I came on the board (ASPD) in 2001 shortly after discovering that there were nice women available on the internet. Had fiddled around with some massage parlors in previous months, then this "place!"
There was an active, influential core of hobbyists and, generally speaking, the guys that were active here then were a lot (sorry, but I mean a whole lot!) smarter than the gentlemen here today. And many were willing to take the time to conduct elaborate debates in this forum. Ragnar was among the best and we became adversaries over Shereen.
Alliances were formed and insults carefully phrased. A few influential hobbyists could affect a provider's career more then than now...reviews implying she was dangerous, and an end to social invitations, could put a woman back on the street.
And here's what I'd like to get at in this story -- some of you guys were ruthless. Shereen was beat up and fragile as hell when I met her and the folks who were "against" (men and women) her knew that. She and I continued a friendship for years after she left. She told me once that, back then, influential guys were whispering to her she might be "better off dead."
Were there really men preying on her mental state, trying to drive her over the edge, knowingly suggesting suicide? It's been a long time, Shereen went on and is doing okay, and everybody else has scattered, so maybe someone could rationally comment on that.
Some of you guys know what I'm talking about, at least.