EA Forum Podcast (Curated & popular) “Reflections on 7 years building the EA Forum — and moving on” by JP Addison🔸
May 3, 2025
Reflecting on a seven-year journey, the speaker shares nostalgic moments from building a vibrant community. They discuss personal growth, challenges faced, and the significant role the Forum has played in their life. Gratitude flows as they express their love for the community while preparing for a transition. Plans for the future and aspirations beyond daily operations are also highlighted, creating a heartfelt farewell that resonates with listeners.
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JP's Seven-Year Forum Journey
- JP Addison worked on the EA Forum for over seven years, longer than significant parts of his personal life.
- He started when the forum had 300-400 active users and grew it to 3,500, overcoming technical and organizational challenges.
Custom Code Beats Off-the-Shelf
- Off-the-shelf forum software didn't meet the EA Forum's needs, particularly due to interface and post-style differences.
- Cloning LessWrong's code base, despite JP's limited experience, was crucial to creating a suitable platform.
From Novice Coder to Manager
- JP started as a novice web coder but learned and grew to become engineering manager and interim head of the online team.
- Oliver Habrica’s unpaid help adapting LessWrong's code was vital to the forum's success.
