Fifteen Years Ago Today, Techdirt Was Born
from the feeling-old dept
We don’t tend to be too sentimental about these things, but a few weeks back, I realized that we were rapidly approaching the 15th anniversary of the start of Techdirt in its earliest form. On August 23rd, 1997, I sent out the very first “Up To Date” email newsletter, which was roughly modeled on Danny O’Brien’s much more clever and much more knowledgeable (and sadly missed) Need to Know newsletter (for what it’s worth, Danny discovered my mimicry a few months later, and has always been quite kind about it). The very first newsletter was sent to — I believe — three people, and was really an alpha test of the concept. It’s obviously quite different from what Techdirt became, but you can also see some inklings. Some of the things in the newsletter were silly (underestimating HTTP as a protocol? Oops!). Some were pretty good predictions (CNET’s SNAP portal being a joke, Netscape trying to charge for its browser being a recipe for failure).
Either way, today marks 15 years of doing this in one form or another. One week after this initial test, the newsletter went out to about 100 people — mostly fellow students at Cornell’s business school. A month later we were up to about 1,000 subscribers, and it built from there. By February of the next year the website finally came into existence (and with it, the Techdirt name, which beat out my second choice “bluedot” because a friend told me that sounded boring, while Techdirt sounded edgy). A year after that, the site itself morphed into a blog — though the word “blog” still didn’t exist — using Slashcode 0.3 (which was a complete mess). And within a few years it was a part of my full time job.
Anyway, I wanted to share the moment, as I figured some of you might get a kick out of seeing that original offering. We’re hoping to put together some sort of gathering in the fall to celebrate this anniversary (too much stuff going on to have it coincide with the actual date) and we’ll share more info on that as we finalize those plans. Either way, none of the last 15 years happens without you folks being dedicated readers, commenters, submitters, link spreaders, etc. From starting out with a total audience of 3 people to the millions who now read our content every month, it’s been quite a ride so far, and I hope to continue going strong for at least another fifteen years.
Filed Under: anniversary, techdirt
Comments on “Fifteen Years Ago Today, Techdirt Was Born”
Rev. Pirate Mike: Preaching freetard “ethics” for fifteen years strong! Someone get him his complimentary parrot and a bottle of Kool-Aid!
YAAAAARRRRRRRRR!
(Congrats, Techdirt!)
Hmm, let's see
Coincidentally, I’m fairly certain that fifteen years ago this day, I was fifteen years old and saw my very first real life, in-person booby. In other words, it’s nice and rather synergistic that this is a meaningful day for the both of us.
Kidding aside, congrats Techdirt and Techdirt-ers. I couldn’t be prouder to be a small part of it….
Re: Hmm, let's see
Dang. I’m old.
My oldest boy would have about 13 then (and also fixated on boobies).
Re: Re: Hmm, let's see
Thanks for making me feel young! My eldest was 6 then.
Re: Re: Re: Hmm, let's see
I think that’s when I first needed reading glasses. We need geezer badges on our avatars.
Someone with some art skills design a shirt/hoodie for Mike’s family that says “My dad/husband ran a blog for 15 years and all I got was this lousy shirt” bonus points if you include the “Eagle” on it.
Gratzies.
Re: Re:
Motherfucking Eagles yeah!
I’d make a t-shirt with the sayings:
Techdirt: 15 years of tech, dirt and a whole lot of trolling!
Do we get cake?
Re: Re:
The cake is a lie.
Re: Re: Re:
But the pie is nigh….
Re: Re: Re:
The cake is FUD!
It’s also food.
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Oh yeah and happy fifteenversary.
Re: Re: Re:
11 minutes. Shameful. I expected two minutes or less. 😉
Re: Re:
You wouldn’t download a cake would you?
Re: Re: Re:
yes. and the ice cream to go with it too.
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Well, maybe if the ice-cream’s low-fat. I’m on a diet.
*singing*
Happy Birthday,
Happy Birthday,
Mongol wisdom you must learn,
First you pillage, then you burn,
Happy Birthday.
Well done and thanks, Mr. Masnick. Here’s to many more years.
Congrats! I think I found Techdirt right around 2000 or maybe 2001.
15 years old.
No wonder there is a lot of acne (idiot trolls).
Good job, and thanks.
So funny. About a month or so ago I decided to take a look at the first TD article. It was fun to go along and see the evolution of TD.
What really appealed to me about TD was the totally open comments section. No email/password nothing. I could come here and join in the conversations with no roadblocks. No held for moderation. Just a free and open community that was passionate about fair copyright and government law. A non conspiracy look at the absurd laws being written that remove freedoms and culture.
I was hooked. And to this day I still read every article.
Thanks guys.
Wout!
"roughly modeled"
Proof that you have been a nasty dirty pirate, right from day 1!
