# 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:** 5
**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 6, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/81 "2008-09-06T04:09:16Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 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 Awww… Hell, one of the reasons I got the damn divorce was so that I could do stuff like go to Dopefests again!! I’d be very up for a New Brumfus fest. > [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > 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. Ha ha. Nice analogy. I hope the post counts go up soo, 'cause that will help you to figure it out. I mean, if a guy like ' **punha** has 50,000 posts, well, I guess that will tip you off to the fact that he was a very regular (if irregular) regular in the past. Speaking of irregular regulars, I wonder if **oldscratch** will come back. I think he and **Autolycus** would get along great. They can debate the pros and cons of ladles vs. toothbrushes. p.s. Hey **Mermaid**! ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/82 "2008-09-06T04:37:07Z")
> [@Endiqua](#): > > 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. No engraved invite for me either. I lurked quietly between April of 2005 and this Tuesday? I think. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/83 "2008-09-06T05:16:35Z")
In the case of returned posters, it depends on why they returned. If they came back just to continue bitching about the board, the mods, etc, then I’d just as soon they stayed away in the first place. We have plenty of members who pay for the privilege to bitch about every blessed thing they can find to complain about regarding the mods and the board; I’ve always wondered why people who seem to hate the place so continue to post here. As far as new posters are concerned, it’ll be on a case-by-case basis as it was before. ---
**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 6, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/84 "2008-09-06T13:01:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **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. 😉 Ahh … thanks for putting me straight on that Marley. Off to brush up on my comprehension skills. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/85 "2008-09-06T13:38:29Z")
> [@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? Well, in my case when the board first went P2P, I paid (I remember sending a euro banknote to someone in the usa who very graciously paid for me, being happy to receive a euro banknote for their notes colelction or something, that was very nice 🙂 ), then let my subscribtion lapse because I was a bit tight on money and because I wasn’t posting much anyway. I did read the dope nearly everyday. This last week I had been very busy and only saw glimpses off the upgrade of the server and didn’t see the amnesia weekend then read on tuesday that the board was now free!! When, seriously, I was firmly thinking the boards wouldn’t get updated or go free before months, if ever. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/86 "2008-09-06T14:23:04Z")
> [@The\_Mermaid](#): > > **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. Can I change my name to Riff Raff? And “Declining Quality” would be a great name for a classic rock cover band. ---
**Author:** ![Heropsychodreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Heropsychodreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heropsychodreamer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/87 "2008-09-06T14:27:02Z")
> [@dba\_Fred](#): > > Can I change my name to Riff Raff? > And “Declining Quality” would be a great name for a classic rock cover band. No, I want to be the riff-raff. Actually, over the years there are many times when I had a great answer, or something really useful to add to a general question (and some other forums), but I couldn’t post, so I couldn’t share my knowledge. I am sure there are others who were in the same boat, so I would expect better things in the GD forum at least. The PIT might be a whole 'nother story though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/88 "2008-09-06T14:46:30Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > No sorta about it. While I’ve enjoyed seeing and PMing some familiar [del]faces[/del]usernames back, I’m dreading the number of teens and not-missed former members and posters from other boards who have no idea what “Cite?” means because they’re used to shooting their mouth off without getting a tab who’ll be coming in. Plus the disabling of search is driving me nuts (here’s you a security token right here…)- when are they going to fix that? Search isn’t disabled. I searched for something last night and it was fine. [http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php](http://boardstest.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php)? ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/89 "2008-09-06T14:49:25Z")
> [@Heropsychodreamer](#): > > No, I want to be the riff-raff. > > Actually, over the years there are many times when I had a great answer, or something really useful to add to a general question (and some other forums), but I couldn’t post, so I couldn’t share my knowledge. I am sure there are others who were in the same boat, so I would expect better things in the GD forum at least. The PIT might be a whole 'nother story though. 🙂 No, I’m riff-rafter than you because I don’t/haven’t had a great answer nor anything really useful to add. I picture myself as the friend of the friend of the Hero who stands in the dimly-lit corner by the door smoking cigarettes or partly obscured by the steam rising in the alleyway and only has one line to speak but the Director yells “Cut!” before he gets the chance. I also never get the girl in the end. ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/90 "2008-09-06T17:33:42Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Does anyone sorta still wish the SDMB was P2P? My boss. 🆒 ---
