# I've been "Warned"; what does it mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 29, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427 "2006-03-29T17:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/1 "2006-03-29T17:50:29Z")
**SkipMagic** [warned](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7244368&postcount=63) me in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=364808). What does this mean? Am I a _marked man_? Is it like double-secret-probation? I don’t see anything about warnings in the rules and regs. Does it just mean that I’ve pissed off a Mod, and they’ll launch me if they get the chance? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/2 "2006-03-29T17:54:49Z")
> [@Winston Smith](#): > > Does it just mean that I’ve pissed off a Mod, and they’ll launch me if they get the chance? BINGO ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/3 "2006-03-29T17:58:26Z")
You miss the point, which is probably how you got to this place to begin with. Skip is trying to get your attention, trying to get you to do right. Read what he said to you and grok it. Then go forth and sin no more. That’s what the great majority of people do n this situation. To be specific, he’s telling you if you suspect someone you encounter on the board is trolling, don’t accuse them of it publicly or call them out or point and call names . . . report the offending post to the moderator(s) of that forum. Let them handle it, that’s their job. You are being corrected but it does not have a listing on your permanent record lodged against you. It only becomes A Bigger Issue when you disregard the advice you get and continue in the same fashion. Then it does get to be a Warning. Collect some of those and you get to go away, with no parting gifts. Clear? TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/4 "2006-03-29T17:58:49Z")
Indeed. I’ve never been “in trouble” here. I don’t know what to think about this. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/5 "2006-03-29T18:01:48Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Clear? > > TubaDiva Jeez, Mom. I’m _sorry_. OKAY?!? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/6 "2006-03-29T18:03:36Z")
It looks to me like **Winston** broke a well-defined rule which says not to accuse anyone of being a troll. It’s not as if he randomly pissed off a passing moderator. I imagine this means he will be under closer scrutiny for awhile, and a further transgression could result in more severe sanctions. ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/7 "2006-03-29T18:05:58Z")
Three warnings, a caution, and a chastisement in a single post. That has to be some sort of record. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/8 "2006-03-29T18:14:38Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > It looks to me like **Winston** broke a well-defined rule which says not to accuse anyone of being a troll. There’s a _rule_ about that?!? :smack: ---
**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:** [March 29, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/9 "2006-03-29T18:35:48Z")
RTFM, dude. Always check the FAQs. Besides, you don’t know **warned** until you’ve gotten Tubadiva royally pissed at you. I think my testicles took a week to crawl back out after that little incident. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/10 "2006-03-29T18:35:54Z")
Which now you know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/11 "2006-03-29T18:36:15Z")
> [@Winston Smith](#): > > There’s a _rule_ about that?!? :smack: [Yes.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2670336&postcount=12) ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/12 "2006-03-29T19:41:26Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > [Yes.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2670336&postcount=12) I think you just posted that and back-dated it to make me look bad. It’s a **conspiracy** , isn’t it? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/13 "2006-03-29T19:48:22Z")
**Winston** , sweetie, you’re a good egg. I like ya. Please let it go & keep your nose clean from now on, ‘kay? Wouldn’t want to see ya get “disappeared.” Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/14 "2006-03-29T19:58:06Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > **Winston** , sweetie, you’re a good egg. I like ya. Please let it go & keep your nose clean from now on, ‘kay? Wouldn’t want to see ya get “disappeared.” Just sayin’. Actually, in his case they’ll put him in a cage with RATS! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/15 "2006-03-29T20:01:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Actually, in his case they’ll put him in a cage with RATS! :eek: he-he. :eek: indeed. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/16 "2006-03-29T20:48:37Z")
**I misread and misspoke.** Winston was formally warned. What does this mean? It means we made a note as to this event and the behavior and marked it down. If Winston never violates forum rules again, it’s not an issue. If he persists in playing the fool, if it’s part of an overall pattern of systemic bad behavior, then we are compelled towards a higher level of enforcement. We’d prefer not to go there, but sometimes people take us there Actions do have consequences. If you’re considerate of your fellow community members and post within the rules, it’s never an issue. If you choose not to do that, then there will be some negative outcomes. TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/17 "2006-03-29T20:50:46Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > **I misread and misspoke.** > > Winston was formally warned. What does this mean? > > It means we made a note as to this event and the behavior and marked it down. > > If Winston never violates forum rules again, it’s not an issue. If he persists in playing the fool, if it’s part of an overall pattern of systemic bad behavior, then we are compelled towards a higher level of enforcement. > > We’d prefer not to go there, but sometimes people take us there Actions do have consequences. > > If you’re considerate of your fellow community members and post within the rules, it’s never an issue. If you choose not to do that, then there will be some negative outcomes. > > TubaDiva Thanks, Tuba. I am shamed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/18 "2006-03-30T03:42:14Z")
I also once used _the forbidden word_ back when I was a newbie, and _got warned_ about it. Personally, I can’t see what’s so bad about that word. But TPTB have a rule about it, and I follow the rules. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/19 "2006-03-30T04:09:55Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > Personally, I can’t see what’s so bad about that word. But TPTB have a rule about it, and I follow the rules. As with most rules, this arose out of experience. We used to see thread after thread get bogged down in endless exchanges with charges and counter-charges of trolling, decorated with disingenuous “Who, me?” posts from actual trolls and angry semantic fights over what constituted actual trolling among otherwise sane posters. It got to the point where the simple hurling of the word “troll” (or the plaintive posting of “DNFTT”) into a thread was enough to utterly destroy a thread–in every Forum on the SDMB. As a result, we removed any such accusations from polite discourse on the SDMB. If one suspects actual trolling, one is encouraged to report the offender to the staff, but we seriously frown on introducing a guaranteed hijack word to threads. ---
**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:** [March 30, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427/20 "2006-03-30T14:31:43Z")
> [@Winston Smith](#): > > I think you just posted that and back-dated it to make me look bad. > > It’s a **conspiracy** , isn’t it? :dubious: I know your joking on this point. I think you are a good poster and humorous poster. (I like humorous posters). \*\*But \*\* according to your join date you have been here a long time, a lot longer than me. I have noticed you are strangely ignorant of many board rules and conventions. Take some time over the next week and browse the board rules and each Forum’s Sticky. It is helpful and worth it. Jim [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-warned-what-does-it-mean/350427.md?page=2)