# Members List **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 24, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694 "2001-02-24T05:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/1 "2001-02-24T05:20:53Z")
Why was the members list closed? Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/2 "2001-02-24T06:38:53Z")
Because it was either being abused by spammers, or it was hogging system resources. One or the other, I don’t quite remember. It’s late, you see… ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/3 "2001-02-24T07:18:49Z")
It’s closed because the Members List is a portal to a magical land of sex, chocolate, and video games. The Mods and Admins want to keep it to themselves, without the masses soiling it with their numbers. It’s the closest thing to Heaven one can find on Earth… however, not everyone can suckle from that particular teat, glorious though it may be. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/4 "2001-02-24T08:34:00Z")
Okay. So, when’s the revolution going to be? Up the Proletariat! Red Flag Flies Forever! Storm the Bastille! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/5 "2001-02-24T16:40:25Z")
I believe Montfort’s second answer is the correct one (too much of a drain on system resources.) ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/6 "2001-02-25T01:09:10Z")
I just tried it, and it appears to be unavailable for moderators as well. Or just to THIS moderator, who knows. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fanny\_May](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Fanny\_May](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fanny_May)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2001, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/7 "2001-02-25T02:31:52Z")
It was turned on one time for somebody. Seems like 6 months ago they made a list. Must be half the size of the current membership. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2001, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/members-list/55694/8 "2001-02-25T22:49:27Z")
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. your humble TubaDiva Administrator