How did you find your way to DU? I came from Huff Post. How about you?
= new reply since forum marked as read
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Last edited Sun Jan 4, 2026, 09:48 PM - Edit history (1)
In 2003 or 4. Lurked until 2006 when I joined.
Looked at headlines from that date (10/24/2008) and find nothing that would have triggered me. I assume I fell in a hole somewhere and wound up here where some sane people were.
Later, my computer died and I struggled to get all my faves installed on the new one. It wasn’t that long ago that it occurred to me, “Hey! I haven’t thought of DU in forever!” and by golly, y’all were still here. 
was having fun arguing with wingnuts on a local forum supplied by my dial up provider. one guy was hot for Ann Coulter - had even been in an elevator with her once 
I had no clue who she was so looked her up and found her listed in a top 10 conservative idiots list here. lurked for a while then joined.
Alright, 🚨 my often talky self....😉
I'd been on-line since late 1995. A few times first at a net cafe; then by accident early '96 at a while heading to the magazine refence section at a major library - I glanced up and happened to see ? the Netscape Logo on the same computer also used to look up books! Oh?!
I'd been through a rough patch earlier in '95, and while the local papers were educating the public about The World Wide Web later that year, and in '96 - I'd missed the mention, or hadn't thought about the Library as providing the service!
I was looking up all kinds of interests on the library's computers when I decided In 2001 several months after GWB was in office one day to look around for Democratic leaning sites, though not the official party site, although I was always a registered Democratic.
Also somewhat soon after that in '01 I found a Big 24/7/365 day Net Cafe that didn't cost much per hour compared to others I'd used. So I think I put in "Democrat" and among the answers was DU. But bc I didn't have a computer at home - I gave it up, and forgot about it. Perhaps bc there wouldn't be that much time at a library computer to really dive in.
Fast Foward to 2016.
I'd been on line steadily through the library for nearly 2 decades. Thrilled when I got my first tablet, and the library had started to provide free internet access for tablets, smartphones at some point. For instance, I partly followed Hillary being nominated at the Dem convention on my tablet at my library!
Final Jump in 2020!
While on a music group site w off topic political sub forum: I was annoyed not enough attention was being paid to a particular memorial event.
Suddenly "Democratic Underground" popped amazingly out of the mists of my memory; 19 years later!
Oh? Nahhh, they couldn't still be around, could they??
Hahahahaaaa, surprise! Survived, and thrived!
I jumped in the very next day!
🙂👍 
He live-linked to DU. He did it a lot. That's how I found my way to DU in 2001. Old and (Still) In the Way,
backatcha. Alright, 🚨 my often talky self....😉
I'd been on-line since late 1995. A few times first at a net cafe;a then by accident early '96: while heading to the magazine refence section at a major library - I glanced up and happened to see ? the Netscape Logo on the same computer also used to look up books! Oh?!
I'd been through a rough patch earlier in '95, and while the local papers were educating the public about The World Wide Web later that year, and in '96 - I'd missed the mention, or hadn't thought about the Library as providing the service!
I was looking up all kinds of interests on the library's computers when I decided In 2001 several months after GWB was in office one day to look around for Democratic leaning sites, though not the official party site, although I was always a registered Democrat.
Also somewhat soon after that in '01 I found a Big 24/7/365 Day Net Cafe that didn't cost much per hour compared to others I'd used. So I think I put in "Democrat" and among the answers was DU. But bc I didn't have a computer at home - I gave it up, and forgot about it. Perhaps bc there wouldn't be that much time at a library computer to really dive in to the site. Short 1 hrs or less sessions.
Fast Foward to 2016.
I'd been on line steadily through the library for nearly 2 decades. Thrilled when I got my first tablet, and the library had started to provide free internet access for tablets, smartphones at some point. For instance, I partly followed Hillary being nominated at the Dem convention on my tablet at my library!
Final Jump in 2020!
While on a music group site w off topic political sub forum: I was annoyed not enough attention was being paid to a particular memorial event.
Suddenly "Democratic Underground" popped amazingly out of the mists of my memory; 19 years later!
Oh?
Nahhh.....they couldn't still be around, could they??
Hahahahaaaa, surprise! Survived, and thrived!
I jumped in the very next day!
🙂👍
Lefty defense worker. Back in early '03 he told me about DU. That was back in the days
of The Top Ten Conservative Idiots and the Plaid Adder. Only took me 21 years to register. 
A fella I used to email frequently sent a link to DU and one of Randy's satirical musical take-downs and this place felt warm and welcoming. As I ventured into other topics, I felt I'd found a HOME here.
This place is my safe, SANE place on the internet.
I've learned so much since first coming here.
Can't recall what I was searching for, but the first result listed pointed me to a post here at DU. It was like Heaven had dropped right into my lap.
family.
