From the Editor: Our One Year Anniversary

Welcome to the One Year Anniversary of the Reef Traders' Outpost!

A nod to nastalgia, the first announcement of the RTO way way back (in internet standards) to 1995:

From: tm...@interport.net (Todd Zebert) 
Date: 1995/10/04
MessageID: 44uo6o$r8l@park.interport.net#1/2
organization: Interport Communications Corp.
newsgroups: sci.aquaria,rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
 
The REEF TRADER OUTPOST web site is now OPEN!!
 
About a week back I suggested the idea of a forum to facilitate
trading flora, fauna and equipment mostly centered around reef
keeping.  I received enough interest that I decided to slack off at my
job and do this instead... Immediately below is the URL and below that
is the FAQ.  Enjoy.  All comments welcome!

I'd like to recap our history:

• Oct 4 - The first incarnation of the Reef Traders' Outpost
  existed simply as a web page with trades that people would email
  me. I also wrote up a basic FAQ about the service - promoting
  just trades - no sales. From the beginning, trade listings would
  be strictly non-commercial.
  
  
• Oct 13 - Listings are being sent to me about once per day. I
  introduce the Features department because of questions by
  visitors and interest in a service of this kind. The exchange
  has been rechristened RTO Exchange, just about two weeks after
  being "born".
  
  
• Oct 20 - More interest, and I introduce the Pipes department,
  specializing in "Obscure and Essential Links".
  
  
• Nov 8 - Because of requests, and some second thoughts on my
  behalf, I opened the Exchange to non-commercial selling, which
  also greatly increased the number of listings.
  
  
• Feb 22, 1996 - Things were going pretty smoothly, so I decided to
  revamp the look and feel of the RTO again. I also hinted at a
  new service, The Observatory.
  
  
• Mar 20 - I recoded the Exchange to take advantage of Netscape
  Frames and this helped navigation through the numerous trade
  files.
  
  
• Apr 4 - Lots of changes. I introduce the "FishRoom Web-side
  Companion", the "RTO-Announce EList", and
  The Office, and also that there are RTO "rooms" on FishRoom. Also, the site is also searchable, compliments of the Cory Search
  
  
• May 5 - Pipes is completely redone with new categories, including
  ERMALinks (Essential Reef and Marine Aquaria Links), describing
  the best aquaria destinations on the net. Introduced is the
  "From the Editor" periodic column on the state of the hobby,
  the internet, and more.
  
  
• May 15 - We celebrate 100 Exchange listings.
  
  
• July 18 - We celebrate 200 Exchange listings.
  
  
• Aug 26 - We have 250 Exchange listings.
  
  
• Sep 15- We open the doors to the new web site, www.rtop.com, the
  result of many man-months of work We open with over 300
  Exchange listings.
  

We're continuing to make improvements, directed mostly by your comments and suggestions. We value your Feedback as this site is a resouce for you, the hobbyist. Coming very soon is the finishing touches on a re-vamped Pipes, improvements to the Exchange, and more!

- Todd Zebert, Editor-in-Chief