# Inaccurate post count
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [November 25, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277 "2003-11-25T23:47:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/1 "2003-11-25T23:47:42Z")
User **AndyPolley** has posted 5 times but his post count only shows 4.
[Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=1018075) his search results.
What’s up?
Note: I’m only asking this out of pure curiosity. It’s not an issue with me or anything. Just wanted to make that clear. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/2 "2003-11-25T23:55:58Z")
Post counts are frequently inaccurate.
The hamsters have a lot do do, sometimes they lose count.
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### Author:  [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/3 "2003-11-26T01:18:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Berkut \*
> \*\*Post counts are frequently inaccurate.
>
> The hamsters have a lot do do, sometimes they lose count. \*\*
Well, sheesh, here’s the root! Excess excrement causing frictions against the wheels!
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### Author:  [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/4 "2003-11-26T01:23:08Z")
That’s a silly way of saying that the server is overloaded, sorry.
Also, post counts can be made inaccurate by thread being moved to a forum where posts aren’t counted, or by posts being deleted.
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/5 "2003-11-26T01:29:46Z")
All of the Public Forums here count posts towards your post count, unless there is an error.
Deleting posts does reduce your post count, unless there is an error.
There is a function to re-calculate post counts for all the Members which is available to Admins. Using it locks the Board up hard and clubs the database like a proverbial harp seal. As a result, it is unlikely to be updated barring a major outage where everything would be re-indexed.
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### Author:  [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/6 "2003-11-26T01:39:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Berkut \*
> \*\*That’s a silly way of saying that the server is overloaded, sorry.
>
> Also, post counts can be made inaccurate by thread being moved to a forum where posts aren’t counted, or by posts being deleted. \*\*
Neither of those are a factor in this case, but I’m satisfied with the “overloaded server” explanation. Thanks.
But wait!! On preview I see a dissenting opinion. OK, so possibly an error.
So this is really bugging me. Would anyone mind if we just did a quick little recalculation thingy just to square everything up? I’m sure it wou… Ummm, what’s with everyone picking up stones from the \<\\> HEY!! what the… \<\<\\>\> But I just… \<\<\<\\>\>\>
mother
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### Author:  [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/7 "2003-11-26T02:00:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Una Persson \*
> \*\*All of the Public Forums here count posts towards your post count, unless there is an error.
>
> Deleting posts does reduce your post count, unless there is an error.\*\*
That was part of my point, as errors don’t seem to be uncommon.
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/8 "2003-11-26T15:57:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Using it locks the Board up hard and clubs the database like a proverbial harp seal.
A baby seal walks into a bar.
The bartender asks, “What’ll ya have?”
The seal replies, “I’ll have _anything_ except the Canadian Club.”
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### Author:  [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)
#### Post date: [November 26, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/9 "2003-11-26T20:05:04Z")
So is there any way to lock up **UncleBeer**?
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### Author:  [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2003, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/10 "2003-12-17T21:04:14Z")
I’ll have you know that my post count is up to six!
Sorry. I felt the need to reply here, knowing that it was _my_ post count that started this whole thing.
Waitaminute…including this post…it’ll be 7!
\<----------that does say seven, right?
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/11 "2003-12-17T21:18:13Z")
It does for now.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inaccurate-post-count/215277/12 "2003-12-18T00:16:42Z")
I have it on good authority that the moderators and admins are _stealing_ the post counts that go missing and stockpiling them in the mountains somewhere, for use in case of nuclear attack. In readiness, Arnold has already painted himself silver to deflect the blast.