The ReBirth community found its home at the Official ReBirth Message Board, which was hosted on the Propellerhead Software website. At the time, these forum systems were fairly new. Older discussion groups persisted through Usenet newsgroups, IRC chats, and similar channels, but required skills beyond that of the casual user. Because the ReBirth Message Board called for nothing more than basic web-surfing skills, it offered a new way to experience online discussions - which was the very first venture for some. Unlike traditional correspondence, a message board (or forum), is a non-linear method of communication. One visits the forum to see what others are discussing as opposed to sending a message and awaiting a reply. With the constant content changes and participation of users in a variety of time zones, the forums became intensely addictive as people tried to stay current. Back then, it was rare to find others with an affinity for synths, so the ReBirth Message Board provided an outlet for communication with like-minded synth lovers. Life in this virtual forum revolved around topics of computers, including heated Mac versus PC debates - even "flame wars" - as users compared machine speeds using ReBirth's processing measurement feature. There were hardware versus software discussions, opinions about album releases, and arguments whether or not William Orbit used ReBirth in the production of Ray of Light. Occasionally, well-known music industry figures such as the legendary Jan Hammer would chime in. For the most part though, messages were calls for technical support or production advice. Veteran ReBirthers never hesitated to generously offer their experience and time. Many online communities fail from a lack of activity, and others exude an exclusivity that intimidates newcomers from participation. Avoiding these potential pitfalls was handled brilliantly by the webmaster, Fredrik Hägglund, and the staff of Propellerhead Software. Fredrik Hägglund (a.k.a. "blank"), maintained constant discussion activity and played a major role as the voice of the company. Articulate and opinionated, Hägglund was anything but his "blank" handle. Founders Zetterquist, Jubel, and Nathorst-Böös also joined in on the discussions, directly responding to user questions. As Marcus Zetterquist stated, "it was like having pen pals." This left an indelible impression on ReBirth fans - one that eliminated any notion of hierarchy, as the people who created the software deemed themselves peers of their users. Part 3: ReBirth Scene