Has *anyone* found this place through the link on the reply form on the main forum?

Philo

there appears to have been an influx of (particularly stupid) newcomers just recently....where did they come from?

I post so infrequently in the main forum that I didn't notice that link until quite recently. While new blood is a good think, we could do with some sort of door policy or lurking requirement -- all these strangers barging in and running about as if they owned the place is quite unsettling for us old folk. :)

and they dont have any respect. do you know one of them was rather abusive toward me just the other day?

Yes, off is not about hit and run trolling and superficial crazyness.
It is about a deeper kind of madness.

I, by the way, have been here from the start.

I have always been here.

I still find it humourous that Chris Mckinstry found his way here by referrers from an insulting muppet post.

?off is just as crazy as the other forum branches, so it doesn't take one long to feel at home around here. I found it early on when Joel was still deciding on what forum branches are good or not. :-}

Graphics of the growing popularity of these forums:

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(Me thinks if it will show up correctly.)

I'm probably in the minority of those who did fall down the rabbit hole via the reply form.

XYZZY doesn't work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XYZZY

I've been trying. Some agree :)

I had been here from the link at the bottom, but it looked boring to me, the only way I started checking it regularly was around when Mark was begging for money for his house, and I thought "Jesus, I need to post something to this idiot" ;)

Here since the beginning - though I lurk mostly. I remember a thread or some sort of announcement saying take all this annoying political talk away.

BTW at this point, I spend more time reading off then jos

I've been lurking off 'n on since the beginning. Interestingly, it seems Google is aware of this forum and has some spiders of recent topics, so the doors are open, if not the floodgates.

Wow Phil. The mark begging for his house thing was nothing, yoo should have been here for muppet begging for his car. That was classic.

Lost,

Early on wasn't when joel was deciding on branches. Early on was right after the 2004 election. You're new, deal.

Graph this mofo

http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?pg=pgDiscussArchive&ixDiscussGroup=3

http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?pg=pgDiscussArchive&ixDiscussGroup=9

Heh, we could do a ?Joel vs. ?Off a-la slashdot vs. digg?

Don't remind me of how old this forum is getting, please. :P

I switch nicks like the Republicans switch target goals.

man we had some good discussions back then. good times.

Its gotten more boring as we've gotten to know each other better....that real feeling of intense dislike, hatred, intolerance and disbelief at the sheer stupidity of our opponents has gone as we repeat the same old arguments over and over again.

On that note Id just like to thank Art and Phil who have really put forward that old 'moron' spirit recently...

...sometimes it takes a newcomer to remind everyone just how much better life was before they turned up...

More statistics of the old JoS

http://www.usabilitymustdie.com/jos/WW_MonthlyStats.html

http://www.usabilitymustdie.com/jos/WW_All_Members.html

...a lot of this rogues' gallery are about the place.

"On that note Id just like to thank Art and Phil who have really put forward that old 'moron' spirit recently...

...sometimes it takes a newcomer to remind everyone just how much better life was before they turned up..."

haha, just say the word if you want me to leave, and you all can continue to blow smoke up each others asses all day

Sorry, Phil, but no-one leaves. I tried it once, Sharkfish was going to start posting as someone else, and I think even Mark W has threatened it once or twice.

As long as work is still boring I don't have any desire to leave, as this is great entertainment, just saying if I'm not wanted i'm willing to go back to lurk mode for ?off.

I think you misunderstand -- "no-one leaves" wasn't an observation. Re-read it with a 'Holy Grail Black Knight' "NONE SHALL PASS!" intonation... :)

So far Aaron is doing a good job staying away...

That's only if he's not somebody else.

Plus Aaron is a special case. He's got something far more entertaining than ?off in his very own home.

I think Tayssir also got fed up and left, but he may just be busy.

> Sharkfish was going to start posting as someone else, and I think even Mark W has threatened it once or twice.

They are the same person. Yes, that's right, Mark is really a lesbian. The lucky goit.

"muppet" disappeared in a huff, and Mark Warner appeared a few days later.

Every time I see "Mark W" I have to translate in my head to Mark Warner. (I'm also Mark W.)

I've seen Tayssir once or twice on ?joel on the rare occasions I look in.

Been here since I don't remember when. Mostly lurking, asking the occasional question that must be so dumb people rarely reply to it. And using several different nicknames, of course.