# Moderator double standard? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948 "2003-07-16T18:57:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/21 "2003-07-16T23:31:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \* > **they really don’t have time to regularly make friends and enemies.** You’d be surprised how easy the latter is. Costs no time whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/22 "2003-07-16T23:46:39Z")
What an assholish thing to say. Jerk moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/23 "2003-07-16T23:51:47Z")
> [@](#): > > You’d be surprised how easy the latter is. Costs no time whatsoever. **Reported!** ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/24 "2003-07-17T00:08:09Z")
It’s a shame, I just got my first check from the forbidden source in question and I was hoping to recommend the same thing. I’m not cross with the moderators, but it seems to me OpalCat was trying to just help some folks out. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/25 "2003-07-17T01:36:07Z")
While that is very possibly/probably the case, **fluiddruid** , advertising is rarely free and even less so on this MB. You might suggest showing this source/thing to some IRL associates/friends/whoever, as perhaps they cound benefit as well:) ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/26 "2003-07-17T03:03:07Z")
'S true, **Weirddave**. I was put in my place in no uncertain terms when I stepped over the line. I may have been embarrassed, but looking at it objectively, I can see why the mod acted as he did, and I feel I got off pretty light. I’m amazed someone needs to be told more than once. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/27 "2003-07-17T04:16:26Z")
> [@](#): > > And I’ll also make the observation that you in all likelihood didn’t look at the registration process. I did. In order to sign up you have to have a referral - someone’s name, or their PIN. Wrong. You can do what I did when I joined: just choose one of the options for “where did you hear about this” (it’s like a list of newspapers. I just chose one at random.) > [@](#): > > \*\*But **Weirddave** , in her LJ entry on the same topic she said she gets paid for every person she refers, plus extra if a guy signs up. Wrong. I would ONLY get paid for the men, not anything for anyone else. And it’s a trivial sum, not one that I’m foaming at the mouth to lure people in for. I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone to contact me to find out how to use me as a referral (and none did) and I didn’t care. It just seemed like a neat thing and I felt like I’d be a bit of a slug if I found out a way to make $10/pop for short phone calls and didn’t tell my friends about it. My bad. Regarding previous accusations of spam, it’s about my t-shirts. Anyone else can make a graphic and show it to people to say “what do you think?” but if I do it I can’t because people know I made it for a shirt in my shop. Doesn’t matter if I upload the graphic to a separate site and link to the graphic itself with no mention of the store, how to get to the store, or anything… they say I’m spamming. It’s been a very long time since that has happened, btw. I had at one point linked to a shirt and they said “don’t do that, it’s spam” so the next time I linked to a graphic–because I wasn’t trying to sell anything, just get feedback on a funny picture or something (I don’t remember what graphic it was) and got accused of spamming again… so you see I tried to work with their rules, but it became clear that there was no option available for me to discuss those things within their definition of thier spam rules, so I stopped entirely. A long time ago. I have my own websites when I want to promote myself for money–I don’t do it here. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/28 "2003-07-17T04:19:46Z")
(oh and you can’t put in someone’s name, you have to have the specific numerical code to use them as a reference, so no one could have put “opalcat” as a referal.) ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/29 "2003-07-17T04:40:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Svt4Him \* > \*\*Glad I’m not a mod here. \*\* So am I. ---
**Author:** ![alohaaloha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@alohaaloha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alohaaloha)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/30 "2003-07-17T07:10:36Z")
I want to see if I truely grasp the understand the OP’s reference of **Double Standards**. