Seeking a Ballad on the History of Gradcafe

[sleepingsusurrus]

Does anybody out there know how gradcafe got started? Who gathered all these people? Preferably in the form of old wise tales, madrigals, Odyssean and the like 

[Yanaka]

I like this topic.

[RevTheory1126]

Keeping this up!

Come on moderators, jump on in!

[Warelin]

@TakeruK @fuzzylogician @rising_star @Eigen Can they have some help here please?

[TakeruK]

I joined years after it started, sorry! I think rising_star was one of the first users (joined 6 years before me!)

[fuzzylogician]

Yeah, I think you want to hear from @rising_star. 

[Eigen]

IIRC, Rising_Star and BGK started this together, but that was before my time (I joined in '09). 

[sleepingsusurrus]

Thanks guys!!

12 hours ago, fuzzylogician said:

Yeah, I think you want to hear from @rising_star. 

and @bgk, could you help us out?

[rising_star]

I don't have much time right now but I'll be honest and say that neither I nor bgk are the real reason this site was started. It began with the results survey, which initially involved people emailing (I think, I really can't remember) their results in and then manually updating a spreadsheet that was posted online. That method of even having a place where people could find results came from a LiveJournal community called applyingtograd. Then came the idea of having a place for discussion, which was originally broken down into broad areas, like "City Guide", "Social Sciences", "Humanities", etc. I think @bgk took it over within a year or two of it getting started and made lots and lots of changes in terms of forum software, hosting, etc. due to his computer science skills. Oh, and this all dates back to spring 2006, I think. 

If there are specific things you're interested in, ask and I'll try to remember.

[sleepingsusurrus]

34 minutes ago, rising_star said:

I don't have much time right now but I'll be honest and say that neither I nor bgk are the real reason this site was started. It began with the results survey, which initially involved people emailing (I think, I really can't remember) their results in and then manually updating a spreadsheet that was posted online. That method of even having a place where people could find results came from a LiveJournal community called applyingtograd. Then came the idea of having a place for discussion, which was originally broken down into broad areas, like "City Guide", "Social Sciences", "Humanities", etc. I think @bgk took it over within a year or two of it getting started and made lots and lots of changes in terms of forum software, hosting, etc. due to his computer science skills. Oh, and this all dates back to spring 2006, I think. 

If there are specific things you're interested in, ask and I'll try to remember.

 

Thank you!! I would be interested if anyone remembers or knows of the idea-making process.. how did it become cafe-themed, what did the creator(s)/ @bgk think of how it was taking off and watching from *afar* 

but no worries if this is too much to dig into, thought it would be a nice way to go about waiting for my app results  I'll work my magic with what I've got.. for the story in meter.. stay tuned!

[hopefulPhD2017]

I have always wondered this. LiveJournal! I forgot about that. Things change quickly online. 

Great thread.