I noticed that under 'Its all about cellophane’s name in
the ‘How many squirrels/horse’ thread (GQ) it says banned. If banned, how do they post? Banned how?
User status (“Member” or “BANNED”) is like the post count; it’s retroactively applied to all of that user’s posts. If you looked at the first thing I ever posted, it would have a post count of 1500+; and if I were banned 5 minutes after posting this, this post (and all my other posts) would say “BANNED” on them.
Sorry, I’m not quite getting it. So you are saying he/she was banned between that post and now? So no more posting?
Out of curiosity, what post earned them this honor?
Precisely. The post you’re referring to was posted at 08-11-2001 04:47 PM (Eastern Time Zone); from their profile, that poster’s last post was actually at 08-11-2001 05:11 PM. Sometime between then and now (approximately 2:00 AM on the 12th) they got banned.
Yup, that’s what it means to be “banned”. Well, that, plus being imprisoned in a mirror that goes flying through outer space until you are accidentally released by a stray thermonuclear warhead.
Dunno. Assuming there wasn’t something screamingly obvious, like the poster opening up a thread in GQ titled “Here are the home addresses of all the fascistic moderators, along with instructions on how to make pipe bombs and deliver them through the mail–BONUS TOPIC: Where to get really good hashish in your hometown!” many bannings involve sock puppets or posters who were banned for blatantly obvious reasons a long time ago attempting to return under a new name. But the mods generally don’t encourage public speculation on each and every banning.
Gotcha. But for the record, part of the reason I asked was to see what transgression could cause banning, which you’ve made clear.
Thanks for your time and trouble,
Steve
Just when you think you have an idea for a great thread.
DAMMIT!!
Why are all the good topics taboo?
And why are all the good women (and men) taken? And why does Hollywood remake all the good movies? And why don’t we have any good leaders in politics anymore?
Enquiring minds want to know.
And why are all the good women (and men) taken?
Because the universe has a sick and twisted sense of humour and delights in tormenting us single people.
And why does Hollywood remake all the good movies?
A disgusting lack of talent,imagination and balls. They’ll redo what’s been proven successful rather than take a chance on something new.
And why don’t we have any good leaders in politics anymore?
The people with potential to be great leaders got disgusted with the circus and went off to lead quiet, productive lives in small towns where they inspire people in a small, quiet, but still effective way. They’re still leading, just on a smaller scale.
Anything else you’d like to know?
Well, there’s a couple of things that weren’t mentioned yet. For instance, using a web anonymizer. We like to know who’s posting what. If you use a cloak, and I discover it, I will quietly remove posting privileges, even if you’ve apparently done nothing else wrong. This is because so very many of our returning trolls like to use these services. Also, if I do a search on a member, and I find that the majority of that member’s posts are just to criticize the way we run this message board, I will remove privileges. It’s not because we can’t stand criticism…it’s because some people are doing almost nothing but criticizing, because they enjoy that. Tough. This isn’t a “Dunk-The-Mods” booth at the county fair, where you can buy three softballs for a couple of bucks and take potshots at the mods and admins here. Though that might not be a bad fund-raising idea…anyway, some people are not here to contribute, just to criticize, and that violates the “Don’t Be A Jerk” rule. It also violates the “Don’t Piss Lynn Off” rule.
Eek? My home ISP boasts its anonymizer service as one of its selling points, and to be honest it was a feature I’m keen on. Does this mean I should only access from my office connection?
Gary, I’m sure if you haven’t been posting jerky things they wouldn’t care much about your anonymizer. If you are brand new, they might be nervous, but after a few hundred decent posts, I don’t think they’d worry about it. If they did, a nice mail to the mods would probably sort it all out.
Now, if some other jerk uses your same anonymizer, they might have to ban use of that anonymizer, but how likely is that?
Note: I do not speak for the administration. I’m merely saying that in my experience they use human judgement and not some strict set of rules to determine what’s wrong and right.
No worries, Gary. We won’t even CHECK an IP if a newbie seems OK - like yourself back in the day, no doubt. 
If post #3 is something along the lines of “Mods aren’t bound by the ‘Don’t be a jerk’ rule. Get over it.” (going from memory here), then yeah, we just might check where you’re posting from. And THEN, an anonymiser will certainly get you kicked.
Wow, someone who knows the entire history of the board in only four posts, and has a better handle on it than Lynn herself. I’m impressed. You truly have the ability to see what cannot be seen by those of us of mere human faculties.
[whiskey/tobacco abused voice] Christ! Of all the gin joints in all the world, why did pbaa have to come into mine?[voice off]
Action reports to follow…
Why am I not asleep? Where is my One True Love? When, to the minute, will Lynn execute preempted by an adverb?
Note to adverb:
I’ve never seen anyone win a fight with Lynn.
And there will never be a first.
warmgun, you wanted to see how people get banned? Sit back and watch. Exhibit A just oozed under the door.
I had to ask that last question, didn’t I 
Why am I not asleep?
The SDMB is both addictive and stimulating to the brain, sort of like caffeine.
Where is my One True Love?
In Antarctica, hunting squirrels (her success rate is way down. Are you sure you really want her?)
*When, to the minute, will Lynn execute preempted by an adverb? *
Was that in US Eastern time, Saudi Central time, Easter Island time or Swatch beats?
That said, I’m sure preempted by an adverb is, in reality, a warm, caring person who is kind to old people and fluffy kittens
About 4:25 AM, CDT. My cut of any pools you’ve won is 15%.
Gary, anonymizers are something we DON’T like. I’m going to have to take this up with the folks upstairs.