Explore PF History: Wayback Machine Captures 1864 Snapshots From March 2001

[Wrichik Basu]

Just found that Wayback Machine has stored a snapshot of PF back on March 02, 2001:

http://web.archive.org/web/20010302050918/https://www.physicsforums.com:80/

In fact, it has about 1864 captures from March 2001!

And then a snapshot when PF was shifted to VBulletin (December 27, 2003):

http://web.archive.org/web/20031227195017/http://physicsforums.com:80/

And finally the shift to XenForo (snapshot taken around September or October 2014):

http://web.archive.org/web/20141008104733/https://www.physicsforums.com/

The old look certainly seems a bit awkward to members who have joined recently. Also, it should bring back some old memories of @Greg Bernhardt and the members who have been here since then. It shows how much the site has evolved to this date. Thanks to the hard work of the admin @Greg Bernhardt and his team of mentors.

In fact, could these pages be linked in the "About Us" insight page in PF?

Edit: such a thread exists already: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/visual-history-of-physics-forums.774923/ But I believe Wayback Machine has greater number of snapshots.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

In fact, could these pages be linked in the "About Us" insight page in PF?

Good idea! @anorlunda @Ibix

It shows how much the site has evolved to this date

Even from the XF switch and we'll get another evolution in a couple months!

But I believe Wayback Machine has greater number of snapshots.

Lots of snaps, but the thread shows some of the big changes.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Even from the XF switch and we'll get another evolution in a couple months

Suspense? Give some hints at least. You've been saying "Big things are planned for winter 2018" for a long time. Temperatures have already started dropping, so you should start revealing something too

 

[robphy]

Here's a thread from 2016 about the oldest thread...
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/first-thread-on-pf-was.889622/

• possibly oldest available from the current website:
  https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/the-source-of-all-the-mind.18/
  from 2003
  
  member 2 starts a thread, with responses by member 7 and member 27
  
  
  

• This looks like the earliest archived thread
  http://web.archive.org/web/20010306060020/https://www.physicsforums.com/view_announcements.asp#top
  from a thread started in 2001
  
  
  

• Here's a member list from 2001:
  
  http://web.archive.org/web/20010708180058/https://www.physicsforums.com/members.asp
• I am member 9587.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This looks like the earliest archived thread

We had to start clean twice in the first few years. That is why those threads don't exist here.

 

[dlgoff]

I am member 9587.

I'm member 4449.

 

[mfb]

Member number 4, @Janus, is still active here.

(Greg as #1 as well, but that is something different)

 

[Bystander]

I'm member 4449.

Says I'm "50" today, but I recall other member numbers for myself; can't have gotten in that early with a join date of 2003, or thereabouts. 2001-2003, and the membership moved only 50? I don't think so.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Says I'm "50" today, but I recall other member numbers for myself; can't have gotten in that early with a join date of 2003, or thereabouts. 2001-2003, and the membership moved only 50? I don't think so.

We had to start clean twice between those years. After the second clean start those that were most active were the first to re-register.

 

[Bystander]

After the second clean start

I'll buy that.

 

[Monsterboy]

I have come back to PF after a significant gap, looks like political discussions are out. There was a "current affairs" section, before that there was "politics and world affairs" section. Now, it looks like PF is done with politics !

 

[Wrichik Basu]

I have come back to PF after a significant gap, looks like political discussions are out. There was a "current affairs" section, before that there was "politics and world affairs" section. Now, it looks like PF is done with politics!

Absolutely gone. Politics and politicians are banned from PF (unless the latter are interested in science )

 

[Ibix]

Absolutely gone. Politics and politicians are banned from PF (unless the latter are interested in science )

If only politicians could be banned from the rest of the world...

 

[pinball1970]

I have come back to PF after a significant gap, looks like political discussions are out. There was a "current affairs" section, before that there was "politics and world affairs" section. Now, it looks like PF is done with politics !

Lots of physics though. Also biology if you can't handle the physics (I can't handle the physics)
I would not complain if they bring back the 1970s font on the home page in the future. Totally Space 1999.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

If only politicians could be banned from the rest of the world...

You are only looking at the people who are involved in active politics. But in the bigger picture, politics is everywhere - your office, university, school and sometimes even in your family. People are always trying to find ways to throw you into trouble, and if you don't have a politically sound mindset, you are likely to be lost in this world. That doesn't mean you have to put others into trouble, but you have to know the dark to abstain yourself from it. So, it's not politicians, it's politics that has to be banned. And banned from people's mind, not by enforcing laws.