# An SDMB server walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Is this some kind of joke?" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 18, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387 "2008-08-18T06:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/1 "2008-08-18T06:01:47Z")
While a number of us posted thread titles excoriating management last night, there’s nothing today. No questions. Nary a peep. All of the announcements are gone. Apparently, if there’s no acknowledgement of the gorilla in the corner, he ceases to exist. It’s sad to see that when shitty service continues long enough, people become inured to it, and will welcome it over no service at all. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/2 "2008-08-18T07:00:09Z")
I sent a hand-written letter to the Chicago Reader very diplomatically telling them that their board software is a fucking worthless piece of hog shit. If every active Doper did the same thing, we might actually make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/3 "2008-08-18T07:11:33Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I sent a hand-written letter to the Chicago Reader very diplomatically telling them that their board software is a fucking worthless piece of hog shit. If every active Doper did the same thing, we might actually make a difference. [/QUOTE] I applaud your action, **Argent Towers**. While I’d like to believe that they will listen to lowly shlubs like thee and me, my realist says we’ve been tuned out, because our $ lost from nonrenewal is more than offset by new meat. And ads. So why cut down on the hookers and blow to improve? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/4 "2008-08-18T07:17:41Z")
I don’t give a fuck. When the forum doesn’t work I do something else. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/5 "2008-08-18T07:21:49Z")
I think you’re under some sort of misunderstanding that the Chicago Reader developed vBulletin. This is not in fact accurate. They are customers who are long since hostage to the same software that we are. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/6 "2008-08-18T07:25:45Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I think you’re under some sort of misunderstanding that the Chicago Reader developed vBulletin. This is not in fact accurate. They are customers who are long since hostage to the same software that we are. [/QUOTE] I don’t comment on the OP as a whole, but I post on a number of message boards that use vBulletin. This is the only implementation of it that sucks notably. There are much later versions of it, also. ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/7 "2008-08-18T07:25:54Z")
I’m sorry, I could not log on or reset my password for the last few days. Did I miss something…or maybe that was some of the issue? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/8 "2008-08-18T07:30:06Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I think you’re under some sort of misunderstanding that the Chicago Reader developed vBulletin. This is not in fact accurate. They are customers who are long since hostage to the same software that we are. [/QUOTE] Pardon me. Where did I make that claim, or infer same? Work with me, here. The SDMB, a pay site, is running vBulletin 3.0.7 Other FREE websites which don’t crash, are running vBulletin 3.7.2 Previous posts by folks who know a boatload more than you and I have indicated that the upgrade is chump change. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/9 "2008-08-18T07:31:52Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I think you’re under some sort of misunderstanding that the Chicago Reader developed vBulletin. This is not in fact accurate. They are customers who are long since hostage to the same software that we are. [/QUOTE] The Chicago Reader did not develop vBulletin. They can certainly _upgrade_ it. though, to the most recent version: 3.7.2. The SDMB is on 3.0.7. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening soon; change of any sort at the SDMB happens at a glacial pace compared to most popular message boards out there. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/10 "2008-08-18T07:34:47Z")
Wow! It’s like Vuja Dave. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/11 "2008-08-18T07:36:07Z")
If I make “The server at [boards.straightdope.com](http://boards.straightdope.com) is taking too long to respond” my sig line, will the mods think I’m being a jerk? Because that’s what I get nearly as often as an actual thread. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/12 "2008-08-18T07:38:35Z")
An SDMB server walks into a bar. The other servers aren’t that fucked up, and duck. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/13 "2008-08-18T07:40:14Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I think you’re under some sort of misunderstanding that the Chicago Reader developed vBulletin. This is not in fact accurate. They are customers who are long since hostage to the same software that we are. [/QUOTE] From the SDMB: > [@](#): > > Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7 > Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. From the JelSoft website: > [@](#): > > Latest Version: 3.7.2 VBulletin 3.0.x, which the SDMB is using, dates back to mid-2004. As others have noted, there are literally hundreds of bulletin boards out there, many of them larger that the SDMB, and many of them FREE, that manage to run the latest version, and that also manage not to be crap. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/14 "2008-08-18T07:41:50Z")
[QUOTE=bat312] I’m sorry, I could not log on or reset my password for the last few days. Did I miss something…or maybe that was some of the issue? [/QUOTE] It’s because we hated you. No. seriously-the board was down last night because one of the hampsters strained a groinical extensor maximus ligament, and the replacement hampster was on holiday in Ampstedam. We don’t hate you. If the problem persists, go to ATMB and make an appropriate offering involving goats, calimari, and stylish 1950’s womens shoes. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/15 "2008-08-18T07:45:58Z")
Have you any suggestions, **mhendo**? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/16 "2008-08-18T07:54:32Z")
Well, if you’d stop having your goddamn "Cat Black and White Formal Ball"s in the server room maybe the hamsters would stop getting spooked and running away! Yeah, I know it was you, **danceswithcats** , your username IS somewhat incriminating… ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/17 "2008-08-18T08:00:33Z")
So, when are we going to free posting, then? I’m pretty sure we were told either June or July. It’s now August. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/18 "2008-08-18T08:28:02Z")
[QUOTE=Capt. Ridley’s Shooting Party] So, when are we going to free posting, then? I’m pretty sure we were told either June or July. It’s now August. [/QUOTE] They didn’t say what _year_. We’ll be complaining about human interest stories and insufficient coverage of synchronized handball on NBC coverage of the London Olympics before free posting returns to the SDMB, I fear. And it’ll still be running 3.0.7. Yeah, [there’s still some other boards running 3.0.7](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=xE0&q=%22Powered+by:+vBulletin+Version+3.0.7%22&start=10&sa=N), but nothing on the scale of the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/19 "2008-08-18T08:57:59Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] Pardon me. Where did I make that claim, or infer same? Work with me, here. The SDMB, a pay site, is running vBulletin 3.0.7 Other FREE websites which don’t crash, are running vBulletin 3.7.2 Previous posts by folks who know a boatload more than you and I have indicated that the upgrade is chump change. [/QUOTE] [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8178633&postcount=79](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8178633&postcount=79) ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2008, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387/20 "2008-08-18T09:10:27Z")
Yeah. What they said 19 months ago is applicable to today. And probably 19 months from today. As I’ve said before, past is prologue. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-sdmb-server-walks-into-a-bar-the-bartender-says-is-this-some-kind-of-joke/460387.md?page=2)