# Appropriate user name, tho **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 16, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277 "2014-04-16T17:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/41 "2014-04-16T19:21:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Anyway, my point is that in order for it to be 'an insult" you should have either it be intended or taken as a insult. It’s a text based medium, and you worded it as an insult. If you don’t want people to interpret your comments as insults, don’t say things that look like insults. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/42 "2014-04-16T19:23:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > We have explained in _hundreds_ of threads that warnings count less and less as time goes on as long as you don’t repeat the thing you got warned for. Assuming we’re all still here and using this system in 10 years, will that warnings still be there? I guess. Will anyone use it as the basis for a banning or suspension or even give a crap? No. So please, get over it. > > You said halfwit was an appropriate username. That’s calling him a halfwit and you know it. You shouldn’t have done it, but if you don’t do it again it’s no big deal. OK, then why do you horde Warnings for decades? Why not have them drop off after a while? What purpose does it serve? In fact the software is easy to set up to drop the warning off after any given period. No, I said **Half Man Half Wit** was an appropriate username, and it’s not calling him a half-wit anymore than anyone else is doing every time they reply to one of his posts. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/43 "2014-04-16T19:30:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > OK, then why do you horde Warnings for decades? Why not have them drop off after a while? What purpose does it serve? I think the bigger question is why does this bother you so much? It’s singularly unimportant. We’ve had this system for five or six years, and I’m pretty sure no mod has ever said ‘You know, **DrDeth** , you were warned about this six years ago.’ > [@](#): > > No, I said **Half Man Half Wit** was an appropriate username, and it’s not calling him a half-wit anymore than anyone else is doing every time they reply to one of his posts. Either I have no idea what the hell you think you said in that post, or you have no respect for anybody else’s intelligence. But it doesn’t matter, really. The text of what you wrote is enough, and the plain-text reading is that you were insulting him. Don’t do that again. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/44 "2014-04-16T19:32:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, I said **Half Man Half Wit** was an appropriate username, and it’s not calling him a half-wit anymore than anyone else is doing every time they reply to one of his posts. Dude, you really need a better attorney to lawyer your way out of this one. You’re just embarrassing yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/45 "2014-04-16T19:35:30Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think the bigger question is why does this bother you so much? It’s singularly unimportant. Well, not to cosign onto DrDeth’s complaint but the Never slightly bothers me. My car insurance is more forgiving than the Dope’s infraction system. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/46 "2014-04-16T19:38:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, I said **Half Man Half Wit** was an appropriate username, and it’s not calling him a half-wit anymore than anyone else is doing every time they reply to one of his posts. Genuinely curious… why is his name appropriate, then? If it’s not because he’s at least half-witted what is it? Or were you calling him a half-man? Seriously- if isn’t appropriate because you weren’t joking that he was half-witted, then what was the joke? ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/47 "2014-04-16T19:44:05Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Well, not to cosign onto DrDeth’s complaint but the Never slightly bothers me. My car insurance is more forgiving than the Dope’s infraction system. I don’t know what the infraction-tracking-system here looks like. I’ve always assumed that the reason was more in line with the general board philosophy that all posts are kept “forever”. (For certain human- and technology-related values of “forever”.) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/48 "2014-04-16T19:45:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You seem to infer here that somehow Jonathan could read my mind, and somehow knew it was an insult, thus I meant it as a insult. I did not, nor did he take it as one. Only Chance seems to have thought so. > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I disagree. I think what you said is the equivalent of saying “You’re a half-wit, yuk yuk”. Adding the laughs or assuming that people will think it’s ok because _it’s funny_ doesn’t make it less of an insult. > > A person (such as that other poster) should be able to indulge a little self-deprecating humor without having it be turned into a personal attack\* by someone else in Great Debates. > > \*Yes, personal attack. You asked for opinions, there is mine. I fully agree with Roderick. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/49 "2014-04-16T19:49:47Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > We occasionally get new users signing up with names that are clearly intended to troll. We give them the choice of picking a new name that is not intended to troll or to have their posting privileges suspended. I still think my original choice of Bobndebb should have been allowed… ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/50 "2014-04-16T19:51:45Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Well, not to cosign onto DrDeth’s complaint but the Never slightly bothers me. My car insurance is more forgiving than the Dope’s infraction system. And in fact that’s why I brought it up. I realized that decades from now, whenever I go to User CP, it’ll be there. I had actually dropped it, until i saw it was never going away. Not to mention someone made a Racist "joke’ which was clearly over the top, and that was only Noted until board outrage hit. (mind you, it’s possible it was being discussed). No thought is given to 13 years of being a good paid customer, also, which is annoying. You’d think they might go, “Ok, just this once, but only because of your good record”. But no, I am treated just like a newb whose first post is a insult. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/51 "2014-04-16T19:53:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No thought is given to 13 years of being a good paid customer, also, which is annoying. You’d think they might go, “Ok, just this once, but only because of your good record”. But no, I am treated just like a newb whose first post is a insult. I’m pretty sure you’ve received some mod notes that could have been warnings. Want me to start looking? ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/52 "2014-04-16T19:55:37Z")
Or maybe they’re taking your 13 years of history into account. Or your last two weeks of ATMB… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/53 "2014-04-16T20:03:56Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > You may think it’s funny, but the same sort of derogatory humor is exactly what made **Dumbass Troll** and **Slobbering Fuckwit** retire from the board, to the detriment of our community. I had to change my original username, which was pronounced **oz-WEE-pay** , just because people were hung up on the spelling. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/54 "2014-04-16T20:13:43Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Well, not to cosign onto DrDeth’s complaint but the Never slightly bothers me. My car insurance is more forgiving than the Dope’s infraction system. It’s now part of your \*\*Permanent Record. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/55 "2014-04-16T20:17:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And in fact that’s why I brought it up. I realized that decades from now, whenever I go to User CP, it’ll be there. So don’t click on the Infractions tab. Only you and the mod staff can see it. Whereas even if we downgraded it now, _everyone_ will know you received the warning because of this thread. And this thread may be available as long as the website is around. You’ve made your infraction immortal!😉 ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/56 "2014-04-16T20:18:42Z")
Even my permanent record was classy enough never to remind me when I wanted to register for a class about the time I got detention. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/57 "2014-04-16T21:11:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, I said **Half Man Half Wit** was an appropriate username, and it’s not calling him a half-wit anymore than anyone else is doing every time they reply to one of his posts. **DrDeth** , would you mind explaining your joke for me? I ask sincerely, because I don’t get it and I hate being whooshed. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/58 "2014-04-16T21:45:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m pretty sure you’ve received some mod notes that could have been warnings. Want me to start looking? Undoubtedly. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/59 "2014-04-16T21:48:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > So don’t click on the Infractions tab. Only you and the mod staff can see it. Whereas even if we downgraded it now, _everyone_ will know you received the warning because of this thread. And this thread may be available as long as the website is around. > > You’ve made your infraction immortal!😉 Umm, Colibri? if you go to User CP, to check for replies on your subscribed threads, it’s right there on the bottom. I don;t have to go to the Infractions tab. This constant reminder, every time I check the boards, for the next fifty years is just annoying as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277/60 "2014-04-16T21:58:54Z")
Fifty years or deth, whichever comes first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/appropriate-user-name-tho/686277.md?page=4)