read each and every post made here,there are probably thousands a day.

You've heard it in the previous posts but I'll say it again,
Thank you, thank you a million times thank you.

It really is a life saver for me and countless others who've come to depend on the friendship and inspiration found here.

Bravo!

[CheriYM]

I will join the chorus in singing the praises of this site :dazzle:
You have done a fantastic thing here for so many :angel:
I've only been around for a little over a week and have found great recipes - excellent information and resources and a phenomenal group of people here supporting each other (even discovered that one of the gals I was journalling with is married to a guy I went to high school with - small world!).

Thank you for providing us with this wonderful community!

[Rachelle]

I wanted to add my thanks to all the starters of this forum... it's brought me friendship and support thru lots of things i've been thru over the last year... I'll be here as long as it's up and running :)

[doreen T]

:dazzle: ~ Happy 4'th Anniversary to Us ~ :dazzle:


On October 29, 2000 we opened the forum to its first members .. all 6 of us :daze: :D We've grown a bit since then!!

Thankyou thankyou to all the wonderful members who've made this forum truly ROCK!! :yay:


Doreen

[TarHeel]

Happy forum anniversary, and thank you founders very much!!

Kay

[PilotGal]

I am addicted to this site!!

Morning's ain't right without my coffee and forum!!

You have done a fine job, keeping this forum fine tuned, and constantly a great source of information, and a lively bunch over in current affairs!!

Thank you so much for a great site!

[LondonIan]

Four years. Blimey!

[Duparc]

I am one of the newcomers from across the 'pond'. You'll probably recognise the place when I say that it is one of America's off-shore islands called the UK.

It was interesting knowing how the site came into existence and the parts played by you the founders. Like others replying, I have experienced other forums, some of which were almost to the point of the insane so it was with some relief to come across this forum which is so conducive to one's needs and expectations.

It is an exceptionally comprehensive forum that I enjoy. Its wide audience helps in keeping the interest stimulated.

May I compliment you both.

[Steph570]

To all of you who worked so hard and are still working to keep this site going, I think it is wonderful and very encouraging to have members who may have or are going through the same things as you. It is great to have people to help with your questions as well as try to help other people. I find myself getting on everyday now to see what's new and try to help others. Keep up the good work and thanks for all the help from all the other great members!!!!

[SeekNfind]

This site has been a life saver for me....(as opposed to a lifesaver....that's a no no). A former Mississaugian, (close to Toronto) living halfway across the world here in Egypt....low carbing is virtually unheard of. I've been to dieticians here who pertly told me, "no bread, no rice, no macaroni, come back in a week if you've lost 10 lbs...if not, don't!" That't the extent of knowledge I've had to deal with. So I did the seek and find on the net, (hence my nick) and found YOU GUYS!! This entire site has been, informative on Lowcarbing, motivating, and definately the first stop of my day when I get online. I've met another member who is also from egypt and we've been able to help each other find various products that on our own would have taken extreme effort. I've made a GREAT friend that I cherish, especially now that I am living abroad and lack good conversation in my mother tongue. I've listened to people literally dissect my thoughts and arguments and help raise my thinking to a higher level. Besides all that, I find myself waist deep in a group of people who make me feel like, I BELONG. In my life I've learned that there are three types of people, those who have great ideas but lack in ability to follow through, those who have the ability, but lack the ideas, and then the third, which are a combination of the first two, this third group complement each other and strive towards goals quickly and as a whole. I see you all as the third. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! I'm lucky to be a part of it.
Safa

[SusanKH]

I just have to say thank you. I don't know if I could stay with LC if I lost this board. Your hard work and dedication are truly a gift to us and we appreciate it soooo much!

[doreen T]

:bday: Happy Birthday to Us!!!! :bday:

Active Low-Carber has been going strong for 7 years today! :dazzle:


Happy Low-Carbing everybody :yay:



Doreen, xo

[dearmommy]

:bday: Congrats and Happy Birthday :bday:

[JAnn]

A belated happy Birthday. I came on in Feb 03 and have loved it.

Thanks Wa'il and all the moderators!

[Andy Davies]

Seeing Doreen's message commemorating this site's 7th Birthday, and looking in again after quite a long absence and finding things very different now from the way they used to be, I thought I'd add a couple of reminiscences of my own.

I became a member here just four months after it was first launched. Back then, the titles of all the threads on the site were on a single page, and any of them could be accessed by the single click of a mouse. Any thread which had 15 replies or 500 views was a "hot" thread, marked by a "flaming envelope" symbol in the margin.

It seemed astonishing to me then that a thread might ever get 500 views, and I was staggered when several did. It would have been inconceivable to any of us then that a thread might get 59,000 views, as some have done now.

As for getting 15 replies, some of the early ones languished at 7 or 8 for a while, and then disappeared. The concept of getting hundreds or even thousands of replies, as they do now, never occured to us.

I watched a rapid expansion of the site during the next 2 years. Finding threads, or even batches of them, became more difficult. The early Journals were something we could all read every day, but over time it became impossible to manage it because there were just too many.

Wa'il changed the layout, the format, the entire forum, ever expanding. Some of us became mentors and moderators, responsible for "covering" an area of the forum or an aspect of low carbing for which we had particular interest or expertise. On one of the new changes, it was suggested that members contribute book reviews as a reference service to members who want to be pointed in a particular direction to learn more, or to find out what a certain book is about whose name they have come across. I did 4 of these book reviews, including the one on Atkins. Needless to say, the exercise was extremely educational to me, as well as hopefully being useful to others.

I don't have much new to offer now, but the founders are still putting vast amounts of time into the forum, and racking up incredible numbers of posts. There are still many people logging in and being supported, from a very wide "catchment area" involving continents as well as many countries. People will continue to benefit from this site for a long time to come.

Do I think the efforts of the founders were worthwhile? You bet I do. And should Doreen commemorate their achievement? You bet she should.

I said this several pages ago, but I still mean it now. Congratulations to the founders, thank you for creating this site, and best wishes for the future.

Andy