# How old is MartialTalk.com?



## DayStar

*I am curious to know when the forum opened and how old it is now. 
*


----------



## J Ellis

I believe MartialTalk was started by Daruma who then passed the secrets of Online Martial Discussion to our own Bob Hubbard.

Or something like that.


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Heh.  Close 

We Launched August 2001.


----------



## Bill Mattocks

Martial Talking (with apologies to Carl Douglas)

Everybody was Martial Talking
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they posted with expert timing

They were funky MT men from funky MT town
They were quoting them up and they were dissing them down
It's an ancient MT art and everybody knew their part
From an OT into a quip, and blasting from the hip

Everybody was Martial Talking
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they posted with expert timing

There was funky Bob Hubbard and little Shesulsa
He said here comes MJS, (where?) lets get it on
Brian R. VanCise made a video clip, started attacking with the quip
The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand new trip

Everybody was Martial Talking
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they posted with expert timing


----------



## DayStar

*Awesome! How do you feel about it? 
Proud that it is running successfully and hope it shall continue as long as it can?

*_I am still learning and trying to get a hang of this fancy forum. _ Keep it up!


----------



## bluekey88

DayStar said:


> *I am curious to know when the forum opened and how old it is now. *


 
Old enough to know better, young enough not to care


----------



## Bob Hubbard

DayStar said:


> *Awesome! How do you feel about it?
> Proud that it is running successfully and hope it shall continue as long as it can?
> 
> *_I am still learning and trying to get a hang of this fancy forum. _ Keep it up!


I feel we're doing well, but can do better.  More people, more posts, more fun and more serious discussions.  MT will continue as long as I can afford to keep the site running, pending of course a really big retirable buy out (I've turned down a few offers so far that were mid 5 figure).


----------



## CuongNhuka

Bob Hubbard said:


> (I've turned down a few offers so far that were mid 5 figure).



I'm kind of curious who has offered to buy MT from you Bob. There have rumors about Bullshido.com and Blackbelt buying the site. I think I heard some mention of merging with fightingarts.com


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Blackbelt I'd consider, Bullshido I wouldn't, but it was neither of them.  There've been no discussions with them though, nor with Fightingarts. While I can't disclose the companies due to NDA's I signed as part of the negotiations, they were large forum collectors who own and manage over a dozen communities. 

Heh, I'd like to be like webhostingtalk who last reportedly sold in the millions.


----------



## CuongNhuka

Well, from what I was told, who of course heard it like 8th hand from Exile, BlackBelt offered you like $30,000 to sell the forum to them, and they were planning on basicly stripping MT to the bones, and having one section for each of there authors. And of course, the product selling area would become like 4 different sections.

When I heard that, I almost went and to unsubscribe for the site.


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Wasn't Blackbelt, was in the $40's that I turned down, and there were no plans to strip the site...doing that destroys it's value immediately.  Site's value is in 4 places, it's approach, it's member list, it's content and it's traffic.  Blackbelt could simply setup their own forum to setup author areas and a shopping area for a lot less.


----------



## jks9199

Bob stated that he cannot disclose who it was, but it was NOT Blackbelt.

Bob has put countless hours and a not-inconsiderable sum of his money into this site.  He's refused offers to sell it that would have netted him a tidy sum, when he could have really used the money, because he didn't want to see the site go to hell.  Selling it would have lined his pockets, and made his life immeasurably simpler -- but he didn't.  

He could have put much more of the site behind the premium wall where you have to pay to see it -- or even gone to a pay-only site.  He doesn't.

He doesn't even run the place by fiat, as would be his right as site owner.  Hell -- he's even received infractions and suspensions!  How many boards have a site owner like that?

Instead, we've got a great forum, and there's two things we can do to make it better.  First, post more.  Start threads, resurrect old ones, spend some time in the art areas.  More posts = more traffic = better rates from advertisers...  which means less pressure on Bob's wallet.  And less incentive to consider selling when there's a bit to much month left at the end of the income stream.

Second, pony up the money for a supporting membership.  It's less than $2 a month.  Skip one cup of Starbucks or one bottle of soda, and you've got the money.  I know, times are tough.  They're tough for all of us.  Including Bob.  That small sacrifice is nothing compared to what he's done.


----------



## CuongNhuka

Well, like I said Bob, that's just what I had heard.


----------



## MJS

Well, you know what they say about assuming things.   Of course, to quote one of Seagals movies..."Assumption is the Mother of all **** ups!"


----------



## Tensei85

Question(s):

How many founding members did it take to start up MT? Or how was the process started to form MT? 


Thanks,


----------



## Bob Hubbard

2.  I took care of the hosting and software side of things, and Tim Hartman started spreading the word through his seminars.
The first 100 are considered Founding Members, there are about 28 left today.


----------



## The Last Legionary

I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind. It began in the Earth year 2257, with the last of the Babylon stations located deep in neutral space. It was a port of call for refugees, smugglers, businessmen, diplomats, and travelers from a hundred worlds. It could be a dangerous place, but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace. Under the leadership of its final commander, Babylon 5 was a dream given form. A dream of a galaxy without war, where species could live side-by-side in mutual respect. A dream that was endangered as never before by one man on a mission of destruction. Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations. This is its story..... 

