DaveLister Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 I know I started following it in 2003 when I took out a subscription to the magazine but I was wondering how long it had been running before then. Anybody got any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 I certainly can’t answer your question but when we bought our house in France in April 2001 I needed lots of practical help to help us settle in. I think it was during that first year I joined two forums, one of which was this one and the other one survived for many years before taking on a smaller forum and eventually closed. Over the years I have been a member of a few small forums which have since failed. I am glad this one is still going but the posting rate is rock bottom at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 Well you've got two years on me Hectorsdad. Any advance on 2001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Good heavens, you two make me feel positively young in forum terms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 AVG antivirus software launched in the US in 1998 and one of my first posts circa 2000/01 was to advise a member who was having issues updating their software definitions to download updates from the Czech. site (The parent company Grisoft) as the US site was having issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le martin-pêcheur Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Ditto, Dave, Joined in 2003 and used to receive the magazine. Long time ago, but this forum has served us well, and hope that we have been able to help others. Vive le forum!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 2 hours ago, cajal said: AVG antivirus software launched in the US in 1998 and one of my first posts circa 2000/01 was to advise a member who was having issues updating their software definitions to download updates from the Czech. site (The parent company Grisoft) as the US site was having issues. So we're currently looking at 2000. Anyone earlier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) There is no history on here pre 23rd August 2004, the date a change of software was released, resulting in the loss of all previous posts and membership details. I did find this on Archant (previous owners/publishers)on Wikipedia: Consumer magazine publisher Market Link Publishing, now Archant Specialist, based in Essex was acquired by ECNG for £5 million in autumn 1999. Its titles now include Photography Monthly, Professional Photographer, Pilot, Sport Diver, Complete France, which sponsors a once popular, but failing French forum, French Property News, Living France, and France Property Shop. It also sponsors The France Show at Olympia and The French Property Exhibitions in London and Yorkshire Edited March 23 by DaveLister Spelling as requested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betise Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 I joined in 2004, although due to a forgotten password and change of email address, I had to re-join later, at that time it was a thriving forum. Changing email address was always problematic, as forum profiles were glued to the address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 23 Author Share Posted March 23 1 hour ago, cajal said: Complete France, which sponsors a once popular, but failing French forum, Mmm me thinks a touch of sour grapes. Fortunately whoever was concerned isn't the only person who knows how to edit a Wikipedia entry.😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betise Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 47 minutes ago, DaveLister said: Mmm me thinks a touch of sour grapes. Fortunately whoever was concerned isn't the only person who knows how to edit a Wikipedia entry.😉 Bravo Mr Lister! 👏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 The change of email address affected me twice as I used my university email for all things France as it was most convenient. I recall the abrupt loss of all data and new registrations including one when my wife told me not to use a certain username. At least I am able to keep abreast of many topics generated by the good members here even if the numbers have dropped considerably since the peak times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 4 hours ago, betise said: Fortunately whoever was concerned isn't the only person who knows how to edit a Wikipedia entry. Good call. While you are in editing mode, could you correct my error with the word "Auchant". It would seem a publishing house is morphing into a food retailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajal Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 21 hours ago, cajal said: Edited 15 hours ago by DaveLister Spelling as requested Thanks.👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 24 Author Share Posted March 24 Well, unless there is a late contender, I hereby anoint Cajal and Hectorsdad joint forum Doyens. 🏆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Petomane Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 I remember Twinkle and Russethouse and **** Smith. I hope they have not gone to the Great Forum in the sky. I hope they are thriving somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Petomane Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 The forum does not like the standard abbreviation for Richard. It's not me...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 I think Russethouse retired, sold up in France and settled into the serious business of being a granny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 1 hour ago, Le Petomane said: I remember Twinkle and Russethouse and **** Smith. I hope they have not gone to the Great Forum in the sky. I hope they are thriving somewhere. Yes, the forum is nothing if not a bit prissy! Recently I mentioned walking on the Offa's D.y.k.e and blow me, if it didn't "disallow" the second word!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 I joined the French entree forum about 10 years ago. Got banned a million times for being clever. I don’t understand how French forums existed before 2002 (lets say) because Frrance was on dial up for internet. Just reading the BBC news websites in those days was a nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 I don't remember the exact year I joined, but I'm pretty sure it was either 2003 or 2004. I know I joined shortly after we bought our house in Bédoin and that was in 2001. The forum had a pretty large group of members at that time and it was very active. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectorsdad Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) “I don’t understand how French forums existed before 2002 (lets say) because Frrance was on dial up for internet.” …from ALBF above. We had to use dial up provided by AOL when we first arrived and I thought it was good because it was free. At that time we also had dial up in our home in the UK. Fortunately we both had super fast internet access in our workplaces so most of my private browsing was done at work, including finding our first house in France and then on the forums discovering how to do everything correctly. It was very comforting to have the support from the members and eventually I found I could make a decent contribution to help others. Looking back it seemed to take about 10 years before the forums were attacked by a variety of trolls who clearly picked on anyone who tried to make sensible conversation. Several leading lights on all forums said goodbye citing the abuse received from the trolls. It is much better now but I do recognise some rather personal infighting from a few posters. Edited March 24 by Hectorsdad Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 24 Author Share Posted March 24 We had 512K broadband when we first arrived in France. It felt so high tech after our dial up in rural Norfolk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) I am sure i joined in the very early 2000s. I remember Coco, **** (short form of Richard) Smith, and other old-timers. In fact some of us made an assignation at the French Property exhibition one year. Russet house of course, and Auricaria(?sp), Christine Animal, and the marvellous woman from Le Mans, who went on an "itchy feet" tour to meet some of us. Edited March 24 by Loiseau 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 8 hours ago, Loiseau said: marvellous woman from Le Mans CooperLola. I was thinking about her only yesterday. The way she took the lead during the CPAM crisis. I know there were other groups involved but what she and other members of this forum did was amazing and instrumental in changing the UK government's position. If it hadn't been for them I wouldn't still be in France. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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