Reading Randy's history reminded me that there was a time when there was no www.flyertalk.com

IIRC, we had to get in through www.webflyer.com and follow a link from there.

I first found FlyerTalk when we were just starting to plan a two week award trip to Spain for our family. I searched "frequent flyer miles" and was led to Webflyer, and then stumbled on to FT.

By the time we got around to taking that trip, a year later, I was already totally addicted. I can remember sitting in an internet cafe unstairs from a bar in the town square of Fuengirola trying, unsuccessfully to get into FlyerTalk. I learned later that the site had been down for the better part of the two weeks of our trip.

Can you imagine if FT were down for over a week now? It would represent a major disaster for thousands and probably end up as a major story on CNN.