# It's official: I've fucking had it with message boards **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 25, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516 "2004-08-25T23:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/1 "2004-08-25T23:35:00Z")
[That’s right, the guy who _never_ uses the f-word has put it in the thread title. So you know just how pissed off I am right now. Also, SDMB is great and always will be. Now more obvious to me than ever.] As I write this, I’m seriously considering pulling completely out of GameFAQs for good. I have a lot there, so it’s a pretty drastic step, but I simply cannot support a website that allows…well, posts like the one Ryosuke made here -( _link removed_). He’s made several posts like this, NOT ONE of which was ever deleted, and to my knowledge he’s never been warned even once. When I first went to that website, what really struck me was how much people were complaining about how strict it was. They were screaming bloody murder about how they weren’t able to get away with the total crap that they freely spewed out on, well, every single other message board in existence. For me, it was like I’d been handed the keys to Toys 'n Joys and told to take whatever I wanted. I _loved_ the idea of a website where there were limits on what behavior was permitted and it was actually possible to get banned. Now it’s gone completely to hell. The moderators are overwhelmed and overworked. Marking posts results in nothing. Flames, trolls, and off-topic posts routinely go through without ever getting deleted. No one gets so much as a warning for anything anymore. Of all the websites that I dreaded descending into anarchy, the last one I’d ever expect was GameFAQs. I’m in shock. Of course, it’s not like this was my first bad experience with a message board. In fact, the very first one I signed up on, at Samurai Shodown Forever, was plauged by ONE supreme uberdick who never, never ever was punished or even warned. Predictably, he ended up chasing everyone off the board, and the owner had to shut it down. (It’s back up now, and thankfully with a semblance of order now, but I’m too scarred to even think of going back.) And then there was the now-defunct [iidxstyle.net](http://iidxstyle.net), where I got a cruel firsthand glimpse of what hardcore IIDX players are really like. And the best part was, there was a grand total of one moderator, who took about a week to get on anything. Lessee…stuck-up asshats, no control over avatars, or sigs, or flames, or trolls, or anything else…man, I can’t imagine why that site went down in flames. The funny thing was, they seemed pretty nice until I came aboard…must’ve been all those opposing viewpoints. (And just for the record, I’m a IIDX player…just not hardcore…so this isn’t game prejudice on my part.) Of course, how could I forget Improfanfic (_link removed_). You may have noticed that it’s pretty quiet now. The reason for this is that _nearly everyone associated with the site was scared off_. In its heyday, you could be treated to flames, endless ego clashes, and lots of screaming over nothing. And lord forbid if you ever contributed anything. Your work would get trashed, blasted, torn to shreds, burned, and crushed, and if you had ANY problem with it, someone would fire the obligatory BS about how hatchet-job reviews were supposed to “make your better”, and shut the hell up. And of course, all the other regulars would be in lockstep agreement. It was breathtaking to see a website where the biggest assholes were _praised_ for it. Oh, did I mention that there was one acceptable opinion for everything, and ANYONE who disagreed in the slightest got flamed to death, and there were never any repercussions for the flamers? I should know…I was right in the middle of it. (Of course, it didn’t help that Twoflower, unquestionably the biggest douchebag I’ve ever exchanged e-mail with, was at the helm. Garbage in, garbage out and all.) And DDRFreak (_link removed_). God, talk about a minefield. Aside from the fact that maybe one thread in ten has is anything other than a colossal waste of time, just one slipup and you’re going to get flamed to death. Search for my thread on 6th Style (I have the same username there) for a graphic example of this. Need I even mention that virtually nothing ever gets punished over there? If you post a profanity-crammed tirade directly targeting a moderator, guess what happens? You’re ONE THIRD of the way to getting banned. And if you wait long enough, you get a completely clean slate! In all the time I’ve known about that place, about two people have been banned. I think that says it all. Look, either there are rules or there aren’t. If there aren’t, be honest about it. Fucked Company (_link removed_]) used to have a disclaimer right up front saying that the boards were completely unmoderated and anything went (it’s down now, but click on any thread and it’s pretty obvious). I can see very clearly that it’s a place I should stay the hell out of, and it’s a great catharsis and stress relief for posters who are into that sort of thing. I have no problem with that. But to give the pretense of control and moderation and to have flames and trolls pop out of nowhere _with nothing ever being done about it_, or to be a legitimately moderated website but slowly slide into anarchy over time, like GameFAQs did, that’s unforgivable. I gave my FAQs and reviews to a good, honest, regulated website that respected my needs. I won’t keep them on a dime-a-dozen shithouse. Sheesh, is this what it’s come to? Except for the SDMB a few others (_link removed_) is good; as long as you avoid certain subjects, you’ll be fine), **every** message board in existence eventually turns into yet another anarchic hellhole where there’s no recourse for any kind of offensive behavior?? P.S.: I have some issues with Bemanistyle (_link removed_), but they’re really good about locking down useless threads, and they try to keep things running smoothly. I’m not going to rip them. ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/2 "2004-08-25T23:44:52Z")