**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 6, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/91 "2008-09-06T19:47:43Z")
> [@Heropsychodreamer](#): > > Actually, over the years there are many times when I had a great answer, or something really useful to add to a general question (and some other forums), but I couldn’t post, so I couldn’t share my knowledge. I am sure there are others who were in the same boat, so I would expect better things in the GD forum at least. The PIT might be a whole 'nother story though. 🙂 See, this is one of the things that I’m really looking forward to–a wider variety of people who can answer stuff in GQ. We did manage to have a pretty good selection of people to answer stuff during P2P, but it was definitely better before. > [@dba\_Fred](#): > > No, I’m riff-rafter than you because I don’t/haven’t had a great answer nor anything really useful to add. I picture myself as the friend of the friend of the Hero who stands in the dimly-lit corner by the door smoking cigarettes or partly obscured by the steam rising in the alleyway and only has one line to speak but the Director yells “Cut!” before he gets the chance. I also never get the girl in the end. Er…how you doin? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/92 "2008-09-06T19:57:27Z")
I think the overall quality of the board was declining. Many interesting posters left, few joined. Diversity of opinions declined too. I expect this change to be for the better, even though the mods might have a hard time if a lot of new posters join. I’m pretty satisfied with this change. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/93 "2008-09-06T19:58:34Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > See, this is one of the things that I’m really looking forward to–a wider variety of people who can answer stuff in GQ. We did manage to have a pretty good selection of people to answer stuff during P2P, but it was definitely better before. I agree. ---
**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 7, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/94 "2008-09-07T05:59:51Z")
> [@The\_Mermaid](#): > > **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. 😕 Would _you_ like to belong to a message board where every other post is “OMG we pwnz thiz boarde lolol!!!11!”? Thurston Howell III? What in blazes are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/95 "2008-09-07T06:18:08Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > 😕 > > Would _you_ like to belong to a message board where every other post is “OMG we pwnz thiz boarde lolol!!!11!”? That’s not how the board looked when I joined and you joined. Why would it become that way now? > [@](#): > > Thurston Howell III? What in blazes are you talking about? “The Millionaire” from Gilligan’s Island. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/96 "2008-09-07T10:36:35Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > 😕 > > Would _you_ like to belong to a message board where every other post is “OMG we pwnz thiz boarde lolol!!!11!”? Thurston Howell III? What in blazes are you talking about? With all due respect, I think you’re a) forgetting that the SDMB was free for quite a long time before P2P and somehow we managed to muddle through without being overrun by zomg ftw (in fact, if you think about it, that kind of writing actually _increased_ during the P2P period simply because the lolcats meme caught on here for a while) b) seriously overestimating the interest the average OMG we pwnz thiz boarde lolol!!!11!-teen would have in the Straight Dope Message Board when there are so many other options available where they _can_ go the OMG we pwnz etc.etc. route. ---
**Author:** ![Dinaroozie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Dinaroozie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinaroozie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/97 "2008-09-07T11:34:50Z")
Count me in as one who 1. Didn’t realise the board was no longer pay to post until this thread or thereabouts. 2. Has been lurking quietly all along (except that I was a paid member for a year, I think, a while ago, but didn’t keep it up). 3. Doesn’t really wish it was still P2P. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/98 "2008-09-07T11:35:11Z")
Quote: Thurston Howell III? What in blazes are you talking about? “The Millionaire” from Gilligan’s Island. OMG!!! I wear a “Gilligan” hat! And the Professor is working on a riff raff to get us off the island! The Skipper caught a squid in the lagoon and Mary Ann is going to make a pie with it! ---
**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 7, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/99 "2008-09-07T13:24:53Z")
:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: I stand behind my OP. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974/100 "2008-09-07T15:04:10Z")
> [@agent foxtrot](#): > > :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: > > I stand behind my op. omg wtfbbq. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-sorta-still-wish-the-sdmb-was-p2p/461974.md?page=6)