# Concerning Shodan and Idle Thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 25, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700 "2017-11-25T20:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/41 "2017-11-26T06:29:01Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I am genuinely unsure if this changes my feelings much if at all. While the thread may have been ill advised, Idle went out of his way to be positive about the SDMB in said thread and spoke no ill of any poster in it. I don’t know if he even mentioned anyone by name other than to defend them, as he defended Shodan, when they were brought up. > > While I understand the perspective of the board I am nevertheless disappointed in all parties involved and still think that Shodan was acting as a bully in his involvement, even if it was tangential. This misunderstands the salient issue. Whether or not a moderator is being positive or negative towards another poster or the boards, that’s besides the point. The point is that SDMB staff are not to discuss SDMB business in off-board venues. There is no provision for positivity or negativity. It’s part of the deal of signing up as a staff member. In my profession, if I disagree with a decision of my leadership team, I have three options - I persuade them otherwise, I accept the matter and abide by it, or I quit. Saying the decision does not apply to me is not an available option. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/42 "2017-11-26T07:44:20Z")
Tattling and crybaby? I’d be surprised if those using those terms never clicked the Report Button. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/43 "2017-11-26T08:41:05Z")
Precisely. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/44 "2017-11-26T13:14:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Tattling and crybaby? I’d be surprised if those using those terms never clicked the Report Button. Would it flabbergast, befuddle and amaze you to learn that some posters don’t report others’ posts? You may want to sit down for this… ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/45 "2017-11-26T13:15:33Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > This misunderstands the salient issue. Whether or not a moderator is being positive or negative towards another poster or the boards, that’s besides the point. The point is that SDMB staff are not to discuss SDMB business in off-board venues. Has that changed recently? Because there was a very similar situation a while back when GFactor (pit-mod) went to “the other board”\* and said that the “Carol Stream says calling him “Man Hands” is hate speech” thing was the funniest thing he’d read as a mod on the SDMB. And the mods rallied in his defense when she tried to tattle on him. > **[Mod Snark on other Boards](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542849)** > > Ed, Tuba, Xash, Dex, et al, Are moderators supposed to go to splinter boards, and openly snark on members of the SDMB? That seems, well, unkind, at best. Is that the kind of representation you guys want? So how’s this different? \*Goddamnit, it’s [www.giraffeboards.com](http://www.giraffeboards.com) – we don’t need to be so mysterious about it: it’s not against the rules to link to it ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/46 "2017-11-26T13:18:51Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Tattling and crybaby? I’d be surprised if those using those terms never clicked the Report Button. Better watch it or I’ll report you for insulting Shodan in that post. 😛 To Bone: I get it. I do. He broke a rule, and even if he thought the rule was silly rules are rules. I even understand that Idle has a tendency to escalate things past the point of no return very rapidly. But, I know Idle pretty well. I have to assume the mods do too after working with him for so long. I know how to read through his exaggeration and compare his notes to your and see how things likely went down. The situation was handled with a lack of nuance and a preference to follow the letter rather than the spirit of the law that I find deeply disappointing is all. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/47 "2017-11-26T13:21:08Z")
If by ‘recent’ you mean eight years ago, nearly 45% of the life of the board, then yes, it was recently. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/48 "2017-11-26T13:28:36Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Has that changed recently? Because there was a very similar situation a while back when GFactor (pit-mod) went to “the other board”\* and said that the “Carol Stream says calling him “Man Hands” is hate speech” thing was the funniest thing he’d read as a mod on the SDMB. And the mods rallied in his defense when she tried to tattle on him. > > [Mod Snark on other Boards - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542849) > > So how’s this different? > > \*Goddamnit, it’s [www.giraffeboards.com](http://www.giraffeboards.com) – we don’t need to be so mysterious about it: it’s not against the rules to link to it This is the tricky part because we can’t openly discuss a lot of the mod loop details. Suffice it to say, the topic was rehashed quite recently and the rule about it was clearly emphasized. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/49 "2017-11-26T13:40:08Z")
This is what I get for going away for Thanksgiving. :o I don’t have much worthwhile to add except [ul][li]My thanks to **Ed Zotti** for starting this thread.[/li][li]To those who PM’ed me, since I don’t use the Ignore function, I have received your messages, and if I don’t respond, it is because I have nothing new to say.[/li][li]I wish **Idle Thoughts** well, regret his departure, and hope he will return at some point in the future.[/li][li]And I reiterate that, in general, the moderation on the SDMB is much better than we deserve. My appreciation to you all for what you do.[/ul][/li]Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/50 "2017-11-26T13:47:26Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > This is the tricky part because we can’t openly discuss a lot of the mod loop details. Suffice it to say, the topic was rehashed quite recently and the rule about it was clearly emphasized. Fair enough–thanks for the answer ITD ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/51 "2017-11-26T13:54:52Z")