Wow
“August 23rd, 1997”
I’m fairly certain I was a really stoned teenager on that date. You old, Mike.
Huzzah!
Congratulations Mike!
I’ve been reading Techdirt religiously since 2005.
Thanks!
Congratulations.
I don’t remember when I first started reading, but it was a good while before I created an account.
Happy Birthday!
And many, many more.
Well, I haven’t been around as some of the people here (only about 2 years now). But congratulations, Mike!
August 23, 1997. I was all of 12 years and 6 days old on that date. Sheesh. I was a young’un.
I haven’t been following this blog for very long (Only got started when SOPA/PIPA first started getting more word), but it’s been great. Congratulations, guys, and here’s to at least a few more years of going strong!
Interesting
Maybe I’m more interested in the business side for my own good, but I would love to hear about how you created this into a full time job. I do have to congratulate a person that has a very successful community that was built up over time.
Here’s to another 15 years from you Mike with great reporting. 🙂
Congrats Mike.
Here’s to fifteen more!
fucking cool......
Thanks for ALL the fish!….
all 15 years of it….. someone open a window…..its starting to smell in here!
Happy Birthday, TD!
Happy Birthday, TD!
Poor trolls
After 15 years, if we account holders can’t get Mike to shut up, what chance do the trolls have? Poor trolls…
There is that millions of dollars thing…..Biden could charge it…
Happy Birthday TD!!!
HAPPY!!
BIRTHDAY!!!!
I got that second week's newsletter
…and I forgot to tell you, Mike, there was a typo in the second story:
its instead of it’s.
Please correct.
Re: I got that second week's newsletter
That’s right… Derek’s one of the original bunch and has stuck around the whole time… And, good catch. 🙂 I actually saw that typo and debated fixing it before posting this, but I worried about what making a change to an article that old might do to the system.
15? Wow. Congrats. I would sing Happy Birthday, but you know… infringement and all that.
Hear, hear
Your work is much appreciated… validates and bolsters positions I couldn’t explain or justify six or seven years ago. And what form will it all take in another 15?
Thank you for your for labors to keep us informed
and to maintain our liberties….
Happy Birthday!
I’m having some cake in your honor! (Any excuse to have my cake and eat it too.)
“15 years ago MAFIAA’s nightmare was born” new Hollywood movie soon
monumental waste of 15 years
in those LONG years, what have you achieved ?? looks like basically NOTHING.. .
I wonder what the next 15 years will bring you in the way of achievments..
how very very sad,
15 years of winging, and still no one cares.. I wonder why after 15 years of calling for reforms and changes, none have gone your way.. seems the opposite allways happens from what you say is going to happen..
Long live HTTP, possibly you should have given up then, and actually goten a real job.
Re: monumental waste of 15 years
“15 years of winging”
15 years of WINGING?!??! But we only JUST released motha fucking eagles on all yer asses, yo!
Re: monumental waste of 15 years
in those LONG years, what have you achieved ?? looks like basically NOTHING.. .
Those black and white goggles you view the world through must really get annoying when you want to watch a stunning sunset or experience a beautiful garden.
I wonder what the next 15 years will bring you in the way of achievments..
Me too.
how very very sad,
Wait. You are sad about Mike’s achievements? You must live a lonely life.
15 years of winging, and still no one cares…
Well, except for the thousands who read Techdirt that is.
…I wonder why after 15 years of calling for reforms and changes, none have gone your way.. seems the opposite allways happens from what you say is going to happen..
Really? One word for you…SOPA.
Long live HTTP, possibly you should have given up then, and actually goten a real job.
Wait. Mike’s doesn’t have a real job. Someone should tell his employees and family that. They must all be living off of some sort of fake money or something.
The more things change
The more they stay the same… 🙂 Thanks for (re)posting the original Mike! And congratulations on 15 years real time – that’s about 10,000 years in internet time!
Nothing beats coming home from work and catching up on news that is actually interesting. Thanks for making it happen.
Damn
I’ve been called an old timer, and I’ve only been posting since ’07 or so.
Happy Birthday! Soon Techdirt will be able to vote, like all native persons.
Happy Birthday!
My Uncle has the patent on Aug. 23 birthdays.
Has proof of prior art as well.
Expect his lawyers.
Nice, happy birthday TD! Keep up with the marvelous work!
Happy Birthday!
My Uncle has the patent on Aug. 23 birthdays.
Has proof of prior art as well.
Expect his lawyers.
Happy belated, Techdirt! If you did not already exist so perfectly, it would be necessary for somebody to invent you.
Yea!! Happy Birthday and many more!
Congratulations Techdirt.
Happy Anniversary!
Mike and team, Techdirt has been a part of my daily read for only 4 years but I look forward to it everyday. I share links to Techdirt with friends and on public forums. Thank you all for your insight, excellent writing, common sense and for the entertainment; it’s great content!!