PinoyExchange

PinoyExchange (PEX) is a Filipino online message board community founded by Dr. Michael Nolledo a.k.a. "batanguliran" with help from close family members on July 12, 1999. As of December 10, 2007, PEX has over 22,616,578 posts made by 233,031 members, making it the largest message board in the country by far.

History

[
2001 screenshot.] PEX was originally conceptualized by the New Jersey-based Dr. Michael Nolledo as an outlet for Filipinos to discuss and debate local issues. Hindered by geographical limitations, Michael enlisted the help of his brother Nix Nolledo a.k.a. Nix, his brother-in-law Marco Lucena a.k.a. marco (who was later replaced by Michael Palacios a.k.a. Mikoid as lead designer and technical consultant), and most importantly his nephew Jude Turcuato a.k.a. Kaboom! who helped generate interest by plugging the forum during televised UAAP basketball games in which he worked as a commentator.

Although the forum reached 2,000 members before the turn of the century it was not until Sprite's 2001 ad campaign that PEX enjoyed its highest exposure. As a result of the rapid increase in traffic, PEX upgraded its dated, CGI-based Ultimate Bulletin Board software to the more robust PHP-powered VBulletin and introduced "Premium Packages" in which subscribers gain added features.

Controversy

PEX routinely places advertisements (occasionally Flash-based) in various parts of the board in order to pay for their hosting bills, a fact that can't be underscored enough by constant "server busy" messages and downtime. Unfortunately this move elicited scorn from a select few who equated the ad-placements to greed and monopoly [ [http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101249 Is PEX a monopoly?] " [http://www.pinoyexchange.com Pinoy Exchange] "] although there have been many local Internet forums that have attempted to compete with PEX through the years such as the short-lived Rebelde who paid members for their contributions.

Other gripes concern features that are found in other message boards such as avatars and signatures that were available at one point but subsequently removed due to nagging bandwidth issues. [ [http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showpost.php?p=14165065&postcount=54 Server Is Always Busy] " [http://www.pinoyexchange.com Pinoy Exchange] "] To address this, PEX introduced "PEX Plus" in 2001 that allows subscribers to make use of the aforementioned features in addition to search capabilities (a feature open to normal users nowadays) and exclusion from "server busy" messages; the service is currently in hiatus.

Forums on Pinoy Exchange

ports and Recreation

* Sports Center - Dedicated to the discussion of sports.
* In The Zone - Added in 2004 to cut down the large percentage of basketball threads that used to dominate Sports Center. Hosts annual fantasy leagues each year with PEXFL (Pinoy Exchange Fantasy League) and B.A.N.O. (Basketball Association of New Owners) currently on its third and second year respectively.
* Electronic Gaming - Console wars and debates as well as arcade and PC gaming.

Entertainment

*Music and Radio - Music-related discussions.
*Local Movies and TV:*Celebrities- Forum for the latest news about local actors and actresses.:*TV Programs - Forum about the programs on Philippine Television.:*Movies - Forum about Filipino movies.:*General Movies and TV - Forum about the local entertainment industry.
*International Movies and TV - Topics on foreign films and television programs.
*Anime and Manga - Dwelling place for otakus or those interested in anime and manga.

Atin Ito: Our Culture

* Buhay Pinoy - General Pinoy talk.
* Love, Courtship and Marriage:* Principles, Practices & Preferences - Forum to talk about "your beliefs when it comes to love and how you translate them into action.":* Dilemmas - Forum for discussing problems related to love and relationships.:* Stories & Experiences - Forum for sharing stories and other personal experiences regarding love and relationships.:* The Singles Scene - Dedicated to the single life, and for interacting with other singles. Two groups, namely the "NSG" (Next Singles Gimik) and "Casa di Amore (formerly known as Singles' Couch)," regularly hold "eyeballs" (or parties) to foster camaraderie among PExers.:* Alternative Preferences - Forum to discuss homosexuality and other alternative relationships.:* Intimacy & Passion - Forum for discussing sexuality and other forms of physical intimacy.
* Family, Friends and Society

The Digital World

* Technology Today - Computers, gadgets and non-game electronic device discussions.

Administrator's Forum

* Announcements and Suggestions - User feedback, complaints and suggestions and forum announcements.

Moderators

As of February 26, 2007, there are 17 moderators.

References

External links

* [http://www.pinoyexchange.com Pinoy Exchange.com]