I have been back in old threads in most of the forums, getting familiar with different posters, familiarizing myself with past events and topics and something has caught my eye a couple of times. There have been posts by posters with “banned” under their user names. Am I being naive or are there circumstances I am unaware of which makes this possible
Also, how long does it take to go from Guest to Member, once you have paid?
This is probably an ATMB question.
Banned posters were members before being banned, and as such made posts like everybody else. When they were banned, the database was updated to show “BANNED” under their name, so when you retrieve a thread from it, it’s pictured with their current status. But they didn’t post after banning – or at least not for long; a few tried to come back as sock puppets, but were caught doing so.
My understanding is that Guests become Members as soon as the money’s received and the database updated; there can occasionally be a delay in processing that, as in any office, but it’s generally very rapidly handled.
Thanx Poly, To the rescue once again! Having read your answer I realize the “Banned” members were all from much older posts. It makes sense.
I used Paypal to join, so that may also add time to the process.
And, Yes, you are also right about my choice of forum. It will probably be moved, although now it is a moot point. Amazing how the obvious becomes so simple in hindsight. 
Just to add to what Polycarp said, the Board software updates all your past posts with your current status: change your sig, and all your sigs in previous posts change too, and your postcount will always show your current total; get banned, and it will seem as if you’ve always been banned.
Yes, the Board exists in a kind of eternal present; as it is now, so has it ever been in the past.
We have always been at war with Eastasia.
Thanx Folks, Just keep hitting me over the head with that 2by4 and I will assuredly learn. This is a very, very interesting place.
Now let us salute our brave allies in Eastasia as together we tackle the true enemy known as…
Does the absolve me of those speeding tickets in the past? 
What Poly said.
In addition, sometimes when a person is banned, all their posts are disappeared. This tends to happen with spammers, but also with sock-puppets, as a warning to those who try it: you might fool us for a while, but when you’re caught, all your posts vanish into smoke.
Has that ever happened to someone just because they had an unpopular opinion?
It’s actually a pretty cool message board. Members can use the search function. Why don’t you join and find out?
We have never been at war with Oceania.
Disappeared? No, that’s reserved for spammers and posts that may get the board into legal trouble. Banned? Depends on how you define “unpopular”. Usually, it’s “unpopular” + (“illegal” OR “jerkish”) + “won’t quit talking about it despite being told that they’d get banned if they kept talking about it”.
What are some examples of things posters have been banned for because they wouldn’t stop talking about them? o_O
Well, there was one poster who habitually used o_0
Pretty much “hot button” topics like paedophilia and incest, as well as lesser but verboten stuff like file-sharing, illegal activities and the like: it’s not like they become the “silent disapeared”, though - potential bannees are generally multiply warned in the threads they’re acting up in, and may well be privately contacted, for all I know.
You do actually have to work quite hard to be banned around here, provided you’re not an obvious sock or troll: no time to code the link now, but it might be worthwhile checking out the “User Kel Varnsen Has Been Banned” thread still extant in this forum - not very edifying in its own right, but the links show how hard you have to actually push to get banned.
That’s another point: a recent policy sees established posters {as opposed to two-post-wonder trolls} get a thread in this forum specifying exactly why they were banned, and with links to the offending posts or threads - this isn’t for ghoulish delight, just so that people aren’t seen as vanishing because The Powers That Be like them.
Like I said, provided you’re posting in good faith and aren’t being a total arse, it isn’t that easy to get banned: if you do feel like starting a thread on something you feel might be “iffy”, e-mail a mod or admin for advice first - they’re always helpful, and they’d far rather be asked in advance than have to warn someone afterwards
Finally, seeing as you are a guest here, take the time to read the various forum stickies, and lurk a little to get the feel of how things are done: each forum has its own quirks, and what may be OK in the Pit will not go down very well in GQ.
Hope that helps.
That should of course read “The Powers That Be” don’t like them.
To my knowledge, no one has ever been banned for simply holding an unpopular opinion. We have had people banned for advocating illegal actions, I don’t know whether you’d consider that an “unpopular opinion.” We allow almost any opinion, but we draw the line at advocating illegal activities. We also don’t allow “hate” posts or threats of violence.
I mean, we don’t allow racist posts that spew venom, for instance. I suppose you could call that “holding an unpopular opinion.” We prefer to think of it as not behaving in accordance with civilized standards.
Most paid members in most situations are warned, often many times, for inappropriate behavior, and are only banned if the behavior is continued. There are exceptions, of course; a paid member who posts an offer to pay money for some other member to murder his/her spouse would probably not get a lot of warnings. In short, the exceptions that relate to “instant” banning are things that any sensible person would know are way, way over the line.
The banning of “real” members doesn’t usually involve removing their posts. The primary examples of posts that are disappeared are posters who are not “real.” Examples:
(a) “Hey, come over to this website to see naked teens having sex with goats!”
(b) “Hey, come over to this website where you can buy an anti-gravity machine!”
and
© banned persons who try to sneak back in under a different name.
In short, disappearing a post is not common, and the reason is pretty much self-evident.
[sub]Did I getcha? Did you click on the links?[/sub]
OK I’m here. Now where’s this anti-gravity machine for teen goats?