# "Guest" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 14, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127 "2019-03-14T15:10:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/21 "2019-03-14T18:41:59Z")
> [@StraightTalk](#): > > Thank you! So, the benefits of membership are: no longer labeled as “guest” and no banner ads? Anything else? Cecil Adams will personally come to your house, cook you dinner, do the dishes, dust, vacuum, and mop the floor, mow your lawn, wash your car, tuckpoint the house and paint the trim, do the laundry, give you a (non-happy ending) massage, read your children a bedtime story and leave you a check for one million American dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/22 "2019-03-14T18:43:33Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Cecil Adams will personally come to your house, cook you dinner, do the dishes, dust, vacuum, and mop the floor, mow your lawn, wash your car, tuckpoint the house and paint the trim, do the laundry, give you a (non-happy ending) massage, read your children a bedtime story and leave you a check for one million American dollars. And you should see what comes with a Charter Membership! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/23 "2019-03-14T19:41:16Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > There’s a backlog due to the last surviving goat being old and tired. Count yourself lucky. I think he became a moderator. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/24 "2019-03-14T19:43:06Z")
That ended with Cecil’s retirement. Now \*\* TubaDiva\*\*comes to your home and plays the entire Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Solo. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/25 "2019-03-14T20:48:04Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’ve been a charter member since we went pay to post, but isn’t another benefit that members get to use the search function? I know Google searching has somewhat replaced the search function on the message board, but I still often use the search function. No, guests can search, too. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/26 "2019-03-14T22:50:37Z")
Could you also become a Mod? Have any Guests become Mods? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/27 "2019-03-14T23:19:29Z")
I think it’s in the official criteria that only Members would be considered as mods, but even if it’s not, it’s certainly something that we’d unofficially look at. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/28 "2019-03-14T23:36:11Z")
> [@StraightTalk](#): > > Thank you! So, the benefits of membership are: no longer labeled as “guest” and no banner ads? Anything else? Low cost prepaid cell phone plans available at Wal-Marts across the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/29 "2019-03-15T03:30:12Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Could you also become a Mod? Have any Guests become Mods? > [@Chronos](#): > > I think it’s in the official criteria that only Members would be considered as mods, but even if it’s not, it’s certainly something that we’d unofficially look at. I’m a guest, but I have been asked if I’d like to be a moderator. I said, “no thanks.” I’d rather remain as one of the Teeming Millions. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/30 "2019-03-15T05:35:59Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’m stll dismissed as the wacky over-poster with one too many stories about the lil’wrekker. And a certain State Trooper. 😉 **Beck** , I think the reason you got a pass with the squid and the goat is because you didn’t just enter our forums; you took them by storm. We didn’t have time to prepare the squid and the goat. I’m glad you came in as you did; I like your posts. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/31 "2019-03-15T08:39:08Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No, guests can search, too. The search function is really irritating though - does it get any better for members? ie not having to wait a minute between searches… ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/32 "2019-03-15T11:17:40Z")
The search restriction has been removed. It’s something like 5 seconds now. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/33 "2019-03-15T11:35:15Z")
> [@StraightTalk](#): > > Thank you! So, the benefits of membership are: no longer labeled as “guest” and no banner ads? Anything else? The SDMB is a great place to hang out and chat, or to find information to solve any particular problem. It has certain running expenses and needs. Buying a membership is a way of contributing. The major benefit of membership is to ensure that the SDMB will continue to exist. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/34 "2019-03-15T11:38:37Z")
Don’t you have to be at least 35 years of age to be a mod? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/35 "2019-03-15T14:52:47Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Don’t you have to be at least 35 years of age to be a mod? No but you do have to look good in boots. Or something close. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7e/66/3b/7e663b36b0ebefe65cde8110dd8f7593.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7e/66/3b/7e663b36b0ebefe65cde8110dd8f7593.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/36 "2019-03-15T15:05:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I think it’s in the official criteria that only Members would be considered as mods, but even if it’s not, it’s certainly something that we’d unofficially look at. “Unofficially looking at” sounds sordid, like what newspapers would say people arrested in a peep show raid were accused of so as to not come across as tabloid rags. I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/37 "2019-03-15T16:23:18Z")
I was never a member, and became a mod. In looking over the history of all the mod selection discussion, membership has not once come up in my review. > [@kayaker](#): > > Don’t you have to be at least 35 years of age to be a mod? Age has not been a criteria either, other than the minimum 13 years to create an account here. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/38 "2019-03-15T16:43:56Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Age has not been a criteria either, other than the minimum 13 years to create an account here. Yes, sorry. I mistook requirements for US presidency for mod requirements, as the two are fairly similar.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/39 "2019-03-15T16:54:21Z")
The annoyance of the search function is mostly due to the fact that it just doesn’t work very well. That’s a bug, not a feature, and we’d fix it for everyone if we could. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127/40 "2019-03-15T17:11:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Don’t you have to be at least 35 years of age to be a mod? No, that’s part of the requirements to become President of the SDMB. You must also have posted here every day for 14 years. On a more serious note, you need to have a personality and temperament that are suited to moderation. You need to have some reasonable computer skills and you need to be accessing the SDMB from a device that can operate the moderator control panel. A reasonably sized tablet can do it, but a small cell phone won’t work. You need to be an active participant, especially in the forums that you moderate. Different forums have different cultures, and certain rules may be enforced more strictly or less strictly in some forums. We get about 15 to 20 post reports per day spread out over all forums, sometimes a lot more if things are busy. Some forums get more post reports than others. You need to be reasonably thick-skinned. Nobody will ever tell you that you are doing a good job. Generally, the only feedback you are going to get is people telling you that you are doing things wrong. If you think the job has a lot of prestige and respect associated with it, think again. You need to be able to devote a reasonable amount of time to moderating, so that post reports can be responded to in a timely manner. Oh, and one last thing - the most junior mod has to clean the hamster cages. So there’s that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guest/831127.md?page=3)