I’m with you on the whole GameFAQs thing, man. I too belong to that site, and even though I post enough to get Karma, sometimes I’m actually afraid to post because of all the flamers. If you know anything about LUE (Life Universe and Everything) it used to be a forum for dicussing religion and esoteric touchy subjects. But now look at it. Fad topics everywhere, shock sites, and it got so bad that the administrators banned anyone above a certain ID number. The place is degenerating fast. This is why I like the Straight Dope! BTW, I’ve never been to LUE because I’m too new, but I’ve heard everything about it I’d ever want to know :eek: . ---
**Author:** ![Milford\_Cubicle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Milford\_Cubicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milford_Cubicle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/3 "2004-08-25T23:53:14Z")
Somehow I don’t think this is going to be well received by the moderators… they seem to frown upon threads that have the potential to start board wars. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/4 "2004-08-25T23:59:55Z")
I’m impressed **Milford** , it’s refreshing that a guest knows the rules. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/5 "2004-08-26T00:28:03Z")
Sometimes when I’m looking for something useful, like a fix for a game problem or whatever, I will end up on a messageboard that has sigs the size of a novella, filled with animations and graphics advertising some crappy amteurish site - and the same people will be chatting back and forth in two word posts, so the whole thread is 90% made up of these obnoxious sigs repeated ad nauseum which you have to carefully negotiate to get any substance out of them. It sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/6 "2004-08-26T00:33:02Z")
More proof that [Gabriel’s Internet fuckwad theory](http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2004-03-19) is correct. ---
**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 26, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/7 "2004-08-26T00:57:09Z")
> [@Milford Cubicle](#): > > Somehow I don’t think this is going to be well received by the moderators… they seem to frown upon threads that have the potential to start board wars. I second **World Eater** on the props for being a great guest. **DKW** , it might be a good idea to email a mod and ask for your links to be disabled. Granted, then there’s no way for readers to check out the post you cited in your first link. Still, the reasons for your frustrated rage I think are clear enough without having to gaze upon their source. It should lower the board-war possibilities enough, perhaps, that this thread won’t evoke Official Ire. I wasn’t around at the time of previous board wars, but I’m aware from veteran Dopers’ references that there have been some rather nasty episodes in the past, and the mod/admin staff are understandably touchy about anything that might lead to new hostilities. Mods/admins, please forgive me if I’ve skated too far out on the ice of Junior Modding. Just trying to help. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/8 "2004-08-26T01:13:22Z")
I broke the links, **DKW** , even though your intent certainly didn’t seem to be to cause problems with those boards. IOTW, this isn’t a warning, just an explanation of what happened. TVeblen, Pit Mod ---
**Author:** ![CloudClever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@CloudClever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CloudClever)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/9 "2004-08-26T03:38:31Z")
I haven’t had a problem with the GameFAQ’s users after the Gamespot GFAQ merger. But I’m not on the Game specific boards that often. If you need a board for your gaming fix, try Gamespot. There are an awful lot of little kids, except most of the time they are well behaved little kids (within what you could expect children to be able to do). ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/10 "2004-08-26T07:36:04Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > I broke the links, **DKW** , even though your intent certainly didn’t seem to be to cause problems with those boards. IOTW, this isn’t a warning, just an explanation of what happened. Fucking fascist. You’ve just proved DKW’s point! 😛 [sub]DKW… Deutsche Kraft Wagen, or something else?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/11 "2004-08-26T07:49:45Z")
I’m not questioning the broken links (worship the Mods) but why aren’t they allowed? It seemed a valid rant and one that some would agree with. Is it a problem with linking to other boards? Honest question. ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/12 "2004-08-26T07:58:18Z")
There are other message boards than SDMB? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/13 "2004-08-26T10:22:30Z")
