Hello all! I just renewed my membership for another year and had a question for the mods:
I’ve been a member of the straight dope message boards since almost from the day the lights were turned on, and was one of the original charter members when subscriptions were put in. Unfortunately, real life got in the way in that cruel way that real life sometimes does, and I let my membership lapse. Is there any way I could have my charter member status reinstated?
Nope.
I don’t know why I always read these threads, it’s not like the answer is going to change…
Since the only criteria for Charter Membership is not letting your membership lapse since we went P2P, it is not like it makes you special or anything. (well, maybe it does, but not necessarily in a good way, more like a rides the short bus kind of way.)
NB-The above should in no way be taken as a criticism of anybody. Not that I am afraid to criticize people I just hate it when people think I am being critical when I am not.
I think the official response to these requests is “Welcome Back, now Fuck Off.”*
*A joke from a previous thread not meant to be taken seriously.
What a totally assinine answer to the question. 
To the OP: It has been the practice in the past that Charter Membership is not reinstated for anyone who lets it lapse, regardless of reason. The people who make these decisions point out that you can always pay forward to insure that life doesn’t get in the way. The only exception that has been granted was for a soldier who was in Iraq at the moment of the expiration, and wasn’t able to get the email notifying of the impending tromp of doom.
So the likely response to your request will be “no,” but I’ll let the people in charge give you an official answer.
What a totally assinine comment in response to my comment. Have we sufficiently skirted the rules about no direct personal insults? The question had been answered I made an observation and a lame reference to a previous thread with a disclaimer that that is what it was, and you still get all huffy. What ever…
DSYoungEsq and askeptic, both of you need to cool it, please.
ntcrawler, the answer is, “No.” The first year of renewals, exceptions were made. To the best of my knowledge, only one (as mentioned above) has been made since then.
Warning: This reflects my understanding, I’m certainly not a techie and I don’t understand the ins and outs of the system.
But the Official answer is NOT, “Welcome back, now Fuck Off” as askeptic puts it. The problem with title changes (as I understand it) is that any changes need to be done by hand, and redone everytime the system resets itself, upgrades, or does any number of things. Thus, it’s a programming problem that is a major headache to reprogram and a minor headache to circumvent. We’ve been willing to undergo the minor headache in certain particular circumstances, but not for everyone who’s just (basically) been a little careless.
For a slight fee (say, $100), I’m sure we could figure a way to put up with the minor headache.
OK, just kidding, we don’t really take bribes; I’m just assuming your reaction is “$100?? Hell, no!” and so I wanted to point out that the loss of name change is pretty much insignificant in any scheme of things.
Dexter, I appreciate your response and the non-profane welcome back message 
I was asking because as I recall charter membership originally was to be more than just a status title / name but to have certain priviledges that were going to be implemented at a future date as the mods saw fit.
I don’t suppose they’d be willing to do it for TWO Scooby Snacks? 
j/k
Great to be back. This site is more entertaining than PPV television and more educating than college.
This is not funny and it’s not true and please don’t make “jokes” like this in ATMB.
ntcrawler, welcome back. I am sorry that things happened to take you away from our community . . . I also regret that we can’t fulfill your request but once Charter Membership lapses, it’s gone and there is absolutely nothing anything your administrators and moderators can do to restore it.