Kudos!! ExplorerForum's History - How this site evolved

[gijoecam]

Just wanted to say Kudos to Rick and company for another (relatively) painless site upgrade!! Good job gang!!

Anyone have a screen shot of the first incarnation of this site? I don't, but I do know the site's come a long way in the last decade!! Heck, I was browsing it using NCSA Mosaic back then (predecessor to Netscape)...

Rick, do you think it could be possible to summarize some of the changes that were made this time around? I hate going on a scavenger hunt trying to figure out what's different... I know some of the icons changed, but I have no idea what the new stuff at the bottom of every page is for and such... It might be helpful if there was like a bullet-point list of the major now 'toys' that came with the site.

(e.g. the panic button, boxes around everything, etc, etc...)

Thanks!! Keep up the good work!!

 

[Rick]

This is the oldest version pre-message board:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970104203257/http://www.rhphoto.com/offroad.html

The message board started out as a Guestbook:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970104203752/www.rhphoto.com/guestbook.html

Then we moved to www.off-road.com for awhile. We were invited to be part of their site, but things didn't work out well:
http://web.archive.org/web/19970804174403/www.off-road.com/4x4web/ford/explorer/

Then we went back on our own:
http://web.archive.org/web/19991111203927/http://www.4x4central.com/index.html

Message board was using UBB, instead of Vb for it's software:
board:http://web.archive.org/web/19991111150243/www.4x4central.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi

Very early version of the Vb based forum:
http://web.archive.org/web/20010331023313/www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php

2003 Message board:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030402130959/www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php

2005 Board:

http://web.archive.org/web/20040626121852/www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php

 

[Blee1099]

2005, 591 users as the most online.. Wow we have definately surpassed that

 

[gijoecam]

LOL!! What a great look back at the archives!! Keep up the good work, buddy!!

Guess I cam in as a part of the message board... Wow, that was a long time ago!!

 

[Trckmagik]

I have been here awhile Just bought my 7th Explorer and was on my 1st when I joined. Sheesh. And that doesnt include the 2 rangers during the time.

Bravo.

 

[Dannyboy]

That's cool you still have that info Rick. I remember how much time I gawked at the "reader's rides" page (at least 2 years before I registered on the forum).

http://www.explorer4x4.com/rides5.html

It's funny how those were some of the most hard core explorers out there. It was a pretty bold move to modify a $25,000 SUV back in the 90s.

 

[Rick]

Dan, all of the historic links came from here: www.archive.org

 

[rpenner54]

Bumping this as we have been around a long time! I found it pretty cool to look over the old stuff again.

 

[RangerX]

Ah the good old days, when all the forums fit on my screen without scrolling!

 

[5spdman]

Wow, had no idea all of those were around, I came around the scene after the 2005 update...that's pretty cool to look back at how this forum/group started and has grown!