# GQ forum should be called "GQ with factual answers" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 4, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666 "2003-06-04T18:51:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/1 "2003-06-04T18:51:37Z")
Wouldn’t this clear out the majority of the daily screw-ups of newbies posting opinion questions in that forum? ---
**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 4, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/2 "2003-06-04T18:56:55Z")
From the forum description: “Got a factual question for the Teeming Millions (and possibly Cecil) to consider? Post it here.” Hmm. Could folk be thinking that a “factual question” can still have a fluffy answer? I don’t think a forum renaming would solve much. If they ain’t reading it now, they won’t read it with _more_ words cluttering up the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/3 "2003-06-04T19:16:07Z")
I agree. I think it should just be “Factual Questions”. More people do read the forum title than the forum description; often you’ll get something like, “Well, this is General Questions, and I thought my question was pretty general.” I also think that Cafe Society should be renamed to “Arts and Entertainment” and In My Humble Opnion should be renamed to “Opinions and Polls”. But, I realize that even if people did agree wth me, tradition can be hard to change. ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/4 "2003-06-04T20:03:51Z")
The name is more important than the description. The name is misleading itself. You can’t mislead and then clear up under it, do it right to begin with and make the name on point. “Factual Questions” is even better than my proposed name. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/5 "2003-06-04T20:06:41Z")
I like this sugestion. Another vote here for remaing GQ to Factual Questions. ---
**Author:** ![ragerdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ragerdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ragerdude)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/6 "2003-06-04T21:03:14Z")
Since many of the same questions pop up over and over, maybe we should rename it to Frequently Asked Questions. 😉 Seriously, I also vote for FQ. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Barber_s_Underwear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/7 "2003-06-05T00:54:14Z")
Hey, if this is a poll, shouldn’t it be in IMHO? ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Barber_s_Underwear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/8 "2003-06-05T00:55:24Z")
Hey, if this is a poll, shouldn’t it be in IMHO, which, by the way, should be renamed “Polls and Opinions”. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/9 "2003-06-05T02:48:28Z")
Hmmm. I like it. Factual Questions that is. The other fora names are fine with me, but I would not be upset if they were renamed either. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/10 "2003-06-05T03:31:42Z")
The Mods have (briefly) discussed the idea, and rejected it. We’re happy with the way things are, and we’re not sure that a rename will make much difference. It’s always good to rethinkand re-evaluate, so thanks for the thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/11 "2003-06-05T03:54:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tony Barber’s Underwear \* > \*\*Hey, if this is a poll, shouldn’t it be in IMHO? \*\* Not if it’s a poll about this message board!!! Gotcha! **C K Dexter Haven** , Ah c’mon, don’t be so afraid of change. Tradition is only good until it’s purpose is expired or overtaken by new priorities, IMO. Also, IMO I think it would make a noticeable difference because I remember what I thought when I first read “General Questions”. I remember thinking that I could ask generally anything I wanted, and me being anxious to ask my first question, I didn’t stop to read the description until a couple visits later. I’m sure that’s not the first time that’s happened… But, I don’t really have any beef. I was just curious about what people thought of this idea. You mods are generally not ones to disagree with and I too love the board the way it is. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/12 "2003-06-05T04:01:36Z")
I, too, agree that General Questions is slightly misleading. Many forum boards I’ve visited through the years have a General Questions or General Chatter sort of forum which was more or less the catchall for all the other more specific fora. So, you mean not even _one_ mod was for the idea? If so, you guys are just robots. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/13 "2003-06-05T04:26:17Z")
How about calling GQ **_Empirical Positivistic Questions[sup]_[/sup]**\*? That should clear things up. [sup]\*[/sup]Refer all question about what is empirical positivism to EPQ. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Barber_s_Underwear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/14 "2003-06-05T05:21:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fuel \* > \*\*Not if it’s a poll about this message board!!! Gotcha! > \*\* What if I started a poll about where this thread belongs, here or IMHO? Would that go here or IMHO? - Bubba. ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/15 "2003-06-05T07:17:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tony Barber’s Underwear \* > \*\*What if I started a poll about where this thread belongs, here or IMHO? Would that go here or IMHO? > > - Bubba. \*\* That, my friend, would have it’s own forum. We’ll just call it “Bubba’s Barber got caught pledging allegiance to Tony’s jockstrap on the school flag” poll. Uh, did someone say something? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/16 "2003-06-05T11:19:24Z")
Y’all have no sense of history! “General Questions” goes back to when we only had two forums. GQ was one; “Comments on Cecil’s Columns” was the other. To quote from Ed Zotti from those days, “you can divide up the whole world like this. We don’t need any more forums.” Went like that for quite a few years, in fact. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**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:** [June 5, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/17 "2003-06-05T12:43:16Z")
Well, OK, I’ll come clean. The actual result of the vote amongst the moderators was: 2 against, 17 abstain (or too bored to bother voting.) That’s either an overwhelming vote against (100% of the ayes/nays were opposed) or an overwhelming ennui, depending on how you choose to interpret results. Continue to discuss, if you wish. P’raps, over time, you will sway more Moderators to your side. A sense of history is nice, **Tuba** , I’m all for it, although I have to say that the quill pen makes scratches on the terminal screen. OTOH, I don’t have any problem making [integral signs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=188593) with my quill pen. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/18 "2003-06-05T14:55:36Z")
Some didn’t vote because the polls weren’t open long enough. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/19 "2003-06-05T14:58:09Z")
I’m not all that big a fan of history myself; Comments on Mailbag Answers got changed to Comments on Staff Reports when that was appropriate, and I thought it was good. I also think that the current name does cause more work for the moderators of General Questions. But really, if they don’t mind, I have no right to complain. Just be glad that the original names weren’t “Comments on Cecil’s Columns” and “Anything Else You Feel Like Talking About”. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666/20 "2003-06-05T15:10:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried \* > \*\*Some didn’t vote because the polls weren’t open long enough. \*\* It’s a fix, I tell you. I bet **Tuba** or **Lynn** was standing in front of the voting booth with a bat looking crossly at any mod who dared approach. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gq-forum-should-be-called-gq-with-factual-answers/179666.md?page=2)