OptiBoard Blast from the Past!

**Steve Machol** · 10-27-2001, 10:19 PM

Who remembers what the original OptiBoard looked like? Here's an archive file from August 3, 1997:

http://web.archive.org/web/199802041...hol/optiboard/

**Night Train** · 10-28-2001, 07:20 AM

Here is all I was able to get:

Currently Experiencing Higher Than Expected Volume

We're sorry, the Internet Archive Wayback Machine is experiencing a higher than expected number of requests. Access to our past will be available in the near future (perhaps an hour). We apologize for any inconvenience and suggest you try your request again shortly

**Steve Machol** · 10-28-2001, 11:11 AM

Yeah unfortunately I've run into the same thing. It's down right now too. Hopefully it'll be up again soon so you can see what it was like.

**stephanie** · 10-28-2001, 06:36 PM

Hey Steve now I am curious! I have only been coming on here for 2 years. I lurked for the longest time thinking I wasn't smart enough to join in!!:) Then I figured oh well who cares!! Actually at first I was going on the opticians forum well we all know why I made my way to Optiboard!

Steph

**hcjilson** · 10-28-2001, 08:39 PM

We've come a bit down the road since then.I've been telling new members that I waited from 95 till 98 to make my first post.I guess I'll have to change that now....it looks like late 97!

I have voted 5 stars to this thread in the hopes that the newer members will visit this link.If you decide to go there and it seems primitive, just remember that we couldn't have gotten this far if we hadn't gotten that far.That was cutting edge in those days!:)
Steve, thanks for the ride!
By the way I also seem to remember Steve posting some family pictures taken at the beach.Did I dream that or did it happen about that time??

**JRS** · 10-29-2001, 02:40 AM

Interesting to see our names/initials out there on an old thread. Most unfortunate to see so mant names I don't see posting anymore. Where did they go?

**Jeff Trail** · 10-29-2001, 09:48 AM

JRS,

Is it me or looking back did we go at it a little harder on the old board? I seen some real dirty debates going on and a lot of the time they started it and when we went off into the theories they all ran..LOL
I think this way we get a chance to see the total thread and than take it a post at a time, while that string of headers and opening each one it got a little confusing, I know I haven't changed all that much other than in the old board it was just "Jeff" or JeffT" after a few more "jeff"s showed up..LOL
One other thing I noticed from the older board was more OD's seemed to drop by..that is more people who claimed they were OD's and from some of the imput kinda doubted they were what they claimed to be.

The old version was more rough and tumble..but this one seems easier to make a point or give some information. Or counter point a statement.

Jeff "grind'em if ya got'em" Trail

**Steve Machol** · 10-29-2001, 10:21 AM

Originally posted by JRS
Interesting to see our names/initials out there on an old thread. Most unfortunate to see so mant names I don't see posting anymore. Where did they go?

I was thinking that same thing.

It sure would be nice to have some of those people back! But then again, we have some newer people who have grown to be major assets to the community. On the balance we come out ahead! :)

**Steve Machol** · 10-29-2001, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by Jeff Trail
Is it me or looking back did we go at it a little harder on the old board? I seen some real dirty debates going on and a lot of the time they started it and when we went off into the theories they all ran..LOL

That's definitely true, although there are some pretty strenuous debates now as well. They tend to be a bit more civilized than they were in the past. Having to register with a valid email address seems to keep out the trolls. ;)

**Pete Hanlin** · 10-29-2001, 05:55 PM

All my browser (and I did try IE as well as Netscape) pulls up is that this is an "outdated" link... But it is hard to remember what the old old OptiBoard (cause I think we've changed formats twice now, right?) looked like!

Pete "the good ole days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems" Hanlin

**stephanie** · 10-29-2001, 06:23 PM

All before my time!! I found this board about 6 months before I took the ABO. I thought everyone on here was incredibly helpful. Why do you think people quit posting??? Do they just get bored or tired of coming on? There were actually several people I used to talk to on here that have pretty much dropped off the face of the earth(well the board same difference!! LOL) Anyway...why would anyone want to stop coming on here? I know back in the old days there were some people who were very offensive to others. Thankfully, with the new board we have weeded those infiltrates off. I know we lost a few people from that. I have never seen some of them ever again. Of course I think our new board is better than ever. We have so many great people on here that talk about everything and anything. I think I would rather talk about what to do and what not to do on a date than debate who is the better optician. Of course that is just my opinion. I absolutely love the just conversation forum. It is so great to be talking to other opticians about things other than work. It is nice to know we have a life outside of optical!!!

Steph

**Darris Chambless** · 10-29-2001, 06:57 PM

Hehehe,

I wish I could get it to work because I want to know what I was talking to Morgan Wright about. I'm sure I was being insightful though :)

We were all so young then. So naive`, so full of life. Ah yes, I remember the olden days...no wait. Maybe I don't remember them as well as I thought I did.

Anyway....

I'll try again tomorrow.

Darris C.

**Steve Machol** · 10-29-2001, 07:28 PM

Hey Darris!

If you're trying to get the individual message threads, I don't think those are archived. Only the main page is. Too bad really!

**Jackie L** · 11-03-2001, 11:34 PM

Oh, steve.........make it go away. The new and updated Opti-Board is sooooooooo much better since the original days. Kudos to you.

**John R** · 11-04-2001, 03:19 AM

JRS, a lot of folks proberly used alisis in them days, i know i did. :D to scared to come out into the light but i'm not on that page.
Weird to see the old board but whats even more strange is folks are still using the board on sites even though there are so many new better boards around these days.