The IMDb is 18 years old

[Steve Crook]

The IMDb celebrated its 18th birthday today.



A message from the founder:

Today, Friday, 17 October 2008, the IMDb turns 18.



You might wonder how it is possible for IMDb to be 18 since the first web browser wasn't really available until 1991. On this day in 1990 I published a series of scripts which made lists of credits (collected by a wonderful USENET group called "rec.arts.movies") searchable. Though the naming was still four years off, the IMDb was, in essence, born.



Suffice it to say, however, that since that time IMDb has become more than a list of searchable credits. On top of this bedrock of data we've recently added 6,000 full-length feature films and TV episodes which our users can watch for free. We have launched NewsDesk, (which allows news partners to add their news feeds to our site), individual pages for characters, plot synopses, FAQs, parental guides, and many, many more features. We now enjoy the patronage of over 57 million movie and TV lovers each month.



Meanwhile our IMDb Pro service continues to help industry professionals make better business and creative decisions with our recent addition of FilmFinders, while we help filmmakers and festivals promote and distribute their work with WithoutaBox.



But the heart and soul of IMDb remains the users and contributors who keep us on our toes and keep the data coming. We share your passion as we share this anniversary celebration with you.



Our great thanks,



Col Needham

IMDb founder & managing director

They might not be perfect (they don't claim to be), but they're the best reference around



Steve

[Freddy]

name='Steve Crook']The IMDb celebrated its 18th birthday today.



A message from the founder:They might not be perfect (they don't claim to be), but they're the best reference around



Steve

I'd be lost without it, love just dipping in without an agenda and the pleasure of it all



Freddy

[Straff]

name='Freddy']



I'd be lost without it, love just dipping in without an agenda and the pleasure of it all



Freddy

Quite. Hats off to Col Needham. Our hobby would be immensely poorer without his foresight.

[Chevyman]

It's a site I visit every day. It settles arguments and educates the user.



I'm grateful to Mr Needham and every single contibutor



Thank you

[torinfan]

name='Steve Crook']The IMDb celebrated its 18th birthday today.



A message from the founder:They might not be perfect (they don't claim to be), but they're the best reference around



Steve

I don't know where I'd be without IMDB, I do rely upon it for film and actor research. I'm also a site contributor, it is a community effort.

[Steve Crook]

name='torinfan']I don't know where I'd be without IMDB, I do rely upon it for film and actor research. I'm also a site contributor, it is a community effort.

That's one of the reasons why I started contributing way back in about 1994.



Apart from my interest in films and their initial data lacking details of many British films I liked the general ethos that everyone contributed what they knew. It seemed to be a very good use of the internet, and still is. And although some mistakes do get through, everything is checked before it's displayed unlike on Wiki systems like the Wikipedia where they just hope that someone else will spot the errors or deliberate vandalism.



Oh, and that the IMDb is a true database that cross references everything. Whereas a link from one item to another on a Wiki type system doesn't mean that it's easy to get from the second item back to the first. On a true database it automatically links everything in both directions.



Steve

[torinfan]

name='Steve Crook']That's one of the reasons why I started contributing way back in about 1994.



Apart from my interest in films and their initial data lacking details of many British films I liked the general ethos that everyone contributed what they knew. It seemed to be a very good use of the internet, and still is. And although some mistakes do get through, everything is checked before it's displayed unlike on Wiki systems like the Wikipedia where they just hope that someone else will spot the errors or deliberate vandalism.



Oh, and that the IMDb is a true database that cross references everything. Whereas a link from one item to another on a Wiki type system doesn't mean that it's easy to get from the second item back to the first. On a true database it automatically links everything in both directions.



Steve

That's what I like about IMDB, it is very well set up.



Occasionally I use the Internet Broadway Database too for research.