How did you discover TR?

Good question !!!

I don't remember, it was so long ago now. I wouldn't have been seeking forums or browsing for chat, I don't do that outside of TR. In fact TR is my ONLY chat forum nowadays.

I think I may have stubled here while looking for answers for my ThinkPad or perhaps while searching for tips when I was a Netware engineer or something. It al;l seems so long ago now, I was just a wee nipper back then.

I stumbled on TR late one evening while mulling over a number of problems having to do with a Scientific Atlanta earth station receiver. The problem was perplexing and I was trying to find a web site that might enlighten me. Basically I was surfing. When I happened across TR, I made a quick note and saved the URL in my favorites. After sorting out the problem with a tech rep from SA, I called a friend and coworker to get a better insight by talking with someone who'd been to this site before. Much was revealed to me that wasn't a stock setup. Before hitting the skid after that conversation, I grabbed a soda and sat in front of keyboard. I absently brought up the browser and found the TR URL in the tab and perrussed the site. Pretty advanced stuff for a web site, My initial reading took about three hours and a selection of news emails and alerts kept me entertained and looking for more. The evolution of a BBS is what I saw, and then the boom hit. Advanced features and much more than just a community of nerds and techheads. I went to bed and got a solid 5 hours. At dawn, I was already on the roof. A quick check and clean of the LNA, retermination of the connectors and proper sealing solved a lot of the problems. Back on the ground, a power supply check, more retermination took care of the rest. Back on the air. Two hours later, in the office, I made a call to the friend to pass on the good news and an update about what I found..This to insure that the next time he can go instead of me. I neglected to say that it was 10 degrees Farenheight. 10*F. outside and the ground cabinet was unheated. I spent the rest of the day trying to plow thru the emails from TR that I requested. I daily checked TR for about an year before I had to select an appropriate user name and refrain from visiting from work machines after getting the dirty look from my boss. I visit when I can and between two other users in the HO that want to use the same machine as me. Two or three other friends visit, but I haven't seen their user names unless they, like me needed to change from a user name assigned by the boss.

...from the "technical" guy in a small computer shop. I wondered out loud once how he kept up on all the changing technology, being able to find the solutions to any number of problems. TechRepublic makes me a "smart expert", he said. But don't tell anybody my secret, he went on to say.

(He shouldn't have told me. He used to get all MY work!)

My partner here ( my office partner, not life partner :) )used to be a Mouseketeer!
2nd generation, after Annette but before Britney.

I have fun posting old pics of him, from his fan club, around the office, he is actually quite shy about it now, but I think it's great!

I was just browsing something, or looking for a solution to a problem (dont remember what), and ran into the site. I spent several months on and off again, and then started to answer questions, last year I started reading discussions as well -- and this year I actually started joining the discussions.

My boss signed up for the TR newsletter which got sent to the entire IT department (which is just me and my boss).

I started reading TR and signed up for my own account. Initially it was just to get access to the downloads but I was inevitably drawn into the inescapable black hole that was (at the time) called discussions.

Many years ago when I was using NetZero's then free dial-up service, one of their pop-up / banner ads was for TR. Intrigued, I checked out the site and signed up for some emails of interest.

Several years later when I was laid off and had nothing better to do, I started answering Technical Q&A questions.

Now, I need a few months of "free" time so that I can actually read the nearly 6000 TR emails that I have not had time to get to.

Chas

A way to add a NT computer to a IBM main frame. I was a contractor for UPS and they were giving computers to great shipping customers. But allot of them still used main frames.

and I spend a few years reading the articles and checking out the downloads.

I THINK my first discussion was about repairing fans on the CPU. What a crazy waste of time that was. By the time they make noise, it is too late.

I was doing a search for some information to a problem, Google returned a link to a question on TR, I followed the link. For a year or so, I was a member using a work related membership, four of us shared it. Then I left there and joined as myself.

TR is not an addiction, it's a way of life - or is that death, as it's a virtual life.

No, no go away, Col, call your men in white back again, make them leave me alone. Ahhggh, give me back that computer, I can't live without it. :p

for an answer to a problem..i think my original reason was regarding PDA emulators and i posted a question in desperation. Don't think i ever got an answer to it!

I'm more of a taker than a giver, i read the articles, download the downloadables and basically moan and whine in the discussions :)

I try answering the odd question, but mostly by the time i see a question i can answer, someone has already beaten me to it!

It was an addiction for a while..i'd still like it to be, but its awefully quiet as of late..

it under the ground. nah just kidding.

my teacher introduced me here. I only benifitted from the Vista reports and some other little updates on the newletters.

too much ads here, so i seldom come.

I must have stumbled across a blog post or article, which was relevant to what I was looking for. I use a boat load of forums for reference, so I'm sure that's how I got hooked on the TR forum. It's both technical and off topic. I enjoy the freedom of choice with that.

Dan

I googled looking for some help on a long-forgotten problem I was having. I returned only occasionally for info on various tech issues. After a couple of years, I got drawn into a discussion Oz started about his 10,000th post and then JD's divorce thread got me. Now I can't find my way out.

I'm not quite sure. some did leave because of the way TR did the change as much as the results of the change, but most did hang around.

The only thing I can think of is EVERYONE is busy at the same time? There has not been a good Friday Yuk in quite a while. How sad.

But I HAVE had an idea! Watch for a new discussion! .

Yup, came across TR doing a search for a resolution of a long forgotten (but solved) problem quite awhile back. I still travel daily to the TR universe to see what's what. It has been a great place for help, and hopefully it will continue that way.

nup.

Got sent an email with a link from our it guy.

I downloaded an IT support tool one day and part of the deal was that I signed up for free membership of Tech Republic. Best thing I ever did. The info I have obtained from my Tech republic emails has been worth its weight in gold.
robster

A few years ago I was looking for a site to provide me info on an obscure situation that I forget today. After visiting various sites I stumbled across Tech Republic, found my solution, explored the site and I was addicted. Today it's one of my main points of reference when confronted with a technical problem, it introduces me to new technology and allows me to post questions, comments and reviews. Thank you TR.

I used to visit NTFAQ, they used to have really good info, and someone named Jeremy Moskowitz and Barry Sosinsky were supposed to have written some good stuff also, and they were with TR. And that's how I got hooked. Back then you needed to pay for your membership.

turned me onto this site a few years ago. I figured it would be a good place to learn from those who ARE in the "know"! :)

Edit: I'm now subscribed to SEVERAL Newsletters from TR, ZDNet and CNet and have in deed learned quite a bit.

Hm... I discovered TechRepublic from one of my well-respected instructors who also visits this site. I am glad I registered here. I may not post much, however, the articles are very interesting. TR will definitely help keep me on my toes when I start my internship in about eight weeks time as a Network Administrator, I can not wait to get started!

I remember that I was looking for some driver or apps. and I came across this site. What kind of software are you involved with? Do you need beta testers?

8~)