A Personal Update from ProBoards’ Founder

[VS Admin]

Dear ProBoards Community,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share some important news with you directly. As the founder of ProBoards, I have been deeply involved in shaping this platform for more than two decades. Now, nearly 2 years after ProBoards was acquired by VerticalScope, the time has come for me to step away from my official capacity at the company and embark on a new adventure. However, I am not leaving our community behind; instead, I will be joining you as a regular member, contributing to the discussions that make ProBoards so special.

I wish to express my heartfelt thanks and immense gratitude to each one of you for being an integral part of this extraordinary journey we have shared. The day I founded ProBoards, I was driven by a simple idea: to create a space where ideas could be exchanged freely, and communities could flourish organically. Looking at the ProBoards family today, I am humbled and amazed by what we have accomplished together.

Our platform has become a beacon for countless communities, a safe haven for open discussions, a home for friendship, and a platform for countless voices from all corners of the world. It was possible only because of you - our dedicated administrators, our tireless moderators, and our vibrant members who breathed life into the forums day in and day out. Your passion, creativity, and commitment have shaped ProBoards into what it is today, and for that I am eternally grateful.

As I approach my final days with VerticalScope, I am filled with a sense of pride and gratitude, but also the knowledge that the journey must continue. After my last day on July 28th, I will no longer be in control of the "admin" account on the ProBoards Support Forum. But fear not, I won't be far away.

I've created a new account, Patrick Clinger, where I will continue to be a part of this community that I so deeply cherish. I look forward to experiencing ProBoards from a different perspective and seeing the amazing things you all continue to create.

This isn't a goodbye, but rather a turning of the page to a new chapter. ProBoards has always been about more than just one person - it's about all of us. It's about every post, every thread, every conversation that contributes to the rich tapestry of our community.

Thank you all for your trust, for your energy, for your voices, and most importantly, for your support. It has been the honor of my life to be a part of building this amazing community.

As ever,

Patrick Clinger

[Willow]

Have fun on your next adventure! Thank you for being you. PB & FDN have been an exceptionally wonderful place under your tenure. No other place like it on the internet. I hope the new owners realize what they have here!

Hugs

[Darkmage4]

Sad to see you step down. I know you didn't think of this lightly, or over night, and I am sure it was a difficult decision to make, leaving your creation in the hands of another isn't something you just do out of the blue. I hope vertical scope keeps your dream alive. Thank you for 20+ years of work, and hardship, battling bugs, dealing with good and bad entities, and keeping ProBoards alive!

[wildmaven]

When VerticalScope acquired ProBoards, I wondered if this day would ever come and now that it's here, I have to say I'm incredibly mixed about it all. I totally support all that has transpired, of course, and your next adventure wherever that may be, but I don't have to like it for selfish reasons, haha.

I would love to see you hanging out with us again. I miss the days when the admins weren't so busy and could joke around with us, so I'm looking forward to that.

Thank you for trusting me (twice) to be a moderator and for all of the years of learning and growth.

[User 180565 is taking donation]

I'm wondering if this will put a huge pause on the next version release. Good luck with your next adventure.

[wildmaven]

Jul 24, 2023 22:05:03 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

I'm wondering if this will put a huge pause on the next version release. Good luck with your next adventure.

Did you miss this:
support.proboards.com/thread/673246/proboards-v6-development-status-update

[🎶Sossity🎶]

I was logged in here when your new account was created. I had my hand on the ban button as I waited for the imitator to make his offensive post. Then, I noticed your red name name was also logged in. Spoilt my fun as I realised the other guy was also you.😀

Really, though…..It’ll take some getting used to not seeing you in red. But, inevitably, lives and circumstances change. I sincerely wish you all the very best in your ventures ahead. Keep us posted. Good to know you’ll still be here. I always check for you on fb. I know you don’t post much there but, I do enjoy seeing the photos of your lovely family when you share them. 
Cheers and thank you for ProBoards.😘 * and thank you for my one and only visit to the London eye. Those meet and greet days, eh. 😋

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — John F Kennedy

[Caajscot (John)]

All the best and I am still glad you will be around in here on a lesser capacity, your avatar will always be remembered as you.

