CodeStore is Five Years Old Today
That's right. Count 'em - one, two, three, four, FIVE years of codestore!!
Well, actually codestore.net the domain was registered on 19th Feb 2000, but today represents the day I started to publicise it and visitors started to arrive. Since then you've never stopped. Thanks guys. I wouldn't be here without you.
Last month the site had 1.7 million hits (up from 1.2 million for August last year). So I must still be doing something right. There's been an increase in hits for each of the years and the site's never been as busy as it is now.
How should I mark the occasion? Do I look back or forward? Five years is a long time! I don't even remember the "early years" that well. So much has happened over the last five years I don't think I could sum it up in one blog entry.
Briefly looking back and forward, I've really, really enjoyed running the site and intend to keep it running for as long as I possibly can. Whether that's another five years remains to be seen. Will it still be a Lotus Domino site in five year's time? That's the tricky question!
Apart from friends and family, very few things have been in my life as long as this site. Five years is longer than I've lived anywhere, since leaving home at 18. It's longer than any of my girlfriends have lasted. Longer than any job I've ever had. Hence codestore is less of a hobby and now and more an intrinsic part of my life. Not that I've let it take over my life. Although there have been occasions where I've turned down a night out with friends and stayed in alone to write an article. Sad but true.
Anyway enough of that. Let's see how sticky the site's been. Who's been reading the longest? Anybody been reading since version 1?
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Morning Jake,
I have been here since day one. Not managed to contribute alot but, you have certainly helped me and also made me think alot more about the solutions I provide to clients.
All the best!
Matt C.
Good for you. Five years of some of the best content in the blogsphere!
---* Bill
Congratulations Jake! I've been here since just before your first blogathon. In fact, you kept me awake all night :-)
Congrats Jake - You're my one and only dead-cert daily read. Here's to the next 5. (I've been reading since version 3 - shame I missed the Flash 'Welcome' screen - I would've loved that at the time!)
Matt. Weren't we sat two desks apart on the day it all started? Or did it start before MAM? That's how hazy my memory is from 5 years ago.
Thanks to the rest of you. It's the comments like this that keep me going. Not that I'm an attention seeker or anything. You just need to know you're wanted ;o)
Nice one Jake - only stumbled across Codestore about 2 years ago, so I feel like a fresh-faced rookie against some of the others!
Blogs and articles have been invaluable. Really helped me out of some tight spots. I learn something new everytime I visit (even the origin of the word Xmas!!!)
Here's to 5 more!!!!!
Mike
The only blog I read every (working) day. It's essential.
BTW: I was hoping you'd have followed Opera's lead and given something away on Codestore's birthday :->
Congratulations Jake!! Simply the best place for techie stuff.
BTW, where did you say the party would be? ;)
Not here from day one ... but surely would like to continue reading for the next five years.
You are doing an excellent job Jake !
5 Years eh - trying to think "Where was I?" - nope I can't remember either.
Congrats mate.
I've also been here since day one ;o)
Congrats - keep up the good work!
Ursus
Congrats Jake !!
All the best and keep doing the wonderful job ;-)
Excellent work. Five years is a very long time to keep up a blogging pace, especially with the detailed articles you crank out too.
You're the one who got me started down the blogging trail, and probably many others too (directly or indirectly). Congratulations.
- Julian
Well, my site is five years old next May, and I only mention that because Fandomlife.net (not as popular or as educational as Codestore by far) started with a lot of help from Jake (he handed over the first Codestore template) as it was a Domino site.
It's now Coldfusion, but it started as Domino and I learned a heck of a lot from that Domino template and probably would have never started a proper, non-static, website if had not been for Jake's generous help.
Well done Jake, and happy birthday Codestore. My own blog has come and almost gone by the wayside, but thanks for the inspiration. Still a pleasure to read.
Congratulations Jake!!
Simply the best place for technical stuff.
Jake - Congradulations on the 5 year anniversary. You have been a tremendous help to me on countless occasions.
Here's wishing you another 5 great years going forward.
I'd still have "twistie views" if it weren't for you!
Time flies..... I thought we were talking about the four years before the summer.
Now where's that nifty Flash intro for ole times sake?
Congrats Jake!
Congrats, Jake! Keep up the good work!
-Brandon
Da da da da dada... you say it's your birthday...!
Happy Birthday, CodeStore! And congratulations, Jake. Sheesh... if it weren't for you, a LOT of my forms and views would look and perform badly.
I ordered something for you off your wishlist. And cyber cake and ice cream for everyone!
Jake - Congratulations on the 5 year anniversary.
