Edges started over 5 years prior to that.

This is the first post I could find announcing them:

http://forums.carrionfields.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=3&topic_id=1085&mesg_id=1085&listing_type=search

I thought I remembered an earlier post that stated the goals of edges that was similar to what you are saying, but I couldn't find it.

I think without that it is hard to take the Cyradia post from five years later as the initial view.