# Does anyone sorta still wish the SDMB was P2P? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 4, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974 "2008-09-04T12:54:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/61 "2008-09-05T12:35:47Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > Nope, I love seeing all the new and returning posters. Me too, good times! Haven’t seen some of these jokers in several years. I like it. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/62 "2008-09-05T14:01:04Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > We’re attempting a **punkin** , and if/when that happens, I’ll be bribing **Ed** for admin status so’s I can go back and delete the posts in which I ran nekkid. Can’t let the kids know, natch;) (With my common sense, they’d actually have trouble understanding why it wasn’t OK to do in person.) No, no, no! When I saw you were posting again, my first thought was “great! now we’ll get some good nekkid thread-running, just like in the good ol’days!” [mournful tone]I don’t know what they did to you out in that real world away from the SDMB, **iampunha**. You’ve changed. I don’t know you any more… _sniff_ ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/63 "2008-09-05T14:03:41Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > One thing I find slightly disconcerting is the number of people who showed up **immediately** Tuesday morning saying “Hey, I’ve been away but now I’m back”. Were they really just sitting here for 3 years silently lurking, waiting for pay-to-post to end? Were they playing sock games that whole time, or are they new socks of existing paying members? Or did they just get a nicely worded “welcome back” message from the management? It just concerns me a bit that there were so many so quickly, makes me wonder what’s going on. I let my subscription lapse due to the stagnation, but I’d still read the dope occasionally - every couple of days or so. I knew free posting was coming back “sometime”. I even emailed Tuba about it a few weeks ago. My ‘every couple of days’ turned out to be Tuesday morning at the tail end of FFA. Then sweet blessed re-instatement! It does seem like a breath of fresh air, but that could be a case of the vapors. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/64 "2008-09-05T14:28:26Z")
to reply to the OP, I’m glad we’re back to free posting. we need new thoughts, new members, new ideas. and if that means an increase in the number of dipsticks, well, the management warned us about that a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/65 "2008-09-05T14:45:39Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Does anyone have fears that the quality of the boards will decline drastically now that anyone can register and post? I don’t - I think we need new members and all the interesting people who weren’t willing to pay but are willing to contribute. > [@](#): > > Will sock creation become an insurmountable issue? Nah - not any more than it was before. > [@](#): > > At first I was very against the idea of paying to use a message board, but TPTB were right on this one… it kept the riff-raff out. I completely disagree. The payoff of having new and interesting posters is worth much more than any riff-raff factor we might have to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/66 "2008-09-05T17:40:33Z")
[QUOTE=iampunha] My father says that if he is not the strangest person in a room, he high-tails it out of there. (And considering his health, that’s a nontrivial feat sometimes.) [/QUOTE] I sincerely hope I will be able to meet your father someday. ---
**Author:** ![darkgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@darkgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkgoddess)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/67 "2008-09-05T18:02:31Z")
I wasn’t about to pay for something I used to get for free. I watched in horror as the board went P2P it did become stagnant. I never posted when it was free now, try and stop me. Plus I love seeing the old timers. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/68 "2008-09-05T18:26:39Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > Things do change:) Glad to know the kid is still sprouting around. Remember that photo of you with “Beansprout” on your tummy? (I’m positive I’m not conflating anything there. You had two nametags. It might have been for NYCFest 2000.) 🙂 Thanks for the memory! I think it must have been the fest in Jan. 2002. I can’t believe you’re an old married guy! Well, even if you do delete your old threads, you can bet some mischevious Doper will whisper some stories into the 'punkin’s ear… Come to think of it, we’ve had a LOT fewer fests since the board went P2P! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/69 "2008-09-05T18:41:33Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > 🙂 Thanks for the memory! I think it must have been the fest in Jan. 2002. > > I can’t believe you’re an old married guy! Well, even if you do delete your old threads, you can bet some mischevious Doper will whisper some stories into the 'punkin’s ear… > > Come to think of it, we’ve had a LOT fewer fests since the board went P2P! Hey, I’ve been trying to get more NJ ones going at least. Just because you missed the first 3 isn’t our fault. 😉 I am trying to get something together in the Brunswick area before the year is out. I am open to ideas and then I will start a thread on it. BTW: My son said “Hi” (mainly to your son of course) Jim ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/70 "2008-09-05T19:08:18Z")
I think it’s great that to have new blood and old, previously silent, blood. On the other hand, I’m looking at all these people everybody is welcoming back, and going ‘who the hell are you?’ I feel very out of the loop. And worse yet, _they may know who **I** am!_ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/71 "2008-09-05T21:16:01Z")
