I've written a series of blog posts about the history of VideoSift. This is Part IV, the final chapter (for a while). You can go back and start at the beginning with Prelude to a Sift , Part I, Part II and then Part III. Today is also VideoSift's 7th birthday!


On April 1st, 2009 - I think we had one of the greatest April Fools days ever. Sure, it was smaller scale than, say, a Google AFD event - but I've never felt more mirth or gotten more enjoyment from a prank.

We registered "Videograter.com" and made an announcement that VideoSift was now Videograter - all VideoSift.com URLs were now replaced and forwarded to the new domain. Some people cottoned on to the joke - because of the time of year - but we made sure they couldn't spill the beans. @lucky760 changed the commenting system so that whenever someone typed "April Fools" it was instantly replaced with "Cheese Festival". Hilarious. The word "Sift" in all of its combinations was also automatically changed to "grater" in comments. The whole thing was just plausible enough that quite a few people believed us. I consider that day to be one of our crowning achievements and full of joyful win. I still love you graterbot.

2009 was also the year that we had a major overhaul of VideoSift to version 4.0. Talented front end UX guy @campionidelmondo designed the layout for 4.0 and we also got a new logo. Here's something I've never revealed - we engaged Worth 1000, the Photoshop design contest site to to create the logo. Here are all the submissions. I hope you agree that we picked the right one.

Since then, we've had incremental updates, sold t-shirts, added badges and then launched VideoSift 5.0 less than 3 months ago. There are so many interesting things that I've left out - and maybe a few secrets that I'm still not telling - but let me lay a few bullets on you:

Siftographies! @persephone - my better half - interviewed quite a few prominent Sifters back in the day.

The time I wigged out and became Siftler.

Lots of SiftUps! (award for best filmed and one I wish I was at - this one)

The time we brought Choggie back like Hannibal Lecter in chains

I could probably write three or four pages of bullets - but you get the picture. This is the place I live on the Net and it's full of memories.

Today VideoSift is seven years old. It's not the same. New people , new content - some things are better, some things are maybe not as good - but we are still here and I think that counts for a lot on the ephemeral web.

I'd like to thank @lucky760 my partner-in-Sift over the years - and thanks to all of you for doing the heavy lifting of Sift work that keeps this community alive and kicking.

Now you know the full history of VideoSift. We're moving closer to a decade - I hope I see most you around on the Sift's 8th, 9th and 10th birthdays - because I'll be here.

Dag


Melbourne, Australia (on holiday)
February 16th, 2013