A heartfelt thanks for CB/GTTP

I sent the following message to Jeff back in May via an email. It was a recent thread complaining about the lack of updates on some websites upset me and made me remember this. I decided to post it for everyone to see as I think it really speaks for all of us who are regulars here, whether we have actually taken the time to thank Jeff before or not.

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I was reading some posts tonight over on GTTP and everyone was talking about how it is May now and the park will be open in a few days (four to be exact). I got to thinking and realized that, if I am correct, this past offseason was the third one that your GTTP site had been around for. And on top of that, this has been the second offseason for your Coasterbuzz website. This all made me think back to the offseason of 1994/95 where I was first able to use the Internet to cope with rollercoaster, and especially Cedar Point, withdrawal. Rec.Roller-Coaster was about the only means of contact out there and I could count the number of rollercoaster related sites on one hand. Although the Internet helped, things were still rough at times.

As the years progressed so did the interest in creating more community and support for addictions to rollercoasters or amusement parks. I remember the hot thing in 1996 being when Cedar Point posted all of maybe three pictures of Mantis under construction on its own website. Slowly over the years more and more emphasis was placed on upcoming attractions and the construction photo websites grew in popularity. Over the 1997/98 offseason I covered the construction of Power Tower and was amazed at the response I received. Emails and site visits far outreached my expectations as it was only a drop ride and there were plenty of new rollercoasters opening.

And so that brought us all to the point where you stepped in and opened GTTP (just before the 1998 season if I remember right). When that site first debuted I remember being so amazed at the quality of the website in front of me. Finally there was a place on the Internet that had done our park some justice. I mean, the official site is just now coming to be of the same caliber as the park itself. Over time you refined the site, added new features and tools, and built the site into what it is today. More and more people began to start browsing the site and the forums section soon became a community in itself. The exclusive Millennium Force photos you were able to offer over the last offseason only helped fuel the popularity of the site. And now today the site sits poised to enter its fourth operating season as a coming together point for all of us Po!nter junkies and freaks.

(see next post for the second half)

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James Draeger
http://draegs.tripod.com/
"Legend is a wooden Jesus"

Part 2

With all that has happened over at GTTP I could go on for quite a while without even mentioning its sister site, Coasterbuzz. But this is the crown jewel of rollercoaster websites (if you ask me) and this email would serve little purpose without mentioning it as well. In one scroll of the page I can find out all of the latest news, if there are any rumors worth reading, and if I should take a moment to catch up in the forums. The site is easy to read, well laid out, and free from useless crap the bogs down so many of the sites out there. Coasterbuzz forums have their own community and it's always fun to see the people who cross post between there and GTTP. The park and ride database is a constant source of information and always my first stop when I am searching for something. I can't really say anything bad at all about the site...and that's something I can say about *very* few sites.

Between GTTP and CB we now have the ability to share new information, retrieve old information, and interact with our fellow 'junkies.' Despite the many other things going on this past offseason, I still feel that these two sites have helped curve the whole withdrawal syndrome that comes between the months of October and May. Having these resources is such an amazing progression from what was once available and I can't help but think many, if not most, users fail to realize this. I can't even imagine the number of hours you have put into making these sites what they are, but I want to thank you for doing so. I don't know how many people actually stop to write and tell you thanks for all of your work and money spent, but I want to be one of them. I've tried running sites and know it can be a hassle at times or something that the interest grows and fades in like the return lag of Magnum. So to see you keep up the effort and work that you have between these sites is something I won't let go unnoticed in my mind at least. I think I speak for the community of both sites when I say that you deserve more praise than you have received....a hell of a lot more.

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James Draeger
http://draegs.tripod.com/
"Legend is a wooden Jesus"

Thanks man... I appreciate the retrospect (that's a lot of history there)!

