History of PDB – the work that went into building it - Page 2

In schafer.is, anyone could edit and post. in pedigreedatabase.com (2003) I decided to allow only logged in users to edit.

My initial reasoning was that even though an individual can be mean, malicious and destructive. Groups are constructive and supportive. So I did what no system was doing at the time and allowed anyone to add and edit. (Later on Wikipedia would prove my reasoning right)

I just looked at the breeders I knew, each sitting in their corner working on their store bought ancestry program (for animals or humans) and typing in the same information. It looked like such a waste to me.

My reasoning was that as long as everyone was using the same source, it would make adding pedigrees so much easier since the odds are that someone has added much of your dogs pedigree before.

Been here since the schafer.is days as well [I would have said 'since the time of ISDN and modems, but for me that time only ended about three years ago!]. Have watched this site grow, and the amount of time and effort Oli put into building and expanding it, and continued to be amazed that all of this was available at no charge to the users...and remains to be so, which makes this place heaven-sent for newcomers to the breed, and to me, that's a good thing.

Oli, it doesn't get said often enough, but thank you for all you've done with this site since you first opened up your personal database to the outside world, and for persevering with it in spite of those who urged you to find a hobby that didn't cost as much money for no return. I would have paid a subscription fee back in the early days, and I'd still pay one now, because for all of its flaws--which are primarily due to the vast numbers of personalities, experiences, interests, and intentions that comprises the membership--this remains to be the place on the web to go if one is seeking an answer to a dog-related inquiry, and as much as there will be squabbles between us from time to time, there is a sense of community that is extremely evident when one of the membership needs some real-world help, and the rest of us respond by doing what we can, even from opposite sides of the oceans.

Thanks for creating, maintaining and improving this home on the Web for us, Oli.

I remember researching the pedigree of one of my imported pups was the first experience I had with this site. There was only 'no information' in her pedigree beyond her sire and dam. I was disappointed, but was amazed at how far back I could see the pedigree on my Mittelwest pup.
It took years for my female's ped to gradually fill in, and now it is complete all the way to the fourth generation ( I believe war years left blanks in record keeping). She has turned out to be my foundation bitch, with qualities that define the gsd. I now have fourth generation pups I'm raising of hers, and she has not let me down this many generations later. One day I hope to see the dogs in her pedigree who contributed their genes to these two strong females pups I'm currently raising.
When looking at websites of breeders around the world, it is amazing how many rely on and link to this site for the pedigree information on their dogs. If this site went down, it would have a domino affect around the world.
Oli, you have created a legacy of proportions that few people have ever achieved. You are to be revered on the level of Cpt Max.
Thank you.

Although most of my fellow country (wo)men don´t tend to use the forum (although a lot of Germans do READ it) most of the (younger) active breeders do use this board regularly, be it for research or for ads. It´s great for all of us - thank you, Oli 
I like it for a lot of years now....

Thank you, Oli, for answering my question, and most of all, for all your work. There is no other pedigree database that has American and European lines together, and that in such depth. It's been hugely helpful to me. And yay to romance for sparking what became PDB!

Thank you Oli, I am humbly in awe of your dedication. And of the effect this database has had on my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
jackie harris