Ten years ago...
TEN years ago today, the 8th March 2000, a new Web address was registered that has had quite an effect on the waterways over the intervening years.
And that new Web address? narrowboatworld.com of course. Yes, narrowboatworld has been in existence for ten years.
February 17th 2002 edition of the original design in Microsoft
Compared to today, there were a very limited number of people with internet access, and only by old dial-up connection, that was all there was available in those far off days, resulting, like many other websites of the time in very little interest. But unlike so many that over the years have fallen by the wayside, narrowboatworld took a vastly different approach.
February 28th 2004 edition using Linux
It took the form of a newspaper, so instead of the one-man bands, that later came to be known as blogs, giving a single aspect by one writer (thought this must not be taken as any kind of condemnation, as they can be an excellent medium), we encouraged other people, and even regular columnists and contributors, all with boating experience and mostly actual boaters, to write. It was in fact an early columnist Brian Holmes who described it as 'written by boaters, for boaters about boating'.
February 18th 2006 edition Linux using CSS
Together with a strict editorial policy of non-interference with these writers, and allowing anyone to state their views, the site soon become to many the only reliable source of actual facts, subsequently having a higher number of readers than any other waterways website in the country.
March 8th 2010 edition Linux using PHP
With SOW in effect no more, boaters leaving the IWA in droves and NABO going off on a 'Legal Challenge', the magazines relying on BW advertising, and so mainly sticking to the 'party line', newspapers accepting anything they are told, the blogs having little circulation and influence, so what is left to attempt to curtail the ridiculous—often untrue—outpourings from the waterway authorities?
It seems narrowboatworld. For which we make no apology.