# Curious - SDBM forums no longer with us?? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 12, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563 "2004-08-12T18:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/1 "2004-08-12T18:21:13Z")
I’ve noticed the odd pattern of forum IDs that show up in the links to view the seperate forums off the SDMB main page, but today I finally got around to listing all of them. The forum IDs, in ascending order, seem to show a fairly natural chronological order: ```auto forum name id Comments on Cecil's columns 1 About this message board 2 General Questions 3 MPSIMS 4 The BBQ Pit 5 Comments on Staff reports 6 Great Debates 7 In My Humble Opinion 12 Café Society 13 ``` I’m curious about the gap between GD at 7 and IMHO at 12, though… are there a few forums that have gotten removed from the lineup? I haven’t been on the board for that long and I don’t remember any change. Also, if this should be in GQ or something, let me know. I thought since it was board-related that ‘about’ was the best place for it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/2 "2004-08-12T18:26:44Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > I’m curious about the gap between GD at 7 and IMHO at 12, though… are there a few forums that have gotten removed from the lineup? I haven’t been on the board for that long and I don’t remember any change. There are fora that are only for the mods and admins, which are not visible to us regular members. I would imagine there are also fora for only the admins, as well, but I don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/3 "2004-08-12T18:27:21Z")
There are some secret forums which were accidentally on display immediately after the upgrade, and in which I posted. They are exclusively for mods and/or admins. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/4 "2004-08-12T18:28:22Z")
squimulpost! ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/5 "2004-08-12T18:29:43Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > There are fora that are only for the mods and admins, which are not visible to us regular members. I would imagine there are also fora for only the admins, as well, but I don’t know for sure. Ahh, thanks. That makes perfect sense, but I didn’t think of it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/6 "2004-08-12T18:33:06Z")
[Old Time Link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=137000&highlight=forum+number) > [@Polycarp](#): > > Shortly after the glaciers receded, when Arnold von Winkelried was merely a member and Uncle Beer was still a nephew, the decision was made to create three archive forums as permitted by the old software then used to run the boards, and to store the best of the early threads therein. > [@Chronos](#): > > The fora didn’t survive, but in vBulletin, they’re not really needed. And from what I understand, most of the threads in those fora were eventually recovered, and placed in their original locations. So no more lamentation on that count. Some FYI stuff for ya. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/7 "2004-08-12T19:30:37Z")
There are some secret forums which were accidentally on display immediately after the upgrade, and in which I posted. AH HA! Evidence of a secret society right here in the SDMB! Where did I put that tinfoil? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/8 "2004-08-12T19:37:33Z")
Also, there is rumour that some of the folks who assign stuff to stuff are not real adept at counting in base 10, they’re computer-wizards, they count base 8. Thus, only 10 and 11 were missing, that was the night the secret cache of scotch disappeared, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/9 "2004-08-12T19:39:09Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > There are some secret forums which were accidentally on display immediately after the upgrade, and in which I posted. :dubious: double-take. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/10 "2004-08-13T18:25:34Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > :dubious: > > double-take. I think Loach was probably intending that to be a quote, Lobsang. Either that, or you’ve got a problem stalker on your hands, and can expect a little echo every time you post. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/11 "2004-08-13T19:55:33Z")
One of them is the Troll File. When necessary, **Lynn** uploads offenders as digital binary large objects (blobs) and stores them in the Troll File, which prevents them from reregistering under a new screen name. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/12 "2004-08-14T00:03:02Z")
Ah, so they’re 1920’s Style Fora! ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/13 "2004-08-14T03:13:58Z")
On vBulletin, when you make a new subforum, it will give it a number that is one higher than the last subforum that was created. When a forum is deleted, the next forum created after that won’t have the number of the deleted forum. Let’s say I’ve got a fresh copy of vBulletin, and I create four forums. General Talk (1) Board Questions (2) Board Announcements (3) I decide to get rid of Board Questions, not by renaming but by removing it. I add a new subforum for geeks. Now, I’ve got … General Talk (1) Board Announcements (3) Computers, Anime, Star Trek, RPGs and Monty Python (4) ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/14 "2004-08-14T03:17:18Z")
Oh yeah … there’s the mysterious Board 15. ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/15 "2004-08-14T03:34:14Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Oh yeah … there’s the mysterious Board 15. And don’t forget Forum 51 where all the threads of extra terrestrial origin are stored… Weather balloon my foot! ---
**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:** [August 14, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/16 "2004-08-14T13:12:05Z")
:dubious: double-take. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/17 "2004-08-14T19:07:52Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > :dubious: > > double-take. It’s been nice knowing you **Lobsang** … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/18 "2004-08-15T04:13:24Z")
Take my word for it, [don’t even ask](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=135747). ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/19 "2004-08-15T05:28:07Z")
So what exactly was it that you linked to that seemed so dangerous that Czarcasm had to replace it with a link to that dumb broads\* section of the website? The address he replaced the link with was [www.broads.straightdope.com/dumb](http://www.broads.straightdope.com/dumb) ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563/20 "2004-08-15T06:38:01Z")
The missing forums give many answers, including those to the following; What purpose do shortwave radio “Numbers Stations” serve? Are there UFO’s? Where is Elvis today? Who REALLY shot JFK? How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop? How much wood could a woodchuck chuck? (That is, assuming a woodchuck could chuck wood) and, I assume QED has proven him self worthy in the recent past to gain admitance. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/curious-sdbm-forums-no-longer-with-us/259563.md?page=2)