# TUG Turns 23!



## TUGBrian (Oct 5, 2016)

23 years ago this month my father and a group of other Timeshare Owners began to organize what was originally a Prodigy Bulletin Board System (where TUGBBS came from) composed of a handful of Timeshare owners discussion resorts and Timesharing, into what we now call TUG. And as a birthday gift, all TUG Marketplace ads will not count towards your ad credit total in the month of october!

side note: TUG was/is actually one of the very first commercial sites on the Internet and the very first website period relating to Timeshares! not sure how many of you remember back to 1993, but the internet wasnt nearly as popular as it is now. The TUG website is older than these companies that may surprise you!:

Google - 1998
Mozilla (company that designed firefox browser) - 2002
Internet Explorer didnt even come out until 1995!!
RCI.com (while the company was founded in the 70s, they didnt create a website till 1998)
Intervalworld.com - (founded in 70s, website in 98)
ARDA - (founded in 70s, website in 96)



Over the last Twenty Three years, TUG has helped tens of thousands of timeshare owners, many to this day remain to pass on the gift of knowledge they likely received themselves many moons ago through the various websites and TUGBBS forum installations we have had over the years.

Millions of dollars worth of Timeshares sold and rented by TUGGERS. With over 30 million in the past few years alone!

On top of that, literally millions of dollars worth of money saved just from folks finding TUG in time to discover the resale market....with nearly 8 million recorded in just this version of the forum!

More than that though is the unimaginable value of information passed on and learned year after year through nothing more than Timeshare owners helping each other understand and best use this product that comes with no instruction manual. I have even heard in the past TUG is the "handbook" for Timeshares, and believe it to be true to this day.

Happy Birthday TUG, and everyone who had a part in making this community what it is today over the past 23 years has my (and likely every timeshare owner whos come across tug looking for help) eternal gratitude.


It still amazes me every year at how much good this single website does to better the Timeshare industry and help owners!


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## Slinger (Oct 5, 2016)

Happy BDay TUG and may there be many MANY more great years ahead for everyone involved from owners, managers, moderators, posters and others.


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## Passepartout (Oct 5, 2016)

Everyone should believe in something! I believe I will have a cold one in TUG's honor. Many happy returns to TUG.

Jim


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## DaveNV (Oct 5, 2016)

Congratulations, Tug, Brian, your Dad, and all who devote so much time and energy here. It's been a great ride, and I'm happy to have contributed my small share to things.

I tripped over Tug more than ten years ago, when I was trying to figure out whether timeshares were worth it.  Tug sold me in the first two minutes on the site, where people shared information openly, most had no obvious agenda, and everyone treated everyone else (especially the newbies like I was) with respect and helpfulness.  You taught me plenty, and the education continues every day I visit this site.

Everyone concerned gets a big serving of kudos.  

Dave


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## Karen G (Oct 5, 2016)

Congratulations, Brian & your family on 23 years of providing great info for timesharing  as well as many other topics. Happy birthday!


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## pedro47 (Oct 5, 2016)

Happy Birthday TUG! Wishing you 23 more wonderful years.


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## andex (Oct 5, 2016)

Happy birthday TUG, wishing you many more to come!


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## slip (Oct 5, 2016)

Happy Birthday TUG. It's been over five years for me and it sure has been great for all of my travels. It's a great place for all kinds of information.


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## Bescobar (Oct 5, 2016)

Happy birthday!!:whoopie:


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## silentg (Oct 5, 2016)

Congratulations Brian, I have been on and off and on again with TuG since those first days. Lots of knowledge shared and great advice about buying selling renting as well as the Sunday Chats! Love Tug!
Silentg


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## MULTIZ321 (Oct 6, 2016)

Congrats Brian and to your dad and family too.  Kudos also to the moderators who keep things functioning smoothly. 

What a great community flourished from those early years.  Tug has benefited so many in a myriad of ways and so many fantastic friendships have been developed.

I'll join Jim in hoisting a cool one to the Tug Family.  Happy Birthday!


Richard


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## mjm1 (Oct 6, 2016)

Congratulations Brian and all TUG members! I am proud to be a member and appreciate all of the insights that have been shared. I've learned so much about time sharing and vacation experiences it is hard to believe.

Best regards.

Mike


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## Gracey (Oct 6, 2016)

Happy Birthday TUG!!!   I stumbled upon this site many years ago and it started my adventure into timeshares


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## riverdees05 (Oct 6, 2016)

Happy Birthday and many thanks to your Dad and others that started TUG!


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## Elli (Oct 6, 2016)

Congrats to Brian, TUG and all TUGGERS !!


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## amycurl (Oct 6, 2016)

Congrats! My spouse was an early-internet guy...it is funny to think how far the industry and the web has come in just one generation. (He was in his early 20s when he got his first web design job in the early 1990s.)

I found TUG when doing some "reputation research" on our resort. I love all the information that is shared, but it's also the aspect of community--shared recipes, offers of knowledge completely unrelated to travel or timeshares--that has kept me a member for so long. One of these days, I will take advantage of a LMR or rent from an owner! I swear!


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## buckor (Oct 7, 2016)

Happy birthday Tug!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320AZ using Tapatalk


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## comicbookman (Oct 7, 2016)

Happy Bday TUGG!!!


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## LMD (Oct 8, 2016)

*WOW!*

How time flies!! I found TUG in 1998...when I was only 23!! I have learned so much from TUG over the years!! Time sharing has worked out so great for my family.  We have taken many wonderful vacations and made many memories. 
Thanks again for everything!!


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## Oreo2 (Oct 9, 2016)

This is my first post, but I have been a reader and TUG member for a number of years.  I just had to say a big thank you for all of the information I have derived from this site.  It has made me much better at timesharing, exchanging (somewhat), and knowing what I want out of a timeshare.  Thank you, Brian and family, and thank you to all the other people that post and share their knowledge.


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## TUGBrian (Oct 9, 2016)

so many kind words...this community is certainly like no other!


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## mbh (Oct 10, 2016)

*#1*

The #1 site for timeshare advice. I have owned a timeshare for 22 years and have learned many thing ( both timeshare wise and in general) from the people on this site. Congratulations and thanks for all the hard work.


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## LilyPond (Oct 10, 2016)

Wow, Happy Birthday TUG!!  Thank you to everyone who volunteers their time and helps support this site.  I have found so many helpful pieces of information here and continue to find more, and appreciate being able to contribute, too.


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## philemer (Oct 11, 2016)

*Happy Birthday & long live TUG*

I've been a member before 2002, when I bought our first t/s (during the S.A. feeding frenzy). TUG has been a life saver and a life changer for us. So much helpful information from so many people.  

My goal is to move to Hilton Head and play bridge in my dotage like *Dave M*.


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