Able2know has 100,000 members and counting ... WE DID IT!!!

Well, we've finally done it.



We made it to 100,000 members.

A2K isn't the only online community, of course. But it is our community.

It's funny -- I recall RP told me (he had been a member of Abuzz but I don't think he ever posted there) -- oh, I'll join. But I probably won't post much. Almost 15,000 posts later ....

And that's what happens. You think, oh, this won't be much. I'll hang around, get my question answered. Oh, maybe I'll answer this other one. I know it! I know it! It's like having your hand up in school. And then you see that people are interacting and are having fun. Chatting. Joking around. Arguing. Sharing. And suddenly, almost 15,000 posts later, you realize: I'm a part of something bigger than myself.

Our philosophy on A2K, at least from a Moderation standpoint, has evolved. Right now I see us somewhat similar to this. We try to be firm but not controlling. We do our best to be open to a lot of different voices. We attempt to open up the forum to as many opinions as there are stars in the heavens. Even when those opinions make our skin crawl, we allow them, as we know and trust that the community will sort them out.

In a lot of online communities, where the Moderators are known to all (Abuzz was one of them), a Moderators' words can sometimes take on too much of a life of their own. There is deference. There is a nodding agreement, to try to stay on the Mods' "good side". I do hope there's none or almost none of that here. It's not what we're about. God knows I don't know what I'm talking about at times. I expect, nay, I demand that you shatter my illusions and make me see the light. Although, I admit, I'm a cream puff. I do prefer if you're nice about it.

But this isn't about me. It's about you, and about A2K. So here's a bit about what's happened in the past seven and a half years.



PROTO-A2K RISES FROM THE PRIMORDIAL OOZE

In late August of 2002, Abuzz was beginning to really fall apart and I was out of work. Robert was running his own site, The Raven's Realm, and sent me a note about a new and different site he was making.

It was raw, and it was slow. It started off on Lycos as a holding pen. It was called Abenuts because there just needed to be filler text in the name.



On September 14th I made a topic. And so did ehBeth, see: http://able2know.org/topic/23-1

On September 16th, I got the following note from him: "I'd really like to have you on as a lead moderator, I trust you and you are savvy in this regard. How about an unholy alliance? ;-) "

Of course I said yes. It was on that same day that Robert first told me what he wanted to name the site: Able2know.



In less than a week we were talking about site rules, and a day after that, I started inviting people to what eventually became A2K.

On October 26th, we moved to our own server, so the site picked up a considerable amount of speed. At the time, by the way, I was still sending out AARON updates (remember those?) on Abuzz.

By Halloween, we'd brought on our first two additional Moderators.

The earliest reference that I could find to "A2K" is from November 5th, 2002, see: http://able2know.org/topic/694-1#post-6001 (Phoenix32890!). If you can find an earlier link, lay it on me ....

By November 21st, we had set up a link to Amazon.

In mid-January of 2003, we started designing baseball caps, and soon we sold a few (a number were also given away). I've still got one.

It was some time in 2003 -- June? -- that we added timberlandko (I believe this is his first post: http://able2know.org/topic/890-1#post-9322) to the ranks of the Moderators. Noddy24 came later -- 2004? It's a little unclear as she was on, and then left, and then was back again. Over the years we brought in more Moderators, who wish to remain anonymous. It's not about power. It's about love.



YEARS IN REVIEW

There haven't been year in review topics done every single year, but there have been some, so here are the links if you wish to check them out:

2002 http://able2know.org/topic/127352-1
2003 there is no year in review for this year (at least, I can't find one)
2004 there is no year in review for this year (at least, I can't find one)
2005 http://able2know.org/topic/66138-1
2006 http://able2know.org/topic/88889-1
2007 http://able2know.org/topic/127352-1
http://able2know.org/topic/102077-1 <--- check it out!
2008 http://able2know.org/topic/127352-1
2009 http://able2know.org/topic/139719-1

LOSSES

I wish this section was empty.

There have been nine known deaths of A2Kers: Noddy24, timberlandko, cavfancier, mamajuana, kev, Joanne Dorel, Olen, Paola and JoanLee; plus JayBea, himself and Mary Pope from Abuzz. Here's a link I hope you'll enjoy: http://able2know.org/topic/120478-11#post-3391471



REBIRTH

Just as A2K grew from the ashes of Abuzz, we continually reinvent ourselves. The site has gone from a rigid, structured forums site to a fluid, tagged site. Don't want to see a topic? Vote it down. Like a topic? Encourage the topic creator (and other users, to check out the topic) and vote it up. Love a post? Vote it up. Dislike a post, or think it's too off-topic? Vote it down. Don't want to read a user? Ignore him or her. Want to see a user more easily? Follow that user.

UNIQUENESS

We're chockfull of it, from our neologisms (Robert even referred to this as the "jespaupdate"), our culture and our in-jokes. We know about nutella. We spell back "bavk". No one knows where littlek's left underwire is. Capybaras make us smile.

Talk about music, or sports, or software. Get a Latin translation. Or help with Neopets. Or your water softening system. Or, yes, a question about breakfast in the West. Or talk about your favorite Droid app. Or get some relationship advice. Cook with us. Sing with us. Yabber with us. Argue with us. Mourn with us.

This is home, despite what this next song says.



YOU

This isn't just my site, and it isn't just Robert's. It's yours, too. So here is your space, because you are a part of the 100,000 membership just as surely as we are. So take it away, A2Kers, and add your own bits and pieces and spin.

There's love here, so come and get yours.



Greatest hits? Meta information? A2K's own culture, neologisms, vaunted members? Thoughts? Links? Photos? Tunes? Things that make you laugh. Things that make you cry. Things that make you think. The moments that make A2K, well, A2K.

Let's hear 'em.