# About This Message Board **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/about-this-message-board/8.md?page=459 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 460 --- ## [Idea! Re Speeding Things Up](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-re-speeding-things-up/111865)
**Author:** [@Hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazel)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 2, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-re-speeding-things-up/111865 "2002-06-02T15:36:09Z")
In the FAC, I noticed it was stated that one reason for the slowness of the SDMB was searches. Even if only a few people are on the board, if too many searches are going on, or if the searches going on are too major, th… --- ## [Change in default date range on search screen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-default-date-range-on-search-screen/112015)
**Author:** [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [June 2, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-default-date-range-on-search-screen/112015 "2002-06-02T15:34:30Z")
The default date range on the search screen has been changed from “any date” to “yesterday”. If you do change the date range to be more inclusive, please try and choose an appropriate date range to minimize the load pla… --- ## [volunteer programmers to speed up the SDMB?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/volunteer-programmers-to-speed-up-the-sdmb/111692)
**Author:** [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [June 2, 2002, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/volunteer-programmers-to-speed-up-the-sdmb/111692 "2002-06-02T06:31:29Z")
Having been a fan of the SDMB for several years, I was wondering if this would be a way I could give something back (and maybe others could to). I’ve noticed that the board grinds to a halt at peak times, and searches t… --- ## [What is Guadere's Law?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-guaderes-law/109719)
**Author:** [@milquetoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milquetoast)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [June 2, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-guaderes-law/109719 "2002-06-02T01:58:10Z")
I’ve see a hand full of references to Guadere’s Law since I started reading this board, and I’m wondering what that edict is. I tried to do a search, but the search failed because “law” is less than the required 4 chara… --- ## [Why is this board so damn slow?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-board-so-damn-slow/111777)
**Author:** [@trixiebix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trixiebix)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 1, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-board-so-damn-slow/111777 "2002-06-01T20:56:48Z")
It takes forever for a page to load, and to go to the different topics… WHY??? I don’t have this kinda time. --- ## [When the right forum is the wrong forum](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-right-forum-is-the-wrong-forum/111766)
**Author:** [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [June 1, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-right-forum-is-the-wrong-forum/111766 "2002-06-01T16:32:23Z")
Hmm…I’m not really sure whether this belongs in ATMB or the pit. Given the subject matter, that seems somewhat appropriate. Feel free to move this as appropriate. I have noticed that the SDMB is not a good place to co… --- ## [Another Clueless Question From Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-clueless-question-from-me/111771)
**Author:** [@LolaBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaBaby)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-clueless-question-from-me/111771 "2002-05-31T19:55:55Z")
I’ve heard the term “troll” throughtout my illustrious message board career (All of a year and three months!) but I’ve never heard “sock”. What is a BBS “sock”? (I know it isn’t the thing you wear on your foot) --- ## [Could someone be unbanned?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-be-unbanned/111669)
**Author:** [@Victory\_Candescence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Victory_Candescence)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-someone-be-unbanned/111669 "2002-05-31T15:03:28Z")
If someone is banned, is there any way for them to get unbanned? --- ## [Test-a-roony](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-a-roony/111330)
**Author:** [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-a-roony/111330 "2002-05-31T11:47:05Z")
Prrrp. --- ## [No AvantGo(TM) no cry.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-avantgo-tm-no-cry/111705)
**Author:** [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-avantgo-tm-no-cry/111705 "2002-05-31T09:11:25Z")
I decided that it was time to start using AvantGo so that I could get some proper offline web content on my PDA, remembering that I had seen a link on the SD front page, I hurried on over there to add it as a link, only … --- ## [Screen names for new Posters.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screen-names-for-new-posters/107644)
**Author:** [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screen-names-for-new-posters/107644 "2002-05-31T09:05:37Z")
I think we need to keep a list of good screen names, which are not in use, for new guys to look at. That way when a person decides to unlurk, and be noticed, they aren’t stuck wondering just what the heck to call themsel… --- ## [Somebody fill in the old newbie](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-fill-in-the-old-newbie/111452)
**Author:** [@majinborg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/majinborg)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/somebody-fill-in-the-old-newbie/111452 "2002-05-31T03:53:35Z")
A couple years ago, I surfed the SDMB as “admborg29” or something similar. Then I stopped for a while. Now, I’m back again, as of a few days ago. In the meanwhile, there seems to have been some kind of crash, or hacking,… --- ## [TMI tag?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-tag/111607)
**Author:** [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-tag/111607 "2002-05-31T01:39:26Z")
I just used the spoiler tag for TMI in this thread. Would it be terribly difficult to modify the code so that instead of “Spoiler:” it says “TMI:”? The tags could be \[tmi\] \[/tmi\]. Just a thought. Thanks s.e. --- ## [Lady, he's putting my kids through college.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-hes-putting-my-kids-through-college/111393)
**Author:** [@RegularGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RegularGuy)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lady-hes-putting-my-kids-through-college/111393 "2002-05-31T00:54:49Z")
Practice message, practice message. Nothing to see here. :eek: Okay, maybe that. But, still, there’s not much. --- ## [user id change now includes old posts?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/user-id-change-now-includes-old-posts/111111)
**Author:** [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 31, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/user-id-change-now-includes-old-posts/111111 "2002-05-31T00:25:58Z")
As far as I knew, before the Winter of our Missed Content, if you had your user id changed, a search on the new id would only turn up posts after the change because the old posts were still indexed under your old id (alt… --- ## [We are coming here big-time](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-coming-here-big-time/110955)
