I love the lack of spinning avatars, and the fact that blinking, scrolling 6-inch pic-filled sigs are forbidden.
I love that 99.9% of the posters know how to spell and can compose coherant, intelligent posts.
I’ve met some Dopers IRL, and they’re wonderful people. Friendly, funny and warm.
One especially. 
Cute! SO CUTE! Call if you’ll be in town this weekend.
Have you seen the rest of the internet? This place is like an island of reason in a sea of… I’m not sure what.
I was posting on the Something Awful forums for a while, but there’s so much self loathing that I got sick of them. This board also seems to have less ‘superstars’ than others.
Furthermore, people don’t try to be funny in every single bloody post.
I’d like to see some changes though - especially the ability to post images. Images suck on other forums because people suck on other forums.
Yeah … for me a big part of it is the fact that this message board has the largest congregation of intelligent, witty, coherent posters in one place. A well-populated island of interesting, diverse, worldly people in a sea of text messagers with first-grade grammar skills.
From these attributes comes naturally the idea that there are at least a few people here who can answer, or at least take some good and sensible stabs at virtually any question you might have, which makes it a great place to satiate one’s curiosity. The rest of the time it’s just great conversation with great people without having to cringe at every “u r” and “your/you’re” usage.
And the yearly fee helps to maintain the quality of membership here, which in turn justifies the fee. It’s wonderfully zen-like. 
I’ve made some friends and gotten some lovely Valentine’s Day and Secret Santa gifts and cards, and of course have given the latter as well.
I like being able to find out who’s been voted off of American Idol before I see the show.
Does this mean what I think it means? (How come I’m always the last to hear good gossip?)
That depends on what you think it means. Checking out the picture thread might offer a clue or two.
Nope, I’m out of town.
Firstly, tradition: this was the first MB I joined back in Jan '01. It’s still the Motherboard to me, although I actually dwell more elsewhere online than here.
Secondly: I still like it after all these years. I lurk more than post but I get information from here, current world events, and get to contribute when and where I can.
It’s a good place. Has its ups and downs, its share of good folk and idiots, but all in all it’s a good place. Well worth my dollars, and I continue to feel glad I can pay that as reimbursement for years of entertainment.
Instead of attending college, I got my MRS degree. Being a part of the SD is fills in many gaps in my formal and informal education. Each day I’m never sure what the “class” will be about, but I always come away from the Dope with new knowledge or a slightly different perspective about an interesting topic.
Several times I’ve come to here with specific “how to” questions and have never been disappointed in receiving a fast, accurate, concise, and thoughtful reply.
Although I rarely participate (my post count is embarrassingly low for membership of this duration) I feel kinship here. I love the searchable archives and utilize them fairly often to answer questions that pop up in our family. Even more important to me, I’ve always felt that the general population here takes fighting true ignorance seriously. Rarely do I see anyone asking a genuine question belittled or talked down to for not knowing. That’s refreshing on a message board.
I’ve grown as a person as a direct result of my membership here.
I remember a thread a few months ago conerning the national debt in Turkey. I suggested, humorously of course, that if they were to hold a garage sale for all their old couches they could probably pay their bills.
You know, because of all the old Ottomans they have lying around…
Someone other than me actually thought that was funny! It is impossible to find people who ‘get’ my sense of humor in real life, as most just groan. I was hooked on the dope!
Gingy’s right – that is so cute!
You forgot graduations. 
The SDMB is one of the few places where I can go and feel smarter for the experience. I’ve also found a good support system with good friends and one in particular, who happens to be lying down on the couch watching TV.
Robin
I’ve lived in Asia for about 20 years, so this is one way of increasing my pretty small circle of English language interaction. I can get burning issues such as bread machine trouble shooting taken care of and find free sourdough starter from the Oregon trail (RIP Carl). It’s a sounding board for some serious issues such as the China bambina’s testing positive for TB and what does that mean really??? Or when Serena was born and spent 18 days in the NICU, and being able to vent and post in real time from my PDA helped make those pretty bad days a lot more bearable.
I consider myself a friend of China, and enjoy fighting ignorance or explaining my view on this quite complex place.
And hell, I’m a published author, and I still like to see my name in “print” even if it’s just off the cuff posting on the Dope.
I am always spurred to look something up or further my knowledge based on something I read here.
And all those other reasons stated above.
It’s nigh impossible to say something someone has not yet said here, but for me the quality, rationality and maturity of the posts are a big draw.
Here people tend to post in a manner that keeps you actively aware of the (English) language and quick and simple is not at all best, as appears to be the case on other boards.
The SDMB sets a particular standard for participants in their word choice, grammar and research skills that transcends Forum, and it’s a given that politeness and respectability should be paramount at all times.
The afforementioned reasons of keeping up with news and its implications from myriad sources from across the globe are likewise desirable.
Overall, my lack of meaningful posts here, as opposed to smart-alek responses, is not indicative of my disrespect for others or having nothing meaningful to say.
Rather, it is that by the time I get here it has already been said in a compelling and thoroughly researched or knowledgable way.
Mostly reasons already mentioned by other members.
I love reading the opinions not only of people from other countries but from other regions of the states, like the south. I don’t know any southern people in real life (can’t even remember the last time I heard a southern accent), and the only foreign people I’ve come into contact with are teachers and people who have chosen to immigrate hear, whose opinions arent really representative. Some of the most fascinating threads on here, I think, are the “what do you like/dislike about America” ones.
I love getting fast responses to my questions. More than a few times I’ve been hanging out with my friends and we start wondering about something, so I get on the computer, post a thread on the SDMB about it and its answered within hours or even minutes.
The Dope is also great for learning about movies, books, music etc. As a community of generally well-educated, compassionate people, if a movie is endorsed by a significant portion of the SDMB community chances are its good. I’ve discovered many bands, authors and movies this way, especially from the series of “Essential” music threads.
Frankly, I find a lot of threads on here fascinating. Every time I log on I can find somehting interesting to read. One of the great things about this site is it has me reading, usually on an educated subject, when I could otherwise just be watching TV or playing a stupid game.
Like the post above me (at least while I write this), I’ve grown as a person as a result of the Dope.
I have been lurking for years, and only joined formally 6 months ago. You guys make me laugh out loud a lot of the time, and are quirky and cute and ultra smart.
Because of the Dope, I have a PhD in Shit You Need To Know.
And, who can resist a Poop Thread can anyone?
Despite our differing views and locations, I reckon that Straight Dopers have more in common than otherwise.
Our differences lead to synergy, and self selection and the mods, keep the place moderately civilized.
Probably a case of social ‘inteligent design’ with a dash of Darwinianism