Interview with Jay Power and Mohamed (Owners of Buzzen Communications) You can hear the podcast under podcasts on Relay-Radio.com. 1.5 hours part 1.
Background with MSN Chat
Jay and Mohamed’s journey in the chat world began with MSN, with Jay running the "Toronto and the Surrounding Area" chatroom in the Canadian section, while Mohamed was running rooms in the French section along with Antoni and Joachim. In 2003, MSN made a major announcement that it would transition from a free service to a paid one in 2004, charging $20 a year. At that time, MSN operated in 28 countries, and the decision to shift to a paid model was a significant change for users. By 2006, MSN decided to shut down its chat service entirely, citing issues with spam and risks associated with child pornography. MSN closed its doors on August 31, 2006.
From MSN to NSM
Jay left MSN around 2003-2004 to create his own chat service, and humorously recalls that MSN made a public announcement encouraging users to join NSM after the MSN shutdown. Mohamed, on the other hand, also left MSN in 2004 to co-found NSM with Antoni and Joachim. Mohamed modified the OCX software (a program that connects chat clients to servers) to work with NSM, although initial technical issues like problems with whispers and “hammering” users arose.
An unfortunate incident occurred when Mohamed shared the code with a "friend" to solve a problem, only for that friend to steal the code and create Paper IRC, which led to a proliferation of new chat services. This caused Mohamed frustration, as he felt that the name "Paper IRC" was a direct insult to his hard work. Meanwhile, Jay's team had been using Mohamed's server without his knowledge, and Mohamed found himself constantly kicking them out, only for them to keep adapting and returning. Eventually, Mohamed and Jay decided to communicate directly and work out an arrangement.
The Formation of Buzzen
Jay offered to help by providing a stable platform for users without downtime or issues, and he suggested that he could significantly increase the number of active chatters. Mohamed had only three French chat rooms at the time, but with Jay's expertise, they made significant progress. Eventually, Jay was made a Sysop and managed the English market for NSM. When Mohamed needed to focus on his education, Jay offered to take over the servers and became an Admin.
Sometime in 2004, Mohamed and Jay became official partners, bringing on Remko from MCN chat to assist with web design and server management. Remko also brought in Dutch chatters, and together, they decided to merge MCN and NSM. Jay came up with the name "Buzzen" and the slogan "What's the Buzz at Buzzen." Buzzen officially launched on September 7, 2004.
Growth and Technical Challenges
Starting in a basement with only 9 servers, the infrastructure quickly expanded to 22 servers, even transforming the basement into a makeshift data center. However, one server housed a MIRC client, which proved unsustainable due to resource limitations. To address this, Jay created a centralized directory server that connected multiple servers, allowing them to support up to 200 users per server. At this point, Buzzen's user base averaged around 1,500 users, and Jay purchased additional servers to scale to 6,000 users.
Jay later became aware of a new chat service, Flash IRC, created by Duke, which only required 2 servers to support 10,000 users. The software intrigued Jay, who allowed Duke to test it on his servers. Jay also made a $10,000 offer to the creator of MIRC to develop a chat service like MSN Chat, but the offer was declined, leading Jay down the path of adopting Flash IRC.
Flash IRC and Expanding Partnerships
Despite some internal dynamics, such as Jay giving Remko Admin rights without Mohamed’s initial knowledge, the partnership between Jay and Mohamed remained strong. Jay maintained that chat should always be free, or at least affordable, stating that he would rather sacrifice personal assets to keep Buzzen afloat rather than ask for donations. Donations to the servers (BSR donations) were a crucial lifeline.
Buzzen later expanded with the addition of Nathan Scott and Mark from Chatcore in June 2012. Over time, Buzzen continued to grow and adapt, with Jay and Mohamed’s vision for the future including potential projects like integrating chatrooms with multimedia features for schools, workplaces, and tutoring via video, audio, and whiteboards.
Reflections on Staff and Long-Term Commitment
Mohamed expressed deep gratitude toward the current and past staff members, emphasizing that Buzzen would not be what it is today without their contributions. Some experiences were better than others, but each played a vital role in shaping the chat service's legacy.
Notable Staff Members and Contributions
Jay and Karen (fiestybaby) met on MSN chat when they were both vying for control over the coveted "Hex Rooms." Instead of competing, they decided to team up, forming the Dark Alliance with Iffy and Jamal. After NSM’s creation, Jay convinced Karen to join, and she has been part of the Buzzen team for over 21 years. Karen achieved Sysop status in 2005 but had to step away for health reasons in 2019, only to return in 2023.
Enya – (we miss terribly) started in 2004 as a guide and was promoted to Sysop in 2005. She stayed until around 2019.
Mike/err0r – DT Mike – was staff for many years but stepped down keeping only the role of website design and maintance.
Other key staff members, like Wes, who had been with Buzzen since the beginning, and Warrior/Porl and Charles/Sysop Levi, who have been with the team for 10-15 years, also made lasting contributions to the service.
Absolutely, every staff member who has contributed to Buzzen over the years is incredibly valued. While some names have been highlighted, the efforts of all staff, whether directly mentioned or not, are integral to the platform's success. From technical support to customer service, from moderation to development, each person has played a crucial role in ensuring that Buzzen remains a vibrant and reliable community.
Buzzen is deeply grateful for the time, dedication, and hard work of all its staff members. Their collective commitment has shaped the platform into what it is today, and Buzzen wouldn't have achieved its longevity and success without the contributions of every team member. It’s a true testament to the strength of teamwork and the passion of those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. Thank you to each and every one of them.
Future Vision for Buzzen
Looking ahead, Jay and Mohamed were focused on continuing to innovate within the chat world, exploring opportunities like the development of a Facebook app, the integration of multiplex systems, and providing multimedia chatroom solutions for various sectors like education and work. Their ultimate goal still remains to offer chat services for free, ensuring accessibility for everyone.
In Mohamed’s words, Buzzen’s success is due to the collective efforts of all the staff members who have helped along the way, and the platform would not be where it is today without them.
Currently 21 years later....
Wes: The Backbone of Buzzen
Wes is the unsung hero of Buzzen, playing a pivotal role in the service’s day-to-day operations. As Sysop Debian, Wes is responsible for managing and maintaining the servers, a crucial task that ensures Buzzen runs smoothly. Not only does he oversee the technical aspects, but he also handles the financial side, personally covering the cost of the servers in the absence of Jay and Mohamed.
With countless other responsibilities on his plate, Wes has become a central figure in Buzzen’s continued success. His commitment and dedication to the platform have made him an invaluable member of the team. Whether it’s solving technical issues, ensuring server uptime, or taking care of the financial needs of the platform, Wes does it all, often behind the scenes. His contributions are a vital part of what keeps Buzzen running and evolving.
Without Wes, Buzzen would undoubtedly face greater challenges in keeping its infrastructure stable and secure. His hard work, reliability, and passion for the service make him the backbone of the team.
Karen (Sysop Passion) - Staff
DTMike - Website
Warrior/Porl (Sysop Apache) and Charles (Sysop Levi) - Staff.
Chain – (Sysop Grouchy) - Staff