Wait?  What?  OH!  The beginnings of MartialTalk.

In the beginning MartialTalk was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move. Luckily we don't care.

:cheers: to 8 years of fun. Here's to the future mate. Thanks for all the fish!


----------



## terryl965

Old enough not to be a virgin and young enough to look good in so many eyes


----------



## Tensei85

Bob Hubbard said:


> 2. I took care of the hosting and software side of things, and Tim Hartman started spreading the word through his seminars.
> The first 100 are considered Founding Members, there are about 28 left today.


 
So basically you did everything, that's impressive! Must look good on a resume, kudo's for a great job!
But I guess without members the forum would be meaningless so kudo's to Tim as well!


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Thank you.

Mike Casto wrote the original schools database, Andrew Green did the version we've been running the last few years.  My wife did the logo.   We've been blessed to have a great staff over the years to help keep things running, and a great group of members who have contributed to our success and keep spreading the word about us.


----------



## Tensei85

Bob,

Alright hopefully I won't have anymore questions after this post on this topic lol, apologies...

But what was your inspiration for creating MT?

What was your goal: the vision of past, present & future of what you wanted(want) MT to be?

I know it provides a voice, as well as a great marketing tool, and most of all its just fun! 

Apologies for the questions, I'm just curious of what the logic was behind it.

Thanks for your attention, time & effort in looking over this post.

Happy Holidays!


----------



## Bob Hubbard

MT was originally intended to be a community for the Western NY and Southern Ontario areas. It replaced the shoddy leased forum I had on WNYMartialArts. It out grew that goal within a few weeks (Tim did a European tour).  It's continuously surpassed my expectations, rapidly out grew the shared hosting and right now is kicking the *** of a dual processor server that's dedicated to it.

The future?   More members, more content, a new server, and hopefully a decent income so I can focus more on it and less on 'outside' jobs. I'd love to see MT (along with my hosting and photography businesses) be profitable enough to let me travel the world and personally meet as many of our members as I can.


----------



## Brian King

I'd love to see MT (along with my hosting and photography businesses) be profitable enough to let me travel the world and personally meet *and train with* as many of our members as I can.
There fixed that for ya, step by step....


Regards
Brian King


----------



## Tensei85

Bob Hubbard said:


> MT was originally intended to be a community for the Western NY and Southern Ontario areas. It replaced the shoddy leased forum I had on WNYMartialArts. It out grew that goal within a few weeks (Tim did a European tour). It's continuously surpassed my expectations, rapidly out grew the shared hosting and right now is kicking the *** of a dual processor server that's dedicated to it.
> 
> The future? More members, more content, a new server, and hopefully a decent income so I can focus more on it and less on 'outside' jobs. I'd love to see MT (along with my hosting and photography businesses) be profitable enough to let me travel the world and personally meet as many of our members as I can.


 
Agreed, as awesome as MT is its still only in its adolescent years so I'm positive your dreams for MT will come to pass in the near future. But it also gives each of us a sorta commision to spread the word & find more valuable members to partake in discussion & sharing in general.

It will be and is great!


----------



## Tames D

New Supporting Memberships can't hurt the cause.


----------



## jks9199

Tames D said:


> New Supporting Memberships can't hurt the cause.


And, if you act fast, you get in on before the cost goes up.  (OK, it's only a $2 increase, and only for NEW Supporting Memberships.)


----------



## Tensei85

Ok, after much contemplation & debate(some undertow persuasion), I decided to become a Supporting Member. I feel that it not only supports MT at large, in small Bob who runs the site, but each Supporting Membership also contributes to the "Entire Community" who utilizes MT, so its a great investment!


That being said if this poor College kid can do it, then....


----------



## Tensei85

Btw, Bob I'm kinda partial to "Blue" so do you think you can change my s/n color back to blue? I'm not a big fan of Red, haha possibly?


----------



## Tames D

Tensei85 said:


> Ok, after much contemplation & debate(some undertow persuasion), I decided to become a Supporting Member. I feel that it not only supports MT at large, in small Bob who runs the site, but each Supporting Membership also contributes to the "Entire Community" who utilizes MT, so its a great investment!
> 
> 
> That being said if this poor College kid can do it, then....


 
I don't do it for those reasons. I do it for the chicks. Chicks dig supporting members. You'll see.


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Tensei85 said:


> Btw, Bob I'm kinda partial to "Blue" so do you think you can change my s/n color back to blue? I'm not a big fan of Red, haha possibly?


I'll see what I can do.    Thanks!


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Tames D said:


> I don't do it for those reasons. I do it for the chicks. Chicks dig supporting members. You'll see.


There were those hot tub pics from a M&G a few years back.......


----------



## Tames D

Bob Hubbard said:


> There were those hot tub pics from a M&G a few years back.......


 
How can I forget? Seriously, how can I forget?


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Yeah, but I was in the tub.    It's good to be the King.  :lol:


----------



## Tensei85

Ok, so what kind of chicks are we talking about here? Blonde's, brunettes, red heads? All thee above?


----------



## Bob Hubbard

Some of the best people MT has.


----------

