Editing VintageRex (section)

=== Founding and development ===

VintageRex was created by Carter Brown, known online as ''Painthappy'', and Steve Novak, known as ''Mister.44''. Both were collectors of historical paintball equipment.[1][2]

According to the website's account of its origins, the founders identified a need for an organised online archive while comparing their personal collections and researching historical markers.

Novak contributed his experience in web design, information architecture and museum work, while Brown developed the database using his knowledge of Perl programming. The website's initial structure was reportedly completed in nine days.[1]

The earliest surviving entries in the website's administrative change log date to 5 May 2004, when Brown was adding and editing information about markers produced by [[PMI Sheridan]], [[Tippmann]], [[Carter Machine]] and other manufacturers.[3]

On 23 February 2005, eight curator accounts were added to the database, including an account associated with [[Bacci Paintball]].[3]

On 23 February 2025, VintageRex announced its 20th anniversary. Although the anniversary identifies 2005 as the website's recognised founding year, its surviving administrative records demonstrate that database development was already taking place in 2004.[3][4]