These have been really cool to read, so thank you all for posting!  I hope more trickle in over time.

When did you join?

5pm PST June 15, 1999 when we redirected Sweet.Oblivion and the other game programming sites to the GameDev.net server. @Myopic Rhino, @Nick Murphy, and I had been running SO for about 2 years or so. SO was a merger of our individual sites. If I think all the way back to the very early formation of the universe, I think it was originally @Myopic Rhino's idea to collaborate.

What brought you here?

A passion for games and the technology behind game development, particularly in graphics and gameplay/simulation. My roots go back to learning from the 1990s demo scene and mode 13h. Who needs more than 320x240?

Why do I participate?

To give back. To learn and be inspired by the many who participate. To keep this community thriving.

I just joined yesterday. I just actually found it through google yesterday. It seemed pretty chill so I joined.

Wow.  It's been a long time!

When did you join?

I think I joined some time back in 1999.  I remember when the landing page was a link to three different sites - GameDev, the game dictionary, and some other site I can't remember.  (NeHe maybe?).

What brought you here?
 

My cousin who was into software development sent me a link to the site.  I was interested in making my own games.  A more interesting question woudl be "What kept you here?".  To that, I'd say the Active Topics.  It's been ages since I've logged in and checked the place out, but the Active Topics were always my favourite.  I used to sit there and refresh them every few minutes.

Why do I participate?

Honestly, I haven't in a long time.  Since I last posted on here, I think I got married, got a Masters in Computer Science, had three kids (all now still under the age of five), and am working full time as a senior dev doing software for the agricultural industry.  (How exciting, I know!).  I'd love to get back into game development, but the learning curve seems... steep.  And "spare" time isn't really a thing anymore.


Anyway, it's been a while since I've been on here.  Like a long time.  I'm glad to see this place is still around.

When did you join?

Some time in 2003 I think. 17 years, damn!

What brought you here?

I was just learning how to code and got into Direct3D and OpenGL programming. Wanted to make games...

Why do I participate?

Liked the community. idk

June 2003, IIRC.

And the funny thing is I think I had a login before then, but forgot what it was :-)

When did you join?
I officially joined in 2004. Before that, I'm pretty sure that I was a read-only member. Browse through tutorial and stuffs. I later joined because I was having an issue in my project and needs some good advices.

What brought you here?
I was a member of (and a moderator at one point) a local game development forum. There were a lot of disucussion over there that led me to tutorials on GD.net.

Why do I participate?
To be honest, it's probably because of my bad habit :-). I tends to step-in where I see discussions.

Ha , joined way back in back in the days of Nehe ,and Sweet Oblivion and from the begining.