# I think I'll spend my $14.95 elsewhere... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 10, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149 "2004-08-10T03:55:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/101 "2004-08-11T06:12:03Z")
> [@Coldfire](#): > > [Here you go.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4252800&postcount=94) No worries mate, it was pretty mild, as far as warnings go. 🙂 No doubt I deserved that-but thought it was more advice (and advice I needed to follow, I must admit :smack: ) than a “warning”- but hey, that’s fine. Absolutely Lynn was completely right there. You know- it really depends on the thread. Many things are better just opened with a new thread(with a link to the old one if you like- that’s OK, I think). There are also some very few that are absolute classics, and bringing them back alive would be a GOOD thing. But you know- here I will bet that if you emailed a Mod asking for permission, you might just get it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/102 "2004-08-11T10:43:13Z")
> [@Fecko](#): > > Then close them! > > SIMPLE, NO? Simple? No. I would point out to you that administration of the board is volunteer work, the the admins have other things to do, and that there are precious few of them to do the work already required. I would also point out to you the surprisingly broad scope of that other work, which is everything from tracking down trolls and socks to mediating pissing contests and hissy fits among members. The last thing they need to be doing is running down the list of old threads and performing lock operations on all of them, slowing the rest of us down in the process — only to have to repeat it all after the next system crash. I would point out to you these things except for the fact that you would bristle and call them whiners or say that no one forces them to do the work and so they should suck it up. But hope springs eternal. Maybe instead, you will think about it a bit and say, “You know what? I have no idea what I’m talking about, so maybe I should just shut up.” ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/103 "2004-08-11T11:13:14Z")
Wasn’t that a bit rude **Liberal**? Maybe an explanation would be more useful. I have been here a fairly long time and have never bumped a thread but I still don’t know why it is a bad thing to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/104 "2004-08-11T11:26:18Z")
I suppose it could be construed as rude. However, to me, rudeness is presuming WITH ALL CAPS NO LESS that people who have administered a board of this calibre for more than five years are so dim that the thought of closing old threads as a solution to bumping them had never entered their heads. It is like a precocious kid sauntering into the operating room and, upon hearing the doctors discussing what to do next, blurts out, “Just cut him open. Simple, no?” You might not have asked before, but other people have, and Tuba has explained it. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/105 "2004-08-11T11:30:28Z")
'K, sorry then. Was just saying… ---
**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:** [August 11, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/106 "2004-08-11T13:55:39Z")
My favorite cheese? Sharp cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/107 "2004-08-11T16:00:23Z")
I experience many message boards as initially confusing. Yes, rules are often posted, but often are not compiled into a single, easily-found document. Some boards’ rules contradict others; another board I use _requires_ the bumping of an old thread in preference to starting a new one on a similar topic. I agree that $14.95 is a steep initial investment for someone with only a month’s experience on the board. I agree that the mods are active, but I wish the mods on some other boards were moreso. I’d like to be able to edit my posts sometimes, but I agree with earlier comments that the effect of not being able to edit is that I think more before I post. I have to say that the number of typos on this board as compared to many where posters can edit is still lower. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/108 "2004-08-11T20:00:04Z")
> [@Fecko](#): > > I know of heaps of websites, which DO repost without written consent. Its called the Fair Use provision of U.S. copyright law. If posting other peoples threads on a website is “illegal”, why isnt posting the LINK? From what Ive seen, the Mods are quick to point out a “breach” of copyright, but once made aware of the fair use provision, crawl back into their ivory towers. I hate to hijack the thread even further, but you need to read up on copyright law, **Fecko**. Although there is a fine line between fair use and infringement, the “fair use” provision does not allow you to reproduce an entire document willy-nilly. Just because you know “heaps of websites” that do this doesn’t make it legal. The courts have determined “fair use” to include uses like quoting excerpts for review or criticism, parody, summary, teaching situations, and of course, judicial proceedings. From [here](http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Academic_edu/CAF/law/copyright-FAQ), but no direct links, you’ll have to search through. So when someone posts an entire song’s lyrics or an entire NYTimes article, the mods are well within their jurisdiction to remove the quotes. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/109 "2004-08-11T20:48:51Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > The old threads should remain online, however. They remain a valuable repository of information and/or entertainment. Right! How else would we explain to newbies such vital matters as “I burning your dog”, “When come back, bring pie”, and of course “1920’s style Death Rays”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fecko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Fecko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fecko)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/110 "2004-08-12T00:24:57Z")
Av8rmike, I am fully aware of the provisos of the Fair Use Provision of the Copyright Law. No where in my post did I state it was legal to post entire threads willy nilly. What I did say was that the mods **threaten** sites that go so far as to just post without written concent, for whatever reason, whether parody or criticism. As stated at the bottom of the SDMB page; “\*\*No material \*\* contained in this site may be republished or reposted without express written consent of the Chicago Reader, Inc., except that message board users retain the right to republish or repost their own work.” Maybe my comprehension of English differs to yours, but the above, to me, excludes the fair use provision as well. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/111 "2004-08-12T03:30:33Z")
Princeppessa, this is not the board you were looking for! I pronounce this in vocal commiseration…commensuration… Tis a distant, cerebral mire. Forsaken bisection of heart and mind. T. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/112 "2004-08-12T04:02:29Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > This is true. I think it’s sexy. I’ve got a thing for uniforms, too. No, it’s not the uniforms, it’s the hats. Those powerful Mod hats can make anybody quiver with desire and a little fear. ---
**Author:** ![AlternateEagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a587f6/32.png) [@AlternateEagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlternateEagle)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/113 "2004-08-12T04:12:17Z")
you want oppressive moderators you should se [http://www.mightyeagles.com](http://www.mightyeagles.com) you say such and such player is rumoured to be injured and out for the season and your often banned not only is the post deleted. man thats hardcore ---
**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:** [August 12, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/114 "2004-08-12T14:45:37Z")
**Lib** –I found your response a bit rude as well. I would have assumed that the board software had some sort of automatic function whereby it could lock or archive threads older than a certain date. **Fecko** may have assumed the same thing. In any case, since he’s new, he probably doesn’t know what all the mods have to do around here and about how much they (don’t) get paid. ---
**Author:** ![finette6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@finette6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finette6)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/115 "2004-08-12T15:16:32Z")
**NoClueboy** , I’m standing here naked, asking for your forgiveness- what more can you ask? and by the way, I prefer Brie, But a nice sharp cheddar sliced paper thin can’t be beat! ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149/116 "2004-08-12T15:41:48Z")
I believe the good outweighs the bad, in general. But, since we’re bitching, I don’t like the - overzealous enforcement of, and totalitarian attitude toward discussions of, copyright - overzealous and arbitrary enforcement of the “no-trolling” rule. Playing devil’s advocate is a useful and accepted form of debate and there should be more tolerance for it. - overzealous enforcement of forum boundaries - longtime members who believe they are more equal than others, and a high tolerance for the assholish behavior this can lead to [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-ill-spend-my-14-95-elsewhere/259149.md?page=5)