# Is there a BANNED list? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 2, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988 "2006-07-02T23:53:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/21 "2006-07-03T16:33:26Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The toll of idiots. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/22 "2006-07-03T16:50:52Z")
Please remember that any “List of Banned” would be totally uninteresting. Y’all seem to have this notion that it would be a who’s who of colorful characters of the past decade. In fact, somewhere around 85% of the entries on such list would be one-time spammers (“Want info about a free vacation? Go to my website for the best free vacations anywhere!”) and another 10% would be people who snuck back in under assumed names to avoid paying the $15 fee. Basically, no one cares about these losers. Or no one should care. So, no lists. ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/23 "2006-07-11T13:59:50Z")
While I agree with all the reasons already stated and completely understand the reasoning behind it, you’ve got to admit that we have had more than our share of spectacular flameouts - and a list of posters who spontaneously combusted would be a lot of fun to have. Well, for me anyway. Now about this _Tome of Misdeeds_… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/24 "2006-07-11T14:14:34Z")
[Apparently Roger Thornhill just left us](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=379108) without a glorious flame out but with a whimper. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/25 "2006-07-11T14:27:49Z")
Was he **kevegan**? I noticed they were banned, but didn’t see what they’d done. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/26 "2006-07-11T16:27:30Z")
Is there any way that we peons can see what has been written in this holy document about us? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/27 "2006-07-11T16:34:46Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Is there any way that we peons can see what has been written in this holy document about us? Good gad man, are you a fool? When confronted, admit all and plead for mercy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/28 "2006-07-11T17:08:33Z")
A glance in the Great Tome of Naughtiness™ can be a sobering experience. **Skip** checked on my tally for me once. One of the most embarassing moments on the Dope I’ve ever had. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/29 "2006-07-11T17:16:28Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > The toll of idiots. Banned name! ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/30 "2006-07-11T17:57:51Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Nah, that was the vault in the Sub-basement a block over from the Reader. Now the one under the Tribune building contains the secret to the real curse on the Cubs. What, mismanagement? That’s not really a secr…thud! You’ll have to excuse me while I remove this red and blue poisoned dart from my neck… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/31 "2006-07-11T18:18:55Z")
> [@photopat](#): > > What, mismanagement? That’s not really a secr…thud! > > You’ll have to excuse me while I remove this red and blue poisoned dart from my neck… I am not sure why, but your post conjured up a perfect image of this event and made me choke trying to suppress the laughter. Jim {Yes, horrible mismanagement, but no one likes to face reality, a curse is much more fun} ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/32 "2006-07-11T18:34:29Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Banned name! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/33 "2006-07-12T01:27:35Z")
Why is the Members List unavailable? I was going to start a thread of potential names, but I can’t check what’s taken. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/34 "2006-07-12T02:43:09Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Why is the Members List unavailable? I was going to start a thread of potential names, but I can’t check what’s taken. Never has been. Probably “the benefits don’t outweigh the degraded server performance” or some variation. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/35 "2006-07-12T02:55:29Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > Never has been. Probably “the benefits don’t outweigh the degraded server performance” or some variation. Ah, here we are: In [April](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=366824&highlight=members+list), TubaDiva said: > [@](#): > > Modifications to the software (like deletions) come right back like fungus when upgrades are applied to the system. > > (Upgrades giveth as well as taketh away, you see.) > > We turned off the members list because the overwhelming number of our members (and the staff) felt it to be too tempting a target for spammers and etc. > > We’ll revisit the issue with our next upgrade – where supposedly what you fix stays fixed through subsequent upgrades. In [January](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353331&highlight=members+list), **UncleBeer** said: > [@](#): > > Bandwidth conservation. Whenever it has been turned on briefly by Jerry for some administrative/maintenance purpose, the board has dragged to a grinding halt. Much more so than the usual grind. subsequently confirmed by TubaDiva. In [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=145396&highlight=members+list), **Chronos** said: > [@](#): > > It was active once upon a time (several years ago, when we first switched to vB), and every so often, a chaange in settings will accidentally cause it to be available for a day or three, before an admin changes it back. But in general, no. > > In addition to possible privacy issues, I understand that it was also a considerable strain on the hamsters. TubaDiva did not post to that thread. In [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=61169&highlight=members+list), TubaDiva said: > [@](#): > > The member list search function was turned on for about 15 minutes while one of the techs was doing some fine tuning. > > This was, oh, six months ago, maybe. > > And in that little slice of time a few people jumped on it. > > After the tech was through he turned the function off and it has not been turned on since. > > Both reasons previously given (protection against spammers, drain on system resources) are correct. > > We value our members and do not wish them to be afflicted with spam or hassled by trolls, so unless they personally choose to publish their personal information we do not make this readily availble to anyone. Sure, someone so inclined could individually search profile information but usually spammers aren’t that patient to harvest one on one like that. > > Searches of the system are resource-intensive and this kind of search eats up so much computing power it was felt that it was best to not go here. Kind of ironic, that. Those are the only threads in ATMB which surface for a search on “Members list” in the title of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/36 "2006-07-12T04:23:12Z")
Looks pretty consistent to me. The Members List is not made available because of board performance and reasons of privacy. I’m not sure where you’re getting irony out of that. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/37 "2006-07-12T04:32:20Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > Looks pretty consistent to me. The Members List is not made available because of board performance and reasons of privacy. I’m not sure where you’re getting irony out of that. The irony comment is unrelated to the issue at hand, just a comment on the last post I quoted. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/38 "2006-07-12T04:38:05Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > The irony comment is unrelated to the issue at hand, just a comment on the last post I quoted. Yeah, pretty much what I suspected. In the future you’ll keep in mind that this is ATMB and not the Pit. Should you want to take swipes at any poster here, regardless of his/her level of membership, you will confine those comments to the Pit or simply refrain from posting them. ATMB is for discussion of technical questions and concerns about the SDMB, not for whatever needling you feel is necessary. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988/39 "2006-07-12T04:40:46Z")
As it is, the question asked in the OP has been answered. This thread is closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-banned-list/362988.md?page=1)