SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

Site Stuff => Announcements => Topic started by: shavethewhales on July 14, 2012, 04:30:24 PM

Title: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: shavethewhales on July 14, 2012, 04:30:24 PM
Today marks the fifth year of operation for SDCFans.com. I started this site back in 2007 partly to assuage my enthusiasm for the park and the amusement industry in general, and partly to hone my programming skills by using the site as a sandbox of sorts for various programming techniques. We're now on the 11th revision of the site, with most of those revisions having occurred during the first couple years due to the fact that I was constantly re-writing the site's code. I've certainly tried a lot of things with the site over the years, but these days I'm taking a smarter approach and am focusing on what really matters for the site: the community.

Over the last five years the site's look and features have changed over and over again, but the community that has risen up around it on these forums has remained a consistently friendly and thriving place that is both full of information about the park and enjoyable discussion. Getting to be a part of this community has definitely made all the work worthwhile.

As you may have noticed recently, I'm taking a different approach to the site and have stopped attempting to code my own features or manage a lot of random little updates. My basic plan for now is to focus on the forums and add third-party features that support and expand them. I've reserved our domain name for another couple of years and hosting for another year (after which I'll probably move to another host), so we're set to keep moving forward for at least awhile longer.

Thanks to everybody that's been a part of this site over the last five years. I hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: rubedugans on July 14, 2012, 04:35:14 PM
It has been great! What a way to spend 25 days 10 min. on the site since being registered in 2008.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: How-doFolks on July 14, 2012, 04:57:44 PM
Congrats, & Thanks for this site shavethewhales. Love this place.  ;D
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: sanddunerider on July 14, 2012, 05:46:07 PM
Thanks again Shave, we all love the site, and appreciate you time and effort!! :) :)
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: orient express on July 14, 2012, 05:50:47 PM
one of the best sites around with great people contributing. keep up the great work everyone!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: Duelist on July 14, 2012, 08:51:54 PM
Yes- this really is our SDC away from SDC.  Higher praise I could not bestow!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: betamike on July 14, 2012, 10:59:14 PM
No milestone or hard work should go unnoticed.  Great job with the site!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: bobber620 on July 14, 2012, 11:00:48 PM
I'm with everyone else, this site is our home away from home as it pertains to Silver Dollar City!!!! I have enjoyed reading everyones posts and have gained quite a little bit of knowledge from our resident historians. We have also prayed for and with each other in our times of need. Love the site and wish to send out a special THANK YOU to Shavethewhales for starting it in the first place. God Bless everyone and here is to many many more years of SDCFANS!!!!!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: Junior on July 15, 2012, 07:58:22 AM
Happy birthday, SDCfans! Great work, Shave, and THANKS! ;D
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: Zephon on July 15, 2012, 11:06:36 AM
You should be a proud "father", shave!  This is THE site for friends of SDC.  And, believe me, SDC management does take notice of what goes on here.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: Junior on July 15, 2012, 05:03:24 PM
I'm glad to still read about SDC management knowing about what is happening here, Zephon. All of us at this site love the park, and although we sometimes get a bit critical or over zealous about new things like the roller coaster project, we are some of the biggest boosters of SDC, and I hope that really shines through and management can see that.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: eagle1 on July 15, 2012, 09:46:51 PM
Congratulations Steve! You've done a great job and it is awesome to be a part of this. Here is to many more years to come!  ;D
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: sdcDave on July 15, 2012, 11:32:04 PM
Thanks for all of your work Shave.  I don't post much here , but this is my favorite forum to visit because of two things:
1. SDC is just a wonderful place and
2. You couldn't find a friendlier community than the folks that are here
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: DollarCityBoy on July 16, 2012, 11:48:28 AM
Thank you so much for creating this wonderful website. I have been a member since November 2010. It truly is remarkable that a Forum site exist with hardly no obscure, obscene, inappropriate, or negative comments.

 :)
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: LadyDrifter on July 16, 2012, 03:06:23 PM
Thank you so much for this site.  Although I might not post as often as I should, I read here daily.  Thank you again!!!!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: pintrader on July 16, 2012, 03:48:04 PM
Happy 5th anniversary!  Thanks for starting the site and all the work you do Shavethewhales.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: DollarCityBoy on July 16, 2012, 04:01:48 PM
ok, So I'm finally going to ask...

What does "Shavethewhales" mean?

I have always wondered what that was a reference to. Sorry if I'm out of the loop on something.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: okiebluegrass on July 16, 2012, 04:36:58 PM
Congratulations !!! and thank you for the site.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: KBCraig on July 16, 2012, 08:08:21 PM
Yeah, yeah, we all love the site, we all love Shave, happy anniversary...
...Now somebody get to the park and take pictures! It's been days!

Seriously, I'm in withdrawal!
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: shavethewhales on July 16, 2012, 08:26:32 PM
ok, So I'm finally going to ask...

What does "Shavethewhales" mean?

I have always wondered what that was a reference to. Sorry if I'm out of the loop on something.

(http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172319865l/163517.jpg)
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: sanddunerider on July 17, 2012, 05:54:07 AM
cute shave,, thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: Ozark Outlaw on August 01, 2012, 11:48:25 AM
Here is to another five years of SDCFans! I wonder what the topics of our message boards will be about in 2017? Perhaps it will be about how everyone is tired of the The Outlaw, and is ready for a new wild, and crazy rollercoaster! Or perhaps it will be about how the touch screen displays inside Grandfather‘s Mansion is out of theme. Or better yet, maybe it will be about saving the classic white parking lot trams from getting replaced by a monorail. ;D
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: oldsdcer on August 22, 2012, 11:13:33 PM
Thanks for this forum. It has brought back a lot of things that I have forgoten over the 40 odd years that I have been coming to the City. The people and the discussion have been great. Keep it alive for the next 40 years I hope to be going.
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: sanddunerider on August 23, 2012, 12:53:10 PM
Here is to another five years of SDCFans! I wonder what the topics of our message boards will be about in 2017? Perhaps it will be about how everyone is tired of the The Outlaw, and is ready for a new wild, and crazy rollercoaster! Or perhaps it will be about how the touch screen displays inside Grandfather‘s Mansion is out of theme. Or better yet, maybe it will be about saving the classic white parking lot trams from getting replaced by a monorail. ;D

LOL!!!  you may be closer than you realize ozark!!..
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: HeyWheatBread on August 23, 2012, 10:05:57 PM
  I'm pretty new to the site, but not new to the City!  It's really fun and interesting to read about how the City operated in the past, and just exactly how much has changed, and how much HASN'T!  I absolutely plan on participating more with the site, starting with a recent trip update from last weekend!
  I thank everyone one here for their stories, pictures, and discussions of everything SDC, especially "shavethewhales" for getting it started!  HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY, SDCFANS.COM!! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 5 Years of SDCFans
Post by: joshblakebran on September 02, 2012, 07:00:23 PM
I know this is coming in a bit late, but just wanted to let you know that I appreciate the site Shave. This is the only forum, threaded discussion type website I ever visit; this due to the quality of members on the site. Thanks to every poster who have added to my SDC experience and entertainment. You all are the best....