For a change I decided to google "dan_b" instead of some other#

Fri Jan 2 00:19:43 2004

For a change I decided to google "dan_b" instead of some other variation on my name, and stumbled across (among other things) an irc log from 1998

<lilo> it seems to me we do this for the fun of it, and for things we can use
<esr> lilo, I don't play politics and I don't spend *any* time trying to tear down or disband anybody else.  I wish 
everybody would realises that that shit is a waste of time.
<lilo> some of us definitely do :)

I remember watching this at the time. I don't remember if it was before or after VA, but I'm guessing it was before.