Hi Jake, congrats!!! I´m here since version one also! i can´t say how many times you save my skin, save me time and better teache me a lot!. Thanks thanks thanks!!!
Keep doing this fantastic job!
Regards from Brazil!
Valdecir
Happy birthday codestore, congratulations Jake, you are the man. Fullstop.
I can't remeber to have ever seen the version 3 layout, so I must have come in almost exactly the time version 4 came out. And hell, did this Domino site rock, not looking at all like Domino.
I was among those to get your charity website giveaway template (not using my longstanding web alias, of course) and continued to learn. And even now, that I consider myself to be a mature Web developer, I'm often blown away by your stunning ideas.
Of course, I keep spreading the word when teaching courses and people relatively new to Domino can hardly believe what they see.
Keep it up and expect to be more people to rush in!
Jake:
Jack here from NYC! I've been reading since very early on...was one of your supporters on the blogathon and have bought you several books and cd's off your Amazon wish list every so often...you inspired me to transform a website I originally created with NetObjects Fusion (remember that?) and make it fully Domino-ized and actually this month is my website's FOURTH anniversary...I launched it right after 9/11 to support the Theater and Performing arts in Manhattan, and it is written all in Domino and since then, I've published over 1,000 articles with nary a broken link...so thanks for the inspiration...
Jack Quinn
www.theaterscene.net
Well done Jake! Like everyone else who has responded, you have been a HUGE help with your articles on Domino web development, tips and sample databases.
I don't think there is any other source in the Notes/Domino world who has taught me as much as you have.
To your future! Bottoms up !
Dan
Short and simple--congrats!
Happy birthday Codestore....
Actually it shouldnt be us technicians and nerds who should congratulate Jack & Codestore.
It should be our customers and users. Im sure that a lot of solutions wouldn't have been as good without the inspiration from this site.
Keep up writing articles, sharing tricks and 'Elsewhere', all of them a great inspiration.
CONGRATS!
Congratulations on five years, but also Thank You for offering us your invaluable information, insight, and talents. I haven't been here since the very beginning but the years I have spent reading your posts and articles have been put to good use. You've helped me become a better developer and for that, very very very much thanks.
Congratulations too, Jake. Thank you for Codestore. How about putting up CodestoreSphere? :)
Well done mate. Your site has been a truly valuable resource for the whole Lotus Notes/Domino community. Best of luck for the next 5 years.
Happy birthday Codestore! I've been reading religiously since version 3 - thanks for all your hard work and keeping it interesting Jake!!!
Many happy eReturns!
Congrats!! Your site has been a great help to me. Thanks for maintaining such a wonderful site.
Congratulations, Jake. I am a frequent visitor since I started with Domino in 2000. I really like your actual design best.
Just found out that my first website is still online, nearly unaltered since my first days with Lynx *lol*
{Link}
I hope you keep on with your site for the next years, nbe it a WebSphere site or PHP site or whatever...
Hi Jake, I don't comment very much on the small selection of blogs I follow but let me take this occasion to say congrats, well done, and thanks for all the useful and informative info you post.
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Codestore,
Happy birthday to you.
Hip hooray, hip hooray, hip hooray!
Well done Jake. Thanks for all the wonderful information and entertaining blogs.
Wishing you a Happy Belated Birthday Codestore!
As the other party-goers have said, many thanks for the various ideas/tips/suggestions that have been posted on Codestore.
Let's all raise our glasses one more time - to Codestore and Jake!
Hic!
Cheers! 8-)
A massive, massive thanks to you all. I'd love to pretend I don't like this kind of adulation, but I do. It's what keeps me going. Hearing comments like this is the fuel to keep the site burning. You just bought more of my time.
Jake, if you were a woman, I'd marry you!
Congratulations!
So, here we go for five more... :)
Jake Rocks!!!
Congratulations on completing 5 years....
and eagerly waiting for loads of mind blowing Domino puzzles unleashed...
Belated Happy 5th to Codestore! Like others, i.blog because of your inspiration, generosity and leadership, Jake. May you continue to find it as rewarding and worthwhile as we all have!
Cheers!
Congrats.
I've followed the blog for the last 4 years and the coding stories have been excellent.
Many happy returns to this child of yours.
Congrats Jake!
You've always been a great help. You really made a difference, much of your content has become classic literature to some of us. Time and time again I point people to your articles, and I get back myself a lot to look up content as well.
Here's to another 5 years, pioneer.
Gee, I just noticed, that Ben Langhinrichs of Genii Software uses a link to codestore as an example for how to use links in his comment system. Codestore remains the reference. :)
Ben's site was originally based on my DomBlog template and one feature that remains is the link example. Although, maybe he left it there as a small tribute/thanks ;')