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Diogenes
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The Cynic

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Orginally posted by DiogenestheCynic

Doesn't some of that already exist??I mean I do remember having seen members offering airport pick-ups and accommodation too.
Maybe you mean, that you are now going to make it more organized. Hmmm...very good!
But why do you say "no expectation of compensation in monetary form." If the "help" requires monetary expense, isn't it only fair that the cost be compensated to the helper?? I can understand an effort at avoiding profits, by why the prohibition on covering costs? I think you will get more participation if people are allowed to cover costs.

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Try overtaking child's imagination

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Originally posted by chandresh

While it is a good suggestion, I do not know whether it can really be implemented or not (legal liabilities of this country!!!).

I can write down what I know about the history:

Garvo had come up with the idea of starting such a site I think three years ago and he spent one full winter doing that. The idea behind the effort was to help fellow desis since Garvo had seen the struggle of desis in this new land - though as far as I remember, Garvo did not have to go thru those struggles himself.

Blue Lobster was one of the first few members and he has been regualarly contributing to the forum. Garvo invited Massood to join this forum and requested him to be the immigration expert, which he willingly did, since he believed/believes in helping the community in whatever way he can. I do not know when did Jake3D join and became active, but I remember we had a lot of exchange of views (and oft opposite) in beginning of 2003 when I became a member.

I had briefly moved out of Canada in June of 2003 but came back in August and at that time, I got quite active on the board. By end of 2003, I felt that the site had reached a stage where there were a lot of members willing to help each other with their own experiences and thoughts and ideas. At that time I suggested a meeting of members at my place (read the thread THE NEXT STEP) and the first CD meeting was held on January 10, 2004. However, to be able to organise the meeting, we needed some people to take up the challange, and the obvious choice at that time (based on dedication to CD) was GG, BL, Jake, Massood and myself.

We exchanged views with each other first thru PMs, then phones and finally met one fine Sunday in Nov or Dec (I do not recollect the exact date) at my place. Jake drove in from Montreal just to be with us for the brainstorming meeting, along with a friend of his. All of us met each other for the first time - and it was interesting to guess names of each individual when they entered my house!!! We sat for a few hours and discussed what we wanted to do and why, and how. While BL gave some great ideas, and helped in noting the jist of discussions and then planning the agenda, he said that he will not be able to join for the first meeting since he was getting married in India at that time.

For the actual meeting, Jake came back to Toronto, this time with whole family, and Massood flew in from Vancouver solely for the meeting, and I should say we are both thankful to both of them to have taken this wonderful step to solidify the base of CD's growth path.

Soon thereafter, CD started growing at a much faster pace, both in terms of new memberships and in number of posts. With the growth, came its related troubles and Garvo at that time felt the need of someone to help him maintain the site. BL being the guy who had everything needed - dedication, maturity and the technical knowledge (he is an IT guy) was obviously the first choice for GG, which BL accepted and got his sheriff badge soon thereafter. Massood and Jake followed a bit later for obvious reasons again. Meanwhile, all of us were in regular touch with each other working out ways to further grow CD.

Biomed, who had become very active during the first half of 2004, offered to have the second meeting at his place. It was very well organised and attended, though we missed Massood and Jake in the meeting (and ofcourse Mishter India, who till that time was only known as the first success story of CD). As many members must have seen in the photographs, GG, Biomed, BL and I were on the dias for the second meeting, and that goes to prove that GG and BL are two different guys . Biomed, due to his dedication to the purpose of Cd, was made a moderator soon thereafter, but a few weeks later he found that his work is keeping him so busy that he cannot even log on to CD for days at times, requested to step down.

MI had become very active in the second and third quarters of 2004 and infused positivism on the board, so I suggested to GG to take him on board as another guy to moderate and help us out in growing CD and benefitting more and more people. And then one day I saw the designation Global Moderator under his name.

One fine morning GG realised that since Chandresh is 'on the bench' and much sober now (Canada bashing has been moderated), he offered me the UNPAID job of being a moderator.

And so, here we are:

Garvo Gujarati
Blue Lobster
Jake3D
Massood
Mishter India, and
Chandresh

all of us being volunteers with only one purpose in mind - to help fellow desis in whatever manner we can - no particular area or path. It is NOT a corporate, and infact it is not even a business. The funding of the site, the meetings and anything else is done entirely by the organisors.

Note to GG/BL/Jake?Massood/MI - If I have missed out anything or related something which is not a fact, please pardon me, and do needful amendments.

Chandresh

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hinglish zindabad

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Originally posted by DiogenestheCynic

Just wondering, how fast does this board move? I mean, any figures on how many messages get posted in a day on an average? Is the rate going up/down/remaining stable? How many members are lurkers and how many actively post? With over 10,000 signed up, how many still sign in and how often? How does it, for example, compare to some other board for with similar number of members?
Would also be nice to know about the history of the board. When was it started? By whom? I know it is GG, but was it ONLY him? What was the basic purpose for creating it? Did GG himself wanted immigration related issues to be the prime focus or did it start happening on its own somewhere along the way that got picked up later by mods/admins and got made into the purpose?
Just curious!!

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hinglish zindabad