On June 12th, this site will be 4 years old. (I thought it was just 3 - time flies.) By the time the 12th comes around, we will have received over 150,000 message posts (roughly 104 posts per day). In that time we've logged over 125,000 distinct IP addresses. We're receiving about 6 milliion hits per month. Since installing the new forum software around the first of this year, we've had over 3,000 rod builders register with the site (registration is not mandatory - I can't imagine what that number might be if it was). The average number of direct click-throughs on the sponsor links is about 1600 per month per sponsor. We've averaged from 60 to 65 sponsors (65 is the limit - I will not allow more than that) each year. Judging by the number of distinct IP hits on the various feature pages here, it's obvious that all the site features are quite popular (the Buy/Sell page gets over 1,000 hits per day).

Anyway, just some numbers I was mulling over as we approach the 4-year mark. Hope we make it to 5. I see no reason why we won't.

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Hi Tom,

Even though I have joined (and registered) just recently, I have thoroughly enjoyed the forum. I have been online for years and participated in MANY forums; rodbuilding.org is easily one of the best. Not is the forum well-run, but the participants without exception are helpful and courteous people. I have never communicated with a nicer bunch of folks -- I guess that's what rod building does to you. Seriously, you and everybody else involved are to be congratulated and thanked to the max.

Happy Birthday!!!

Jim

Congratulations Tom. The quality of this site and it's users is rare in this day and age. Hope Rodbuiling.org is up and running 50 years down the road.

I generally despise internet message boards. This is really the only one I've ever felt like hanging out on. That could be saying something great about this board or that I'm a freak - probably both.

Congrats and kudos Tom, you deserve it. This is still the number one rodbuilding internet site in the world and continues to improve. It's a tremendous information exchange and great way to meet folks also.
Again, CONGRATS and Happy Birthday!

Tom, THANKS!!!! I had the destinction and the honor to be the 100,000th post last year and it seems the posts are growing at a rate faster than before.The people make the board but without you these people would not have been accessable to the world.Yuo had a vision(or was it a dream??) and made it into reality.Not many folks can claim to have done this but you can!!!

The part I like about this board(but not the only)is that it is not a brag board.Good honest sharing people trying to help others with a passion they love.Most boards people sign there names and their possesions follow(ie. boat type and size,power and equiptment ect..)that dont happen here due to the quality of the people that sign there name with there worthy comments and years of experience.Kepp up the good work but please pat yourself on the back and take tomarrow off and go fishing.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

Hi Tom,

You have created a truly wondeful resource and meeting place for anyone interested in the fine craft of building fishing rods. The impressive growth in just the frist few years bears witness to your excellence in vision and dedication on a daily basis. You have consistently improved this site for the benefit of the members. Thus, it should come as no surprise how many folks consider Rodbuilding.org the best web site on the internet. I'm also pleased to note that
June 12th is my Birthday as well. Keep up the good work and let me know if I can ever be of help.

Dave

Great Work, Tom! I've learned more about rodbuilding here and from the magazine than I thought there was to learn, and I've barely scratched the surface. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2005 07:13PM by Ralph Jones.

I'll add my Congratulations as well. I still can't figure out when you take the time to eat and sleep.

Congrats to .org and Tom; Ralph hit my thoughts on the head. The more I've learned since coming on board here, the more I realize that I don't know. And then there's guys like Ralph; he's forgotten more than I'll EVER know!

Putter
Williston, ND

Congrats Tom, and my thanks as well.

When I first found this board, I figured I might have a lot to contribute. Turns out I've had little to contribute but much to learn! I've learned more than I ever thought was even possible in the last year, and that is because of everybody in here. My spark had been re-ignited just before I discovered this place, which threw a can of gas on the spark. My thanks to everyone here. So many people have given me ideas, made me think or re-think a few things, helped me expand my imagination, made me challenge my own abilities, and overall, have made me a much better rod builder.

Most importantly, I thank you all for the friendships I've made here, which to me is where the real value is.

Where's the cake?

Thanks. Tom!!! You really need to take some time for yourself and go fishing!

Mike

I'll add my congrats, and ask a question: I'm trying to digest that 150,000 messages and 125,000 distinct IPs statistic. That means that 25,000 messages have been posted by builders who have posted more than once. Hmmm? I would have guessed it would be more. We have many regulars who post often, even several times a day. Tom, do you have any stats on "postaholics"?

Great site Tom, many thanks for your hard work! This site is sure a gem for all levels of information. (and hey - I feel a bit honored to share the same 6/12 birthdate too!)
Thanks again, very much appreciated!
Mike Canavan

I don't know exactly how many different people have posted messages, questions and answers here. It would surely be in the thousands. But I converse with enough people to know that the greatest majority of the people who visit this site, like most forums, never actually post anything. They just stop in each day and pick up a little here and there. It's easy to forget that when you post a question, or an answer, you're actually speaking for literally hundreds if not thousands of others who had the same question, or perhaps the same answer in mind. The board extends to many, many builders far beyond just the names you see next to the hundred or so messages each day.

I'm glad it has been such a useful resource for so many. Thanks for the many kind words.

..............

I agree with the above posters. It's such a great resource of information it makes you want to try to contribute sometning.

I've found I have very little to contribute to add to rodbuilding info presented, but have learned a ton of things.

Between RodMaker and this website, there is nowthing else that comes close for the craft/art of rodbuilding.

Many thanks to TK.

Stan

Lots of rod building websites on the net. Many are very good. This is the one I consider the best of the best for 3 reasons. First, it has the most features and helpful resources of them all. Second, it's all FREEEEEEE. Third, it has the very best rod builders in the world participating on it. This is the one site where I really trust the info I read about. I post some but read more. Pick up something useful most every day or so. Thanks to Tom and thanks to all the great builders who share their knowledge here.

Congrats and thanks Tom. I have been building rods since high school which is much longer ago than I care to admit. I have learned more in the past 2+ years on this board and from the magazine than I had in 20+ years of stumbling along on my own. The information exchanged here and that provided in the magazine is impossible to put a price on. As much thanks goes to all of the contributors to this board for all of their invaluable information. Kudos to all

Jeff Hunter

I got to Rodbuilding.Org a couple of years ago by a mere chance, a link to the site appears among many others within search results at Ixquick (one of meta search engines). Unless it happend, I would definately not ever think to build a rod by myself. Now I've built 20+ of them, learnt a lot and hope to learn much more...

Thank you very much for your efforts, Tom

Pavel,
Moscow, RU

Happy Birthday....THIS site is like opening a rodbuilding magazine, book, or journal... on a daily basis.