codyg1985’s Think Tank

The following is the first of a series of articles about the former technology community Next L3vel that I was administrator/owner at for two years. This article talks about how Next L3vel got off the ground.

Next L3vel had some humble yet unfortunate beginnings.

In the second half of 2002 a website known as Windows XP Stuff was making a small scene in the technology news arena. Unfortunately, the website was plagued with hosting problems, and the owner of the website was not around to maintain order. Most of the staff of Windows XP Stuff did not complain too much and went about their duties at the website. I decided to purchase a hosting plan for the website so that it would have reliable hosting. After doing so, I proposed that Windows XP Stuff be moved to the new hosting that I bought. Most of the staff agreed to do this, but the owner did not agree to move the website, but instead opted for the hosting to be used for file hosting. The final straw came in late October 2002 when it was discovered that the website owner had a drug addiction problem. As such, the new website had its beginning.

Initially the hosting was not ready until the end of November 2002, so one of Windows XP Stuff’s staff members (and new admin at the new website), known then as DigitalFreedom offered to provide temporary hosting. The name of this new website was still undetermined, so many of the staff at Windows XP Stuff that decided to make the move to the new website collaborated through an IM conference to discuss the name. A staff member that went by elw3irdo coined “Next L3vel” as the name of the website, and the name stuck.

The website drew members from Windows XP Stuff due to one of the staff members, Chris Holmes (a.k.a Chris123NT) posting a news item about the owner of Windows XP Stuff and his drug addiction. The news item also invited people to go to the new website created by the staff of Windows XP Stuff. Initially the community was very small, but everyone for the most part got along, and the forum content was interesting and entertaining.

I am not proud of how Next L3vel got off the ground, in reference to the problems of another website. Despite that, the move that was made was for the better for the members most involved at Windows XP Stuff, and the foundation was laid for a community that I am proud to have been a part of.