I first found
E2 when I was searching for a topic on
Google, many moons ago. I don't remember what the topic was, but I remember that one of my
search results pointed me here, and the writeup about it, as well as the format of the page, roused my
curiosity. So I went to the
front page, clicked on some of the
Cool User Picks, and got more and more
intrigued by the
smorgasbord of topics covered, and the skill of many of the
writers.
By and by, I noticed the text at the bottom of each node which said "Y'know, if you
login, you can write something here."
Cool, that's good to know, me says to meself. Eventually I came to
a node that I just
had to add my
2 cents to. So I went to the
Everything FAQ and
Everything University, learned my shit, created a username, and thus began an
addiction that plagues and delights me to this day.
This would be impossible now. Google no longer has a cache of Everything, and doesn't search our pages anymore. Don't believe me? Just do a search on the exact phrase "strength crushes enemies." It won't point you here. This makes me sad for three reasons. The first simply relates to convenience; it used to be I could search the entire text of E2 pages (as opposed to just node titles). This, along with our very own search, helped me make sure I wasn't creating redundant node titles, and helped me find interesting stuff to read. The second reason relates to pure and simple vanity. I used to be able to pretend that my nodes could be found by anyone surfing the web, and that someone was bound to be blown away by my writing and offer me a multi-million dollar book contract. (Not really, but it was kind of exciting to think that what I was writing was being put out for anyone to see.)
The third reason for my sadness is, I believe, the most relevant. If we can't be found with standard web searches (aside from the front page) it's almost like we exist in a vacuum. This seriously stems the number of potential new users we can attract. While I admit to a certain queasiness at seeing the number of fellow noders shoot up to somewhere around 100 at peak times (I can remember when it would be no more than 60 or so), I think a steady influx of fresh blood does us good. And while new users sometimes add trash, or worse are sometimes trolls, I think the management does a commendable job of getting the best out of each and every one of us.
I don't know why most of our pages can no longer be found on web searches. I guess this is my electronic prayer that one day, our pearls of wisdom will once again be aired for all the world to marvel at.