Microsoft built their HQ in Munich as part of the “deal” as far as I remember. Something along those lines. The secret ingredient is corruption.

https://youtu.be/3m5qxZm_JqM

Maybe a wave hit it.

Amen! I remember the good old days of speciality community forums based on VB or even phpBB or in some cases Woltlab. I miss the simpler times.

I find the switch to hosting communities on proprietary closed platforms kind of bad in terms of access to the vast knowledge and archiving it for future generations. When discord will go full enshittified, it will just charge a subscription fee to access the “servers”. Also they will sure as hell comply with anything if it threatens the bottom line.