I have been wondering about something throughout this whole thread and I finally have to ask: Does everyone else think **Idle Thoughts** was a great mod and poster? Did no one else have some issues with his behavior (specifically with regard to the Death Pool)? It does not seem to me that the rule-breaking at the end was the only time he was less than wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/52 "2017-11-26T14:16:21Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > I have been wondering about something throughout this whole thread and I finally have to ask: Does everyone else think **Idle Thoughts** was a great mod and poster? Did no one else have some issues with his behavior (specifically with regard to the Death Pool)? It does not seem to me that the rule-breaking at the end was the only time he was less than wonderful. Could you please explain what happened with the death pool? And the contests he started but never completed? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/53 "2017-11-26T14:47:33Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Could you please explain what happened with the death pool? And the contests he started but never completed? I don’t think this thread is or should be about a rehash of other historical things that may or may not have happened. Please leave older tangential topics aside for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/54 "2017-11-26T16:07:43Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > [snip] … \*Goddamnit, it’s [www.giraffeboards.com](http://www.giraffeboards.com) – we don’t need to be so mysterious about it: it’s not against the rules to link to it Thanks for this link … now I know I don’t have to be so careful about what I post here … ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/55 "2017-11-26T16:23:58Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Thanks for this link … now I know I don’t have to be so careful about what I post here … I’m not sure what you mean by that. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/56 "2017-11-26T16:37:34Z")
I think that **Colibri** ’s participation in the Shodan pitting added to the flames of vigilante justice. (And apart from being ill-advised, it was the stooopidist thing I’ve ever seen him post. He’s usually a sharp guy, but that “Regards really means Fuck You” mantra is profoundly dumb and needs to disappear.) ((Admission: in 2008 I made a post in which I told someone their contentions were “extremely questionable” — but really, in my heart, I was telling them “Fuck you.” I hope this doesn’t get me in trouble the next time I write “extremely questionable.”)) ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/57 "2017-11-26T18:00:30Z")
Honestly, if the reason he is gone is because he was discussing SDMB posters elsewhere then all I can think is, what took you so long? There have been mods talking about SDMB posters behind their backs for years now, seems strange to make a big deal of it now. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/58 "2017-11-26T18:10:57Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Honestly, if the reason he is gone is because he was discussing SDMB posters elsewhere then all I can think is, what took you so long? > > There have been mods talking about SDMB posters behind their backs for years now, seems strange to make a big deal of it now. Perhaps you missed this? > [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > This is the tricky part because we can’t openly discuss a lot of the mod loop details. Suffice it to say, the topic was rehashed quite recently and the rule about it was clearly emphasized. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/59 "2017-11-26T18:16:43Z")
**Idle Thoughts** was always nice to me, and I thought he was a good mod. I read the thread at Giraffe’s place, and I didn’t see anything really controversial in it. Yes, **Shodan** does his “Regards” thing, and some people don’t like it. That’s really not “second shooter on the grassy knoll” level inside scoop. Sounds to me like he made his choice when confronted with the rule. Not sure why he felt the issue was so important, but I guess it was to him. Can’t fault **Ed Zotti** for taking a stand. The whole thing is unfortunate. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700/60 "2017-11-26T18:20:38Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Honestly, if the reason he is gone is because he was discussing SDMB posters elsewhere then all I can think is, what took you so long? > > There have been mods talking about SDMB posters behind their backs for years now, seems strange to make a big deal of it now. > [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > 1. In the ensuing email discussion, the other mods were unanimous in telling **IT** they thought it was unwise for him to post about SDMB business offboard, and that I had explicitly instructed SDMB staff not to do so (more on this below). **IT** disagreed and said he had the right to post what he liked in non-SDMB venues. The exchange stretched out over many hours. **IT** remained adamant that he had done nothing wrong and blamed **Shodan**. The other mods said **Shodan** had nothing to do with it - the real issue was that **IT** had violated a mod rule. …Idle Thoughts refused to acknowledge and abide by the rule. It wasn’t the “talking behind the backs” which was the “big deal” (because what they said really was relatively innocuous) but the refusal to acknowledge and abide. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/concerning-shodan-and-idle-thoughts/802700.md?page=4)