Roll Call

Alan Erskine

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Mar 7, 2012, 7:56:38 AM3/7/12

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In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?

Jeff Findley

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Mar 7, 2012, 10:37:47 AM3/7/12

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In article <bWI5r.4156$v14....@viwinnwfe02.internal.bigpond.com>,
alan.e...@bigpond.com says...

>
> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?

I've been here since "before the split". I was posting to sci.space in
1988 or 1989. I can't remember for sure which year I had my first
Fortran 77 course, which got me my first Unix account at Purdue. I'm
thinking it was in the spring of my freshman year, which would have been
the spring of 1988.

Jeff
--
" Ares 1 is a prime example of the fact that NASA just can't get it
up anymore... and when they can, it doesn't stay up long. ;) "
- tinker

Brian Thorn

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Mar 7, 2012, 11:12:26 PM3/7/12

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On 2012-03-07 12:56:38 +0000, Alan Erskine said:

> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?

1995 or 1996.

David Spain

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Mar 8, 2012, 6:41:50 PM3/8/12

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Alan Erskine wrote:
> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?

Yeah I have but you'd have a hard time finding my first posts, which should
date from around 1984/1985....

The earliest I can find dates from late 1986, asking about ejection seats
going into shuttle post-Challenger. Henry answers me with a resounding no.
Which made sense to me, since that would not have helped the mid-deck folks!

Not a frequent poster here till around 2007...

Dave

Brian Gaff

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Mar 8, 2012, 11:36:46 PM3/8/12

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I cannot recall when I first started reading this group, but it was in the
late 90s as I recall. In those days I was using a Dos based reader and
magnification. I now use Windows and a screenreader, and am very dismayed on
the way client based access to news and email is dying in favour of web
based interfaces that change like the wind making the sight impaired have a
harder job to get access with a common set of hotkeys and menu options.
Brian

--
Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Alan Erskine" <alan.e...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:bWI5r.4156$v14....@viwinnwfe02.internal.bigpond.com...

Snidely

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Mar 10, 2012, 3:10:19 AM3/10/12

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Jeff Findley scribbled something on Wednesday the 7th:

> alan.e...@bigpond.com says...
>>
>> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
>> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?
>
> I've been here since "before the split". I was posting to sci.space in
> 1988 or 1989. I can't remember for sure which year I had my first
> Fortran 77 course, which got me my first Unix account at Purdue. I'm
> thinking it was in the spring of my freshman year, which would have been
> the spring of 1988.

I recently came across one of Eugene Miya's FAQs from 1989 while
searching GG for one my early postings. That's someone else I miss.

(I was searching for my post to get Henry's response. I really
appreciate the answer Henry gave to my question, Encyclopedia
Astronautica not yet born).

/dps

--
Who, me?

Vincent D DeSimone

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Mar 12, 2012, 7:31:40 PM3/12/12

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On Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:56:38 AM UTC-5, Alan Erskine wrote:
> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?

I've been here, mostly lurking, since 1998.

I think the busiest time this group ever saw was during the Columbia disaster and the immediate aftermath. For a while, there were more than a hundred postings a day here! I remember being so impressed with mostly everyone here. Lots of insight from a lot of great people. OM and his awesome FAQ, Patrick Flannery, Jorge Frank, you Alan of course, Jeff Finley, and Brian. There were a lot of others; I wish I could remember their names! Maxson, um, not so much..

Who was it that I used to call "The King of PDF Links"? And who was it that worked for NASA and got burned by them for posting here?

David Spain

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Mar 12, 2012, 9:06:23 PM3/12/12

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On 3/12/2012 7:31 PM, Vincent D DeSimone wrote:
> Who was it that I used to call "The King of PDF Links"?

That'd probably be Rusty Barton....

Dave

Alan Erskine

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Mar 13, 2012, 8:43:23 AM3/13/12

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Yep, I think so.

Alan Erskine

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Mar 13, 2012, 8:43:56 AM3/13/12

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Thak you for the complement. I'll keep a copy of your post.

Vincent D DeSimone

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Mar 13, 2012, 3:23:26 PM3/13/12

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YES, that's it! Thanks!!

Alan Erskine

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Mar 15, 2012, 10:28:04 AM3/15/12

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On 13/03/2012 10:31 AM, Vincent D DeSimone wrote:

> On Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:56:38 AM UTC-5, Alan Erskine wrote:
>> In Answer To OM, I've been here, actively contributing, since the first
>> weeks of 1999. Anyone else been here longer?
>
> I've been here, mostly lurking, since 1998.
>
> I think the busiest time this group ever saw was during the Columbia disaster and the immediate aftermath. For a while, there were more than a hundred postings a day here! I remember being so impressed with mostly everyone here. Lots of insight from a lot of great people. OM and his awesome FAQ, Patrick Flannery, Jorge Frank, you Alan of course, Jeff Finley, and Brian. There were a lot of others; I wish I could remember their names!

I remember that time. I can't believe how busy we all were, answering
questions from so many people who were genuinely concerned.

I also remember it as the the time all the trolls came out to play and
having to fend them off.

That's one of the reasons I've hung around; hoping a large number of new
people will come back and ask for answers and advice.

I remember that time, with both fondness and apprehension.