It has been a dark time for coaster sites as so many have been a victim of their own popularity. This stuff is expensive, very true, and it's a thankless job. I remember when Eric at Ultimate Rollercoaster was considering giving up his site after some down time in part because all of the crap he took for the way he ran it. I'm glad he decided to keep it up, even if he is paying for it out of pocket.

I finally met Eric at Cedar Point this year (he was impressed, by the way) and wow did we have some great stories to exchange. Between member-stalkers and sensless rants about how much our sites suck, I think we've had every reason to give the coaster community the finger and pursue other things.

You wouldn't believe (actually, you might) how much crap I take for the way we moderate this site. In addition to that, some people go as far as to say I like to "pound my chest" over the success of the site (see:rec.roller-coaster). You know what? Who cares! I bust my rumpshaker and have spent, at this point, tens of thousands of dollars to build this stuff on a budget that is significantly less. I think I'm entitled to a little bit of self-promotion, and I'm no longer going to apologize for it.

Those aren't the people I will continue to build sites for. People like James, who are really getting something out of it, are the people I work for. As CoasterBuzz heads into its third year, and GTTP enters its fifth year, you bet I'll do what I can to keep things thriving the way they have.

CoasterBuzz was the first site to do on-line track records, the home of the almanac you can put on your own site, the first meeting calendar, thousands of news items and databases that are created entirely from member contributions. I pay the bills, you supply the content. Member driven, baby!

Thank you for your support.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
Watch the grass grow!

ACEerCG, that is the kind of thanks that I feel as well, however, you have a much more elegant way of putting it. :)

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Mayday - Memorial Day Weekend - Nonpoint, Nickelback, Oleander, Staind
Ozzfest - June 8 - Drowning Pool, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Black Sabbath
Awake Tour- June 15 - Darwin's Waiting Room, Puddle of Mudd, Deftones, Godsmack

Sometimes, people (including me) really do take people's work for granted. Sometimes things we say come out and we don't realize exactly what we are saying or how others feel. Not all of use realize the hard work Jeff and other webmasters do, not all of us realize that they frequently get "hate" e-mail, or bad comments "dissing" them and the site...we all don't realize the cost of a website like this one, or what they go through on a day to day basis. There is a lot more that goes on in a website than people can see with their own eyes.

...I think we all (including me, I am a real *** sometimes too) need to show our support and thank all who are involved in building sites, like this one, and all the hard work and effort that goes into it.

Thank you Jeff for making such a wonderful website and being a great person.

Alan Jacyszyn

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The Fight Against FastLane-
http://fafl.cjb.net/

I've only been a member of CB and GTTP for about a year, but I've been a frequent visitor since mid-99 and I have seen how much both of these sites have grown.  Rarely do I see changes in any websites because of user feedback, nor do I see the many updates like this site has.

Thank you very much Jeff, not only for creating a site for us to browse, but for the community you created for us to interact in.  This site is so different from when I first saw it, and keeps improving as each update follows.  I know from experience that creating a website is a long drawn out task.  And updating and adding more stuff is even more demanding.  Not only that, but you must pour money into it to keep it running.

Thank you very much for the time and money you have taken to create a community that informs us about anything to do with coasters :).

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***Why can't all parks have a Millennium Force?***

I wish I had a way with words like you guys do, but I don't and never have. All the people that work so hard here, thanks so much. Don't pay attention to the complainers, just ignore them. You are doing a great job running the best site on the net.

I have to say that this is by far the most superior coaster site on the web. I have sent many hours enjoying every part of CB and it is a testament to your work Jeff that CB has become such a huge coaster community. Most of us rely on CB to help to further our coaster craziness.

I'm going to bump this back up to the top because it really deserves a read. 
Thanks Jeff for all your hard work.  I've met some amazing people from these sites and never would've had that opportunity had it not been for you.
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Christ how do you kids do it

*** This post was edited by loriu on 9/25/2001. ***

You're welcome! It was nice to meet you at Kennywood this summer. Hope to see you at CP before the end of the year!

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
Watch the grass grow!