# Can you explain a few things to a (sorta) newbie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895 "2003-06-19T11:06:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/1 "2003-06-19T11:06:11Z")
Hi there, I was wondering about a couple of “inside jokes” around here, but so far, I haven’t been able to figure them out on my own. 1. What does this “hi opal!” line mean? 2. What’s the deal with the hamsters? Oh and while you’re at it, can someone point me to a link to the board rules? I always hear things like “According to the board rules, it’s not allowed to cross post on several forums!”, but never saw a link to those mysterious board rules. With regards, Kai ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/2 "2003-06-19T11:19:49Z")
1. It’s a joke which is well past its expiry date. Don’t worry about it. It was never particularly funny anyway. About a poster who didn’t like lists of fewer than three items. Search if you want to find out more. 2. “The hamsters” is a joking reference to the board’s server. Because it is so slow sometimes, people joke about it being powered by hamsters running on a wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/3 "2003-06-19T11:22:37Z")
Try Arnolds [FAQ’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106617) for some of the rules. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/4 "2003-06-19T11:29:36Z")
“Hi Opal” is a myth. There is no such phrase. There are no hamsters. Move along. Actually, “Hi Opal” is a hackneyed joke which you should avoid. It’s day has come and gone. Opal is a poster here and other places. She contends that you cannot form an itemized list of only 2 items, like so: 1. item 1 2. item 2 That in order to have a valid list, you need at least 3. Other posters, in order to fulfill the requirement, add “Hi Opal!” as the 3rd item. The origin of the hamsters predates the internet. The Board (or anything else which runs slowly or shakily) is derided as being powered by many hamsters, running in a wheel. When the Board is slow and unresponsive the hamsters are blamed for not keeping up, not running at all, etc. They are also blamed for every other anomaly, missing posts, double posts, etc… On [this page](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/) see the forum descriptions. For rules, look in “About This Message Board” and in the stickies at the top of most forums. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/5 "2003-06-19T11:29:48Z")
Check out the ATMB forum and the FAQ sticky threads there near the top (one of which **Caught@Work** provided a link for.) You’ll find discussion about other questions to do with the board there. ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/6 "2003-06-19T11:31:01Z")
Oops. **Caught** , how did you sneak in there? [sub]damned hamsters[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/7 "2003-06-19T11:35:38Z")
I swear, on preview, neither **TheLoadedDog** ’s or **Caught@Work** ’s posts were there. [sub]::scratches head. walks away mumbling::[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/8 "2003-06-19T11:37:38Z")
The FAQ is sorta hidden, as it’s in the ATMB forum. You’d have to know to look in the forum. But it’s probably the most convenient place to put it. ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/9 "2003-06-19T11:38:17Z")
Ah, thanks a bunch! I see that I only had 2 list items as well. At least now I know what to add as #3 (Hey, I actually think the joke _is_ funny, despite not knowing opal, heh.). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/10 "2003-06-19T11:42:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*The FAQ is sorta hidden, as it’s in the ATMB forum. You’d have to know to look in the forum. But it’s probably the most convenient place to put it. \*\* They _could_ put a link to it from the registration page, though… ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/11 "2003-06-19T11:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*They _could_ put a link to it from the registration page, though… \*\* shhh! don’t criticise them! they might hear! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/12 "2003-06-19T11:49:12Z")
Not only is the “Opal” joke hackneyed, but people screw it up all the time. Like this: 1. Item 1 2. Item 2 3. Hi Opal! 4. Item 4… If you have more than two items, “Hi Opal” doesn’t belong. Hell, even if you only have two it doesn’t belong either, IMHO. It just needs to stop. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/13 "2003-06-19T11:50:58Z")
You see **NutMagnet** , **TheLoadedDog** and I are in Australia, so our clock is ahead of yours, so we always get in first, even if we post after you. We only do it to annoy those from backward timezones. ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/14 "2003-06-19T11:55:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Exgineer wrote: > **If you have more than two items, “Hi Opal” doesn’t belong. Hell, even if you only have two it doesn’t belong either, IMHO. > It just needs to stop.** Ah, but now I am going to do it too! Muhuhahaha 😉 ---
**Author:** ![green\_dragon\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/13edae/32.png) [@green\_dragon\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_dragon_1)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/15 "2003-06-19T15:09:18Z")
While we’re asking questions, I haven’t been able to work out what the heck the term ‘wooshed’ means… Explainations? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/16 "2003-06-19T15:14:25Z")
“Whoosh” is the sound of something going over your head. Usually used when someone takes a sarcastic or smart-ass comment seriously. In face-to-face conversations, it may be accompanied by the gesture of one’s hand flying over one’s head. At least, around these parts… ---
**Author:** ![green\_dragon\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/13edae/32.png) [@green\_dragon\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_dragon_1)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/17 "2003-06-19T15:18:59Z")
ah, yes. ---
**Author:** ![agiantdwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8c91f0/32.png) [@agiantdwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agiantdwarf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/18 "2003-06-19T15:20:01Z")
I’ve figured out IMHO, OTOH, RTFM, etc. but I just can’t figure out what **FWIW** stands for. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/19 "2003-06-19T15:23:04Z")
For What It’s Worth ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895/20 "2003-06-19T15:43:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Ah, but now I am going to do it too! Muhuhahaha And for that you will earn my everlasting enmity and scorn. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162955](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162955) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-explain-a-few-things-to-a-sorta-newbie/182895.md?page=2)