[Pearson]

To Infinity and Beyond

[bigballofyarn]

We've grown up together for the past 20+ years. I joined ProBoards and created my forum as a teenager. We've watched your platform grow, thrive, change, and transform into a masterpiece. I have mixed feelings because I don't know the details of your new "adventure." I will obviously support you as a friend, but I wonder who or "what" will take over the admin account now. They will never compare to you.

I cherish the postcard that you sent me as part of the contribution program. While we have never met, I feel personally connected to you. If I can help ProBoards in any way during this transition, please let me know. I want the best for you and your platform. I want ProBoards to continue to grow and thrive as a positive platform. ProBoards will always surpass every social media platform. Your platform has a heart, a soul, and a destiny to thrive because of the passion you put forward in its creation.

Ultimately, I want you to be happy, and I want ProBoards to remain present in my life. I can't imagine a day where I wake up to this platform being gone. Be safe, and enjoy your new adventure. Best of luck.


-Christina / bigballofyarn

[Craig]

It has been almost 22 years since I found this community, and since that day it has been a fantastic journey. From seeing the community grow and thrive, to the places it has taken me and the people I have met - not least, you. It has been great having you as part of my life, and I can never thank you enough for all you have done for me over the past 22 years.

I wish you the best for the next chapter in your life, and looking forward to seeing you in September

[vank]

What changes are next will pb cost a few now

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Jul 24, 2023 23:10:36 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

Jul 24, 2023 22:05:03 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

I'm wondering if this will put a huge pause on the next version release. Good luck with your next adventure.

Did you miss this:
support.proboards.com/thread/673246/proboards-v6-development-status-update

More than likely

[Patrick Clinger]

Jul 25, 2023 9:04:20 GMT -8 vank said:

What changes are next will pb cost a few now

Any changes related to ProBoards in the future would be posted in the Development Blog section. The only change announced here is that I am moving on from my current position. I'm here as a regular member of the community moving forward 

[Syko Nachoman]

Thank you for everything you've done to create and build this community. I've met dozens of great people over the 22 (!) years I've spent on ProBoards, not to mention the countless hours I wasted spent during my teenage and young adult years posting all sorts of fun nonsense. I can't imagine how different that time of my life would have been without PB, but needless to say it probably would have been a lot lamer.

It's sad to see you step down, but it's also reassuring to know that you still plan to remain engaged with the community here.

Of course, this wouldn't be an adequate Big Syko Post without a good amount of overthought analytical nonsense, so here goes: How many hours have I spent on ProBoards throughout my life? Well, I've tended to post pretty actively, but I also lurk and read a good amount, not to mention I generally like to put some thought into my posts. So I'm gonna estimate that if you took all the posts I've ever made and multiplied that figure by five minutes (source: my butt), you'd get a decent estimate at figuring out how much time I've spent on ProBoards over the years. So here goes:

Total posts I've made, possibly:
ProBoards Support, current account: 14,445
ProBoards Support, first ever account: 9,200 or something
ProBoards Support, other past accounts I've deleted: probably like 1,500 or so
First forum I ever made: About 10,000
Other forums I've made: About 2,000
Other forums I've joined: This is tough to estimate, but I'm gonna ballpark it at around 5,000

Grand total: 42,145 posts
Total minutes spent on ProBoards: 210,725
Total hours spent on ProBoards: 3,512
Total waking days (assuming you're awake for 16 hours a day) spent on ProBoards: 219.5

That's the equivalent of waking up in the morning, immediately heading to a ProBoards forum, staring at it all day long with no breaks, and then going right to bed 16 hours later... every day for seven months.

I dunno, still feels like a low estimate somehow.