> [@DesertGeezer](#): > > There are other message boards than SDMB? :eek: Yeah, apparently there’s this one called “Fork” that’s kinda popular. Don’t know what it’s all about; the name suggests a discussion of eating utensils, which I’d have imagined would be quite lame. But, as I can’t be bothered to check it out, I guess I’ll have to keep on wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/14 "2004-08-26T10:27:25Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > I’m not questioning the broken links (worship the Mods) but why aren’t they allowed? It seemed a valid rant and one that some would agree with. Is it a problem with linking to other boards? > > Honest question. Yes, we don’t want to start board wars. It’s happened before, and we’d really rather not have it happen again. Basically, it starts out when a poster rants about unfair treatment or total rudeness or just blithering idiots at another board. A bunch of the Teeming Millions, being the insatiably curious people that they are, follow the link to the other board, and, either innocently or not, stir up shit on the other board. That prompts the posters and/or staff of the other board to come over HERE and stir up shit. Bad feelings all around ensue. So we discourage board wars. Lynn For the Straight Dope ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/15 "2004-08-26T10:33:24Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > Yes, we don’t want to start board wars. It’s happened before, and we’d really rather not have it happen again. > > Basically, it starts out when a poster rants about unfair treatment or total rudeness or just blithering idiots at another board. A bunch of the Teeming Millions, being the insatiably curious people that they are, follow the link to the other board, and, either innocently or not, stir up shit on the other board. That prompts the posters and/or staff of the other board to come over HERE and stir up shit. Bad feelings all around ensue. So we discourage board wars. > > Lynn > For the Straight Dope I knew some Dopers were members of other boards, but I guess I haven’t been paying attention to flame wars. Yay me for sticking to SDMB exclusively. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/16 "2004-08-26T15:04:40Z")
Going to other message boards is a lot like eating at McDonalds, or trying to turn left on Snelling Avenue while not at a light. I do it every once in a while to remind myself why I never, ever, _ever_ want to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/17 "2004-08-27T06:30:57Z")
Thanks, everyone, for your compassion on this subject…you can’t imagine how unbelievably pissed off I was at what happened at GameFAQs. This pathetic little twerp who mocked me after EVERY post I made on this one board, including one filled with obscenities, and nothing happened. I made at least three posts calling for some action, all of which were met with scathing mockery. What _really_ gets me is that this website, which used to be well-regulated and peaceful (and I _never_ would’ve signed up for it otherwise), and would’ve ixnayed that twerp’s posts in two hearbeats, now all of a sudden can’t keep ANYTHING under control. Getting sympathetic responses here has done more for my mental well-being than ten years of therapy could do. Again, thanks. TVeblen - I admit that I don’t do full-bore uncontrolled venting too often (thank goodness…did I mention that I was pissed off like you wouldn’t believe at this twerp?), and I’m not up on all the possible pitfalls. Thanks for taking the initiative on that. Coldfire - Nothing fancy…they’re my initials. I’ve been playing video games for almost my whole life, and that’s what I always enter as my high score. (I’m Darrell Wong, in case you’re curious. CloudClever - What I’m really looking for right now is a place that’ll accept FAQs and game reviews. I’ll give Gamespot a try, thanks. Lynn Bodoni - Sorry, I honestly had no idea. In light of this, I’d like to state right now that the problem is almost always too many damn boards, and starting something in this board or that isn’t going to do any good. Ethilrist - Yeah. I know that there’s tons of junk out there. I just never dreamed that GameFAQs would join that company. Dammit, the DDRFreak and Madman’s Cafe guys have been ripping that site for months, why the hell didn’t I pay more attention? ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/18 "2004-08-27T07:11:18Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Going to other message boards is a lot like eating at McDonalds, or\*\* trying to turn left on Snelling Avenue while not at a light\*\*. I do it every once in a while to remind myself why I never, ever, _ever_ want to do it again. OK, I didn’t know you were a masochist. Why you would ever attempt this more than once proces you’re a raving psycho. I live in Grand Forks and know better than to attempt that. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/19 "2004-08-27T12:27:17Z")
DKW, check out GamerDad. It’s much smaller, but has a community of (mostly) adults, lots of them parents (surprise, surprise). I’m guessing you’d be well-received there. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516/20 "2004-08-27T18:13:46Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > Basically, it starts out when a poster rants about unfair treatment or total rudeness or just blithering idiots at another board. A bunch of the Teeming Millions, being the insatiably curious people that they are, follow the link to the other board, and, either innocently or not, stir up shit on the other board. Good policy to follow. I have to apologize for a thread I started a year or two ago, titles “Have you ever been banned from a board?” or something along that line. I mentioned a site I was banned from (basically, I was faced with “the swarm”), and I included a link, I think. I didn’t intend to start a board war, and hopefully nothing happened. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-official-ive-fucking-had-it-with-message-boards/261516.md?page=2)