How far back into DU's history can I go? Sometimes people post really old stuff from the early days.

[kayakjohnny]

I don't seem to be able to do that with the normal search function. Are those pages saved on someone's computer, or can they be reached from this site somewhere?

Sorry for the dumbish question, but I keep hitting dead ends here.

Thanks for any help.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear kayakjohnny!

To do that sort of search, you need to use Advanced Search. It's on the same page as the Simple.

I've always found it a bit trickier, though.

Your question is NOT dumb!

Good luck!

[Tobin S.]

2. Yes

As long as you are a donor, hit the advanced search feature to search the archives. You will find everything you are looking for there and it's actually easier than searching the currently active posts if you are looking for posts by a particular poster.

[kayakjohnny]

4. And thanks Tobin S.

I just wanted to see how far I could go back.

Even some of my posts when I was under anther name.

Thanks again, road warrior.

[kayakjohnny]

3. Thanks CP!

You're such a sweetheart!

Maybe not dumb, but something I feel I should've know by now.

Thanks.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. You're welcome!

Glad to help!

[jobycom]

6. But doesn't that only take you back through 2004?

I can't see how to enter an older date.

I've gone through the archives older than 04 a few times looking for things, but I've never figured out how to search them.

[kayakjohnny]

7. Thanks, jobycom. That was going to be my next question.

I'm trying to get back to day 1.

I thinking maybe the early days weren't archived.

[Bossy Monkey]

8. DU2 came online in July 2003. DU1 used to be archived somewhere

but I don't know if it still is. Very primitive; we actually posted using abacuses. (Abaci? Whatever.) Actually, it was almost exactly the same except that we couldn't edit subject lines. Had to boot up the old PC for this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/du... I am not optimistic, but that was the URL for old DU as of the time of the onset of new DU. It wasn't searchable, either.

Edit: Dammit! Works, except for all the messages being gone. Suggest you drop a note to elad asking if they're still online somewhere. Sorry.

[kayakjohnny]

9. Thanks though. That was a gallant effort, nonetheless.

It was actually pretty close to what I was hoping for.

I'll certainly have fun with this for a while.

I appreciate the response, Bossy Monkey.

Cheers.

[LiberalAndProud]

10. I've noticed you can go back further in time after the first search.

The tool seems to be a little bit buggy, you know?

[lazarus]

11. Original DU here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/du...

If you click on a forum, you'll see a blank page, but at the far right is an "archive" link. Hit that, and you're in.

Edit: Go to the very bottom of the page to get the really old archives, all the way to the beginning.

[kayakjohnny]

12. Thanks, lazarus.

That was the ticket.

Just what I was hoping for.

I'm going to have a blast with this.

Thanks very much.

[lazarus]

13. my pleasure

My fellow mod Lithos came up with it for us. I'm enjoying looking through it myself.