MoveIt HistoryThe exact facts of the history of the MoveIt mailing list are lost in time, but it is known that it was started by Pui Ming Wong in Hong Kong in 1995, who was wanting to start a Cliff Richard and the Shadows community online. Australians Fiona Caldarevic (at the time, Fiona Wilkinson), Randal Sheppard, and Ian Denton didn't start the list, but they are founding members. I, American Robert Porter, found the list in 1998 and soon took over administration duties for the list shortly after as I had had majordomo mailing list administration experience and the list was suffering from a rash of spammers and trolls (troublemakers). Pui was kind and trusting enough to let me take it over, although he continues to be the list owner. Since then, the list has morphed into a mostly Cliff Richard only list (although Shadows discussion is still welcome!) as the Shadows fans didn't really care for the gossipy nature of MoveIt, so went and started their own list. If you'd like more information on the Shadows mailing list, visit HERE for more information. The list is no longer hosted at the servers in Hong Kong, but now through my own website's servers at CliffRichardSongs.com using Mailman software. Since taking over list administration, we've been sharing our thoughts and experiences about Cliff, including for a time a weekly Song of the Week and Question of the Week discussion. We've even organized meetings with fellow fans at concerts. One of these days, we might even sponsor a real, live convention of MoveIt fans. Who knows what the future will bring?
Thoughts from Pui Ming WongDo you want to share a few words on your history and experiences with the MoveIt mailing list? Email moveit-owner@listserver.hkbu.edu.hk with your story and get your story on the MoveIt website.
It's been 19 years since this list been started and so the 20 year anniversary won't be too far off. The cyber world has changed so much since then (it was the year that Netscape was released that made the Internet a household thing that people can't live without now and AOL discs were ubiquitous) and luckily mailing-lists have not been made obsolete yet and "MoveIt" is still alive and kicking!-Posted by Pui on November 25, 2005
Today is the 10th anniversary of our MOVEIT list (the list went online at about the same time as the first Cliff's Home Page back in November 1995). I have nothing to give away as prizes, but how about this video clip of the beautiful "stalagmite/stalactite" (limestone cavern) scene of Cliff rowing the boat with actress Vivienne Ventura, singing ....So turn your PC speaker loud and click this
http://www.archive.org/download/FindersKeepersThisDayCliffRichard/thisday.wmv
Bye
PuiP.S. many thanks to Robert Porter for his work in managing this list and of course to all our members for participating to make it so lively.
Thoughts from Fiona Wilkinson
I know it was around the 17th of November 1995 [that we started the MoveIt list]. That was the day that Randal launched his Cliff website, which turned out to be the first ever Cliff website, and I remember the Move It list started during that same week, maybe before Randal's website or after it, but definitely in the same week.
I didn't play any part in starting up the list, I just remember dreaming about it on emails for ages with Pui and Randal, both whom I had met on various newsgroups on the internet. I had joined other lists in an attempt to find a community where I could talk about Cliff but no one wanted to. Then suddenly without warning one day Randal came up with the launch of his website and Pui started up the list at the same time, both totally surprising me and a few others too because I didn't know they had actually been working on them quietly in the background!
So when the list was about to start, I got this email from Pui about it and I remember asking him if I could be the first to join up. He said I couldn't because he had to be the first one! So I became the second and then Randal or Ian became the third.
I've been a member ever since, except for about a year in 1997 when I was without internet access, and have seen a lot of people come and go. It's been an excellent way to make friends and catch up with up-to-the-minute Cliff news, gossip, concert reports, stories and just general Cliff-related chatter.Thoughts from Randal Sheppard
I remember first hooking up to the Internet back in my wild and crazy youth at age 13 in 1995, by which stage it had already built up a reputation as being a mystical invention through which you could find information on absolutely everything. Naturally about the first thing I typed into the search engine was 'Cliff Richard' which brought up, well, not much at all! The closest to a Cliff website that existed was The Shadows Circle of Friends here in Australia which is sadly no longer in existence. There were definitely Cliff fans out there, but there was really nowhere at which fans could find the latest news, meet other fans and share their opinions on the world of Cliff. Somehow, and I can't recall through what means, I did find other Cliff fans such as Fiona Wilkinson and began to chat via email while at the same time working to remedy the lack of Cliff website by putting together one of my own which premiered on the night before my fourteenth birthday, November 17th 1995. At the same time Pui Ming Wong was working on another project which would really revolutionise the world of Cliff Richard.
MoveIt has grown to become something of a focal point for Cliff fans on the Internet. It was the first and is still the largest forum in which Cliff fans can freely exchange their views and information about Cliff. It's also provided a community for people from completely different backgrounds brought together by their interest in Cliff which leads to a great variety of opinions and sometimes heated debates which are an interest insight into a fanbase that can seem somewhat scattered to the wind at times, located literally at all four corners of the globe. This kind of open forum was never possible without the Internet and, while perhaps one of its more simple innovations, will likely remain one of its most compelling.
I've watched MoveIt grow right from the very beginning and can't see the concept ever become obsolete. I would suggest it as the first place anyone go if they want open honest communication with other Cliff fans, and also the best place to meet other people who share your interest from all over the world. I've made many friends from all over the world, some of which, like Fiona, I've gone on to meet in 'real life', and it's been an indispensable source of both relaxation and, at times, mental stimulation for almost eight years now!Thoughts from Ian Denton
I can't give you a date and I can't claim any part in starting the list although I did join on the first day. Once upon a time I had copies of all the original list messages but they were on a machine that died. They may still be on one of my very old backup tapes.
I guess Pui is the one to ask about the name of the list, however I remember suggesting Moving It and some forgotten alternatives as a name for something (possibly the list) and the Move-it name was adopted for the list so maybe I had some influence there - it is a while ago now.Thoughts from Robert Porter
I found the list-- if I recall correctly-- thanks to Greet's website in 1998. I took over administration duties for the list shortly after as I had had majordomo mailing list administration experience and the list was suffering from a rash of spammers and trolls (troublemakers). Pui was kind and trusting enough to let me take it over, although he continues to be the list owner.Thoughts from Judy Donofrio
I got Webtv in late '97 and joined the Move It list, if I recall correctly, in Oct-November '97. I've been on ever since gleaning from the fields of information that are ever growing. I find the instant emails much better for my schedule (hectic), although I do occasionally frequent the official forum where you have to dig around a bit more for information (and there's plenty there). The timing of chatrooms, often in another time zone, and the registering and remembering passwords and the like kinda put me off them. I do see why it's needed but it slows down the process too much for me. So MoveIt has provided me the most access to news. If something doesn't appeal to someone, there's always that delete button. I've also met a few members personally on trips overseas and now finally in America (formerly I met all the online fans in England). Pui (Far East) and Robert (Delaware) have done an enormous job of keeping it all together. Randall, Ian and Fiona (Down Under) have certainly fueled it on. It is amazing to see and "hear" from fans from Hong Kong to Hampshire to Hollywood to Howrah and beyond all in one place. Pui and Robert have taken care of technicalities amateurs like myself could not (without a computer even) that make things run smoothly. Randall's site inspired so many others. It's good to have a mix of people who share their Cliff collections, concert news, gossip, fave songs, and data so freely. I still run Cliff's meeting house in Los Angeles (since 1986 or 87) as I did when I joined the MoveIt list, but in 2001 took over as co-director of the American fan club with Janet Rainey. We find the list works for us and a great way to meet other fans (some who've become club members) and visit the thousands of other Cliff links out in cyber world!