I am another AO forum sourced convert. I actually had a problem with the AO forums in that at the time that I visited them, what I really wanted to talk about what how annoyed I was with the poor service I had received from the AO store. I saw a post of Mike's, so checked out IIS, and I have NEVER visited the AO forum since! Why would you need to, or want to!?
It was during my trip in China after I explored the eastern reaches of the Himalayas, I went to a town called Dali to rest and chill out. Here at the hotel (pictured below) I was staying at there was free internet. So I grabbed a cheap chinese beer and started viewing Astronomy sites as I was interested in purchasing some gear. I stumbled across a few forums but a certain Iceman kept recommending the forum's members to vist IIS for info, the rest as they say is history.
I was searching Google for information about choosing telescopes.
I was suddenly overwhelmed with options and opinions.
Refractor vs relector, aperture sizes etc etc etc.
I ended up making my decision (6" dob) based on advise from this forum.
I googled Australian sites for Astrophotography and landed here. I've been reading all your terrific advice for beginners and am now suffering from information overload. I'm just an old lady who wants to take photos of the moon and planets. Great site BTW.
I was googling to find out info on buying a first telescope mid last year. I came across a thread about a scope for sale on ebay which was apparantly a terrible deal. I was very interested because I had been looking at the scopes on ebay!! So I was very glad I found the site - I posted a question about which would be a good first time scope and got lots of replies (most suggesting an 8" dob). Proud to say I am now the owner of an 8" SkyWatcher and I got a bit of a deal because I told Steve from MyAstroShop I was referred there from IIS!!
I googled .au for "astronomy association queensland" looking for local people and groups. Found this forum, saw thread offering advice to newbies re scopes, posted my own questions ..... 10" GS dob has been in solid use nearly 3 weeks. Also found local people and a "group".
(I wasn't really trying to copy you Bobs - I had to change it a little bit to suit my specific details, AND I didn't want you sueing me for plagiarism!)
Googled Astronomy forums and found IIS, stuck with it cos it was Australian, and now it sits at number 3 on my bookmarks list, a fount of information and whats best is no trolls.
So I was very glad I found the site - I posted a question about which would be a good first time scope and got lots of replies (most suggesting an 8" dob). Proud to say I am now the owner of an 8" SkyWatcher and I got a bit of a deal because I told Steve from MyAstroShop I was referred there from IIS!!
, no referers just got lucky. 