**Author:** [@ThreeSarahBirds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThreeSarahBirds)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [May 30, 2002, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-coming-here-big-time/110955 "2002-05-30T22:50:26Z")
This seems a lively board, so we have stuck it onto our desktop. Our last major board vanished without trace. We are SO ;j ;j ;j ! --- ## [A couple of questions about the new board](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-the-new-board/110811)
**Author:** [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 30, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-couple-of-questions-about-the-new-board/110811 "2002-05-30T15:49:03Z")
Why do e-mails telling me when someone’s replied to a thread I’ve posted in only come if I started the thread now? I liked being reminded via e-mail of a thread I’d forgotten I’d posted in. Howcome I keep getting li… --- ## [Request for clarification on announcement re: falsely attributing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-clarification-on-announcement-re-falsely-attributing/110402)
**Author:** [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/request-for-clarification-on-announcement-re-falsely-attributing/110402 "2002-05-29T15:40:31Z")
The new rule: This is talking specifically about when the excerpt is passed off as being a verbatim quote of another poster, isn’t it? It doesn’t outlaw parody, (specifically when not presented as a quote and when una… --- ## [Load meter on the SD](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/load-meter-on-the-sd/111285)
**Author:** [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/load-meter-on-the-sd/111285 "2002-05-29T15:20:09Z")
Have they ever thought about putting in a “Load Meter” (for lack of a better term. I’ve seen it implemented on other sites. It’s simply small gif that looks like a counter. It displays how many people are on the site … --- ## [just a sig test](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-sig-test/111301)
**Author:** [@GopherGod72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GopherGod72)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-sig-test/111301 "2002-05-29T05:09:51Z")
test --- ## [Mods, just what does a moderator do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-just-what-does-a-moderator-do/110817)
**Author:** [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [May 29, 2002, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-just-what-does-a-moderator-do/110817 "2002-05-29T04:11:02Z")
Aaah, yes, that question the mailboy in your company asks you innocently. That question that a supervisor asks you, and you just wanna smack him. Beyond the publicly visible side of Modship (i.e. popping into threads to… --- ## [sample poll - what's your favourite colour - practice your voting skills here!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sample-poll-whats-your-favourite-colour-practice-your-voting-skills-here/110855)
**Author:** [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sample-poll-whats-your-favourite-colour-practice-your-voting-skills-here/110855 "2002-05-28T22:30:49Z")
Since we will soon be voting on smilies, this poll was created to practice the vBulletin polling feature. This will be a multiple-choice poll, which will also be the method we will use for the smiley election. So without… --- ## [testy test test](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testy-test-test/111194)
**Author:** [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testy-test-test/111194 "2002-05-28T16:43:54Z")
\[spoiler\]blah blah blah\[/spolier\] \[spoiler\]blah blah blah --- ## [Search engine question: THIS IS DRIVING ME F'N NUTS!!!!!!!!!!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/search-engine-question-this-is-driving-me-fn-nuts/110999)
**Author:** [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/search-engine-question-this-is-driving-me-fn-nuts/110999 "2002-05-28T10:29:10Z")
I can see why. --- ## ["Thank You For The Replies"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-for-the-replies/109975)
**Author:** [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-for-the-replies/109975 "2002-05-28T06:01:46Z")
Is it considered proper etiquette here to go back and thank everyone who answered your question? I see this a lot, and I can’t help but think that the REAL motivation for doing this is to put their thread back to the to… --- ## [Smilies Right-Associative?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smilies-right-associative/110894)
**Author:** [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smilies-right-associative/110894 "2002-05-28T05:58:18Z")
It certainly seems so. For example: (:rolleyes:) produces a malformed token (:rolleyes with a grin smilie at the end. Given the left-associative nature of English (we read left-to-right), this is the Wrong Thing. My exa… --- ## [I'll learn how to use bolding and italics if it kills me](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-learn-how-to-use-bolding-and-italics-if-it-kills-me/110725)
**Author:** [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2002, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ill-learn-how-to-use-bolding-and-italics-if-it-kills-me/110725 "2002-05-28T05:52:39Z")
Ok, here we go: Bold Italics Red Large If you want to do a good search, click here Yaay! ::clicks heels in the air:: Take THAT, you computer geeks! --- ## [It doesn't deserve a Pit thread, so I'm posting it here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-doesnt-deserve-a-pit-thread-so-im-posting-it-here/110654)
**Author:** [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 27, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-doesnt-deserve-a-pit-thread-so-im-posting-it-here/110654 "2002-05-27T16:05:54Z")
… It’s not a “criticism”, but it’s an observation. “announcements” don’t even appear on the screens of people like myself who access these boards by “show new” unless we also happen to visit the individual forums and… --- ## [An easy way to REALLY speed things up?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-way-to-really-speed-things-up/110828)
**Author:** [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [May 27, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-easy-way-to-really-speed-things-up/110828 "2002-05-27T15:24:03Z")
I’ve been experimenting a bit and am pretty sure I have found something that will speed things up for me and possibly everyone else. This refers specifically to users of Internet Explorer, but may apply to other browser… --- ## [Suggestion](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion/110886)
**Author:** [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 27, 2002, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion/110886 "2002-05-27T15:17:08Z")
I know that the software that runs the SDMB is a commercial product, but I was wondering if an enhancement is possible. Namely, I think it would be nice to highlight some way those posts that have a higher view to respo… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/about-this-message-board/8.md?page=458) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/about-this-message-board/8.md?page=460)