# How are you counting # of total posts on the board?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [November 20, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918 "2000-11-20T03:03:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@The\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bean)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2000, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/1 "2000-11-20T03:03:38Z")
The number on the intro page is **821868** ,
but my last post got numbered **902496**.
Where are the missing posts?
Is this why searching is sometimes reported as “spotty”?
That’s like a 9% difference, after all.
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### Author:  [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2000, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/2 "2000-11-20T03:11:43Z")
Deleted threads by trolls, etc.
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### Author:  [@barflyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barflyer)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2000, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/3 "2000-11-20T17:22:42Z")
So, which number is the one these guys are trying for in this “post party” thread?
\*\* [Let’s take it to a million posts!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=46200)\*\*
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2000, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/4 "2000-11-21T22:46:36Z")
They’re not trying for either number in that thread. Read the note by Lynn at the end.
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/5 "2000-11-21T23:47:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chronos \*
> \*\*They’re not trying for either number in that thread. Read the note by Lynn at the end. \*\*
Do you mean **UncleBeer**?
I think it would be ironic if the entire thread was deleted. Cruel, but ironic…
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/6 "2000-11-22T16:22:21Z")
Don’t tempt me.
your humble TubaDiva
(itchy-fingered)Administrator
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### Author:  [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/7 "2000-11-23T03:47:58Z")
Aww, Tuba, you wouldn’t do it… you’re not cruel. You’re just a big, goofy sweetie-pie…
(I’m gonna get banned for this… :D)
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### Author:  [@Drum\_the\_drum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_the_drum)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/8 "2000-11-23T15:54:12Z")
Just erase the thread already. It’ part of the board’s main problem- too much chaff, covering the wheat and slowing everything down.
If the thread is erased, **J. Noble** will lose 1/3 of his posts at one go. That will teach him and others that it’s not the thing to do.
While you’re at it, have a standing policy of erasing everything on MPSIMS and the BBQpit every couple of weeks. That would keep the babblers from running amok. The babblers are so proud of their post counts that they would shape up in a hurry.
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/9 "2000-11-23T16:05:22Z")
I love it when people start off modestly. Welcome aboard, Drum the Drum.
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### Author:  [@Drum\_the\_drum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_the_drum)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/10 "2000-11-23T16:14:11Z")
Thanks. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/11 "2000-11-23T16:35:24Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Anthracite \*
> \*\*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Chronos \*
> > \*\*They’re not trying for either number in that thread. Read the note by Lynn at the end. \*\*
>
> Do you mean **UncleBeer**?
>
> I think it would be ironic if the entire thread was deleted. Cruel, but ironic… \*\*
Nope, I put a note on the Post Count Party thread that I was going to lock it and then delete it. I did. I deleted it after 24 hours. I’ll do the same for any thread like that I see. Personally, I’m ready for TubaDiva to delete the Million Posts thread too.
By the way, if I see a blatant post pad, I’ll sometimes delete it.
Lynn
Administrator
For the Straight Dope
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/12 "2000-11-23T16:49:44Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Drum the drum \*
> \*\*Thanks. 🙂 \*\*
Perhaps it would help to know that I may have been _slightly_ sarcastic. It’s just that I don’t always use emoticons to explain myself.
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### Author:  [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/13 "2000-11-23T17:10:50Z")
Really, **Coldy**? Only _slightly_ sarcastic?
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### Author:  [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/14 "2000-11-23T20:02:50Z")
You should give Coldfire the benefit of the doubt. If he says slightly, it could easily be true. He’s been a lot less sarcastic since he’s been a moderator.
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### Author:  [@isopropyl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/isopropyl)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/15 "2000-11-23T21:57:42Z")
The only number that should count is the post available to look at, which would be the lower number, the one on the top of the main menu page.
But my question is: are the old threads (with the broken links we hear about) included or excluded in that number?
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/16 "2000-11-23T23:39:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tshirts \*
> \*\*You should give Coldfire the benefit of the doubt. If he says slightly, it could easily be true. He’s been a lot less sarcastic since he’s been a moderator. \*\*
Don’t bet the farm on _that_ one, **tshirts**. More diplomatic, perhaps. Less sarcastic? Hardly.
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### Author:  [@Ol\_io](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_io)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/17 "2000-11-24T19:41:14Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by isopropyl \*
> \*\*But my question is: are the old threads (with the broken links we hear about) included or excluded in that number? \*\*
They must be included, since they are accessed with the same parameter in the link, “threadid”.
Here’s this thread [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47275](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=47275)
Here’s an old thread [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=100](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=100)
Matter of fact, the difference between the two numbers may be nearly the number of “old” threads. If so, the deleted threads would not be very significant, but the counter on the main menu would be very far off, only counting the new threads.
I don’t know how to check that, however.
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### Author:  [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/18 "2000-11-25T00:07:11Z")
Only by examining each post by hand can we determine if it was the intention of the poster that the post “count” toward the overall post total listed on the upper right hand side of the main screen. Posts from known trolls shall not be included in the total. Obvious post-pads will also not count, unless the poster has an established record of “straight-ticket” posting (no previous posts to MPSIMS.) Other post-pads may count, if the post counting supervisory board (Lynn Bodoni, Ed Zotti, and John Corrado) determines by majority vote that the post in question is “pregnant” with hidden meaning.
_:: running like hell ::_
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### Author:  [@\_hijack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_hijack)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2000, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/19 "2000-11-25T01:46:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Alphagene \*
> \*\*Hey all. Happy Thanksiving. And to our international friends, happy regular day.
>
> I’m just posting this to let you all know that we will be doing some housecleaning in this forum. Some posts may need to be deleted around here, because a very small number of posters can’t seem to be housebroken. That and we are a COMMUNIST MESSAGE BOARD. \
>
> Ignoring posters who blatantly return after being banned will help immensely.
>
> So if you find yourself noticing posts disappearing that’s just us taking the Dawg out to be neutered.
>
> Stupid git. \*\*
(I thought I posted this before, but it must be Deja Vu all over again)
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-you-counting-of-total-posts-on-the-board/41918/20 "2000-11-25T01:59:18Z")
And do you have a reason for your posts, hijack? Or should I simply delete them, as they seem to add nothing to the discussion? In other words, do you plan on contributing positively to this message board?
Lynn
Administrator
For the Straight Dope
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