# Guest -\> Member -\> Guest? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 30, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626 "2007-10-30T20:23:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/1 "2007-10-30T20:23:18Z")
This is largely a question of curiosity, prompted by the two other threads related to member status today, but is there a reason that lapsed members are returned to Guest status? It seems like there’s a fairly distinct difference between replying to somebody who is a current guest–a newbie with posting privileges–and someone who is no longer a member of the site at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bakkup\_Jenna\_Rater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Bakkup\_Jenna\_Rater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakkup_Jenna_Rater)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/2 "2007-10-30T20:54:54Z")
I’m pretty sure this is just how board software works. When Member requires payment, all others default to Guest. They may be unable to post, however because of time limits on guests, but the time limit is imposed when you log in, while the reversion to Guest happens when your subscription comes up for renewal. ---
**Author:** ![Bakkup\_Jenna\_Rater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Bakkup\_Jenna\_Rater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakkup_Jenna_Rater)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/3 "2007-10-30T20:59:36Z")
OOps. I guess I’m wrong. I just read this quote, [QUOTE=TubaDiva] Actually it’s not that precise; it’s whenever the little script Jerry wrote kicks in, sweeps through the database, and turns all the expired Members into Guests. Could happen that day, maybe a day later, whenever. [/QUOTE] So I suppose it was Jerry’s choice of terminology. He could have made it “Expired Member” instead of reverting to Guest. But perhaps that would raise more questions than it answered? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/4 "2007-10-30T23:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=Bakkup Jenna Rater] OOps. I guess I’m wrong. I just read this quote, > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by TubaDiva > Actually it’s not that precise; it’s whenever the little script Jerry wrote kicks in, sweeps through the database, and turns all the expired Members into Guests. Could happen that day, maybe a day later, whenever. . . . . [/QUOTE] [Otto](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcmarbles/1372713005/in/set-72157601996522903?edited=1) could do that in one fell swoop of his wand for ya; at least through tomorrow. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/5 "2007-10-31T17:32:54Z")
[QUOTE=Bakkup Jenna Rater] OOps. I guess I’m wrong. I just read this quote, So I suppose it was Jerry’s choice of terminology. He could have made it “Expired Member” instead of reverting to Guest. But perhaps that would raise more questions than it answered? [/QUOTE] Easier and more sense just to dump expired members into the “Guest” usergroup – which is already defined on the board – than to set up another usergroup. If you’re registered to this board and you’re not a Member, you’re a Guest. Uncomplicated. Why make it more cumbersome? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/6 "2007-11-01T11:41:58Z")
It’s hardly cumbersome, and it’s a courtesy and clarification. Sometimes I think you guys deliberately avoid looking at how the software operates (you’re almost a full version behind, by the way - there are good features in the latest version that alleviate server loads that you aren’t taking advantage of). ---
**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:** [November 1, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/7 "2007-11-01T13:02:43Z")
Administrators and moderators have no control over system upgrades. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/8 "2007-11-01T16:17:47Z")
I just think it would be useful to have information about whether or not the person you’re replying to is likely to still be engaged in the conversation and be able to reply. Which I suppose would necessitate both ex-member and ex-guest designations of some sort. I don’t imagine the one time set-up for the new user titles would be ridiculously hard, though obviously things like status updating scripts would need to be changed. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/9 "2007-11-01T17:02:58Z")
[QUOTE=jacquilynne] I just think it would be useful to have information about whether or not the person you’re replying to is likely to still be engaged in the conversation and be able to reply. Which I suppose would necessitate both ex-member and ex-guest designations of some sort. [/QUOTE] If it’s a guest, you can look at their join date. If they joined over a month ago then they are obviously an expired member, within a month they are on their free guest period. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/10 "2007-11-01T20:02:58Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] If it’s a guest, you can look at their join date. If they joined over a month ago then they are obviously an expired member, within a month they are on their free guest period. [/QUOTE] True, but with the “Month Year”-only format of the Join Date, how do you know if “October 2007” means they joined Oct. 1, 2007 and just expired or if they joined Oct. 31, 2007 and, therefore, can still respond? If I’ve misinterpreted how join dates are applied, please ignore. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/11 "2007-11-01T22:05:09Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] True, but with the “Month Year”-only format of the Join Date, how do you know if “October 2007” means they joined Oct. 1, 2007 and just expired or if they joined Oct. 31, 2007 and, therefore, can still respond? If I’ve misinterpreted how join dates are applied, please ignore. [/QUOTE] If you are that concerned with accuracy you can look at the poster’s profile which gives an exact join day. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest-member-guest/424626/12 "2007-11-01T22:28:50Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] If you are that concerned with accuracy you can look at the poster’s profile which gives an exact join day. [/QUOTE] You are correct; I meant to come back and say I realized that after I posted, but got caught up at work and forgot. Thanks for reminding me.