I’ve only ever known the boards as P2P, and honestly I’m finding the massive return of former posters to be really confusing and the boards generally more chaotic. But it may probably be something that requires getting used to. Presently, it’s annoying me a little because so many guests are apparently long time members, but that might be because it’s like finding out you have a huge extended family that you never knew about until the family reunion and they’re all from your hometown. In time I’m sure to figure out who’s new, who’s old, and who’s brand spankin’ newbie. Are all old-timers still only going to be called “Guests”, does anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/72 "2008-09-05T21:32:11Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > Are all old-timers still only going to be called “Guests”, does anybody know? After things settle down, they will be called “Members,” unless they pony up for the no-ads option. Then they will be called “Subscribers.” ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/73 "2008-09-05T21:36:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > After things settle down, they will be called “Members,” unless they pony up for the no-ads option. Then they will be called “Subscribers.” Ah, that makes perfect sense. Will paid Charter Members be “Charter Subscribers”? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/74 "2008-09-05T21:58:14Z")
**Agent Foxtrot** , Do you have ANY idea how elitist your OP makes you sound? Declining quality? Sock creation? keeping the riff raff out? I admit if I read it in the voice of Thurston Howell III, it is mildly amusing. Are you aware that us riff raff can read this? Attitudes like your’s are the major reason I didn’t reup after the first year. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/75 "2008-09-05T22:34:01Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > I’d trade 99 percent of my pre-P2P posts for a nice long thread discussion among a healthy **Libertarian** , Polycarp and **David Simmons**. Oh, and Persephone, too. Poohpah chalupah would be nice to see as well. > > (The last three people **are dead** , and Polycarp abandoned his account something like the day before things went back to free posting.) _(Bolding mine)_ Although I lurked intermittently, this passed me by - very sad news to come back to. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/76 "2008-09-05T23:06:51Z")
> [@Shrinking\_Violet](#): > > Although I lurked intermittently, this passed me by - very sad news to come back to. ☹ **Liberal** is alive, or at least he was a couple of days ago. (He changed his name some years back.) **poopah chapula** was the third person on that list. [**David Simmons** died in April](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=464664), unfortunately, but he stayed with us for a long time during his illness and his relatives said he was asking what we were saying about him until the end. 😉 > [@Swallowed My Cellphone](#): > > Ah, that makes perfect sense. Will paid Charter Members be “Charter Subscribers”? Nope. The Charter Member title isn’t being changed. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/77 "2008-09-05T23:08:38Z")
> [@iampunha](#): > > See, that right there … my wife is never posting here. For one, I’d have to get her into it. For another, she really doesn’t need more drama. > > For a third, it’s exceptionally difficult to make me look normal. My father says that if he is not the strangest person in a room, he high-tails it out of there. (And considering his health, that’s a nontrivial feat sometimes.) Punha! yer back! It’s me! Zoggie! ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/78 "2008-09-06T00:27:43Z")
I haven’t noticed a significant difference either way. And I suspect that whatever difference there might be will sublimate once the user population plateaus again. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/79 "2008-09-06T00:37:16Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Punha! yer back! It’s me! Zoggie! Zogggggggielipsbreathfacepie! I wouldn’ta recognized you otherwise! > [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > I sincerely hope I will be able to meet your father someday. Nothing personal, but he’s not a big fan of meeting new people in person. (He’s not a fan of doing much of anything in person unless it’s with people he knows well. **Captain Carrot** and my sister’s wedding\* recently was … fun.) He’s also extremely unlike to ever attend a dopefest, in part because he thinks this whole operation is silly, in part because he has the social graces and excitement of wet paint. \ ***Captain Carrot** is, last I checked, my brother (assuming no usernames were harmed in the P2P-\>sandbox conversion). Our sister got married recently. Not to him. ---
**Author:** ![Typo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Typo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/80 "2008-09-06T00:53:01Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > I’m with you on this… it’s like a breath of fresh air. > > One thing I find slightly disconcerting is the number of people who showed up **immediately** Tuesday morning saying “Hey, I’ve been away but now I’m back”. Were they really just sitting here for 3 years silently lurking, waiting for pay-to-post to end? Speaking for myself, I’d read here intermittently over the years and just happened to go through a phase when I found out P2P was ending. I watched the Lost Weekend unfold (Friday night was fun to watch), figuring it’d be a couple of weeks before I could post again, and then I saw posts saying “Whee, I can post!” So, nope, no engraved invitation was sent to me, at least, just a happy fluke. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974.md?page=5)