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong. In the OP’s thread link, **Uncle Beer** quoted the user statement as stating: ## quote: ## Do not post spam, including but not limited to advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, solicitations, or other messages primarily intended to promote a cause, venture, organization, event (except Straight Dope-related events), website, or other entity or activity, whether or not money is involved. We allow exceptions for worthy causes (in our sole opinion) if you obtain prior permission from a moderator or administrator. OK. In [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=3709317#post3709317), an Administrator clearly gives thier fees for services to someone inquiring about web sites, web hosting, etc.: > [@](#): > > Qualifications: I have worked as a fulltime and/or freelance web and print designer for 6 years. I have designed and maintained a large (1000+ pages, 10 servers) site using PHP for dynamic content, and create and maintain smaller sites for law firms, architecture firms, boutiques and financial firms. > > When I do a small site, I generally charge about $2000, estimating that it will be about 40 hours of work. This covers initial design of 2 - 3 mockups and multiple rounds of edits; scanning in any pics; meetings to discuss site architecture, client ideas and priorities; final production with HTML, javascript and perl. > > Updates I charge about $50/hr; generally I can do them so quickly that any lasting beyond 15 minutes is quite rare. If saomeone wanted updates every day but they were minor I’d probably offer a flat fee of $100/month or so. Now, since the Administrator mentioned above has an e-mail AND a web address assessable by any SDBM user, and said Administrator could stand to profit by the above mentioned posting, does that make the Administrator in violation of the “rules”??? If not, then why anyone else who has a business online that happens to make a reference to that business??? Just wanted to see if I understand all the rules before I dare post again… (Caveat: Using different systenm so hope all quotes came out correctly…) ---
**Author:** ![whatami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/85f322/32.png) [@whatami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatami)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/31 "2003-07-17T07:22:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alohaaloha \* > \*\* > In [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=3709317#post3709317), an Administrator clearly gives thier fees for services to someone inquiring about web sites, web hosting, etc.: > > Now, since the Administrator mentioned above has an e-mail AND a web address assessable by any SDBM user, and said Administrator could stand to profit by the above mentioned posting, does that make the Administrator in violation of the “rules”??? If not, then why anyone else who has a business online that happens to make a reference to that business??? > > Just wanted to see if I understand all the rules before I dare post again… > > (Caveat: Using different systenm so hope all quotes came out correctly…) \*\* I think you’re taking that post out of context. For those that didn’t click the link, it’s a thread in GQ in which the OP asked how much web design and web hosting costs. Two other posters answered in the same way as **Gaudere** , giving their prices and other costs associated with websites. I think you’re comparing apples and oranges. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/32 "2003-07-17T07:51:45Z")
**alohaaloha** , can you tell me how anyone could have answered that question (what does a website cost) without giving a price for fees and services? Seriously, you honestly think that was anything other than a person with knowledge on that particular question, trying to give a detailed answer? Add me to the list of people who’d hate to be a mod here. “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t” only begins to cover the amount of shit being thrown their way just now. ---
**Author:** ![alohaaloha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@alohaaloha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alohaaloha)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/33 "2003-07-17T08:14:39Z")
Yes. And 2 or 3 people replying did…the advise was to look around on the web and in your area. **Gary Kumquat** , in the thread I noted, **abby** gave a wonderful reply as the poster gave RANGES of fees, not what one vendor (who happens to be an Admin) charges. I have a part-time business and it is a royal “no-no” to quote fees for services or charges for standard orders in message boards (i.e "What should I charge for XYZ?), as every area of the country is different and everyone’s overhead is different (i.e. mine is less because I operate from my home and have no employees…someone with a $3000+ office payment and a staff has a higher overhead, thus higher fees). In almost every business, there is a standard formula in which to determine your fees; everyone’s are not (and should not) be the same. My point is not quoting fees; my point is generating/promoting business for oneself on the SBMB, which is apparently against the rules. I apologize if I did not make myself clear to begin with. In the case I previously mentioned, a simple “E-mail me privately for additional information” would have been more appropriate, IMO. And by the way, **whatami** , I intentionally went out of my way not to mention the Administrator by name in my post… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/34 "2003-07-17T08:28:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alohaaloha \* > \*\ ***Gary Kumquat** , in the thread I noted, **abby** gave a wonderful reply as the poster gave RANGES of fees, not what one vendor (who happens to be an Admin) charges. \*\* Don’t be daft. A poster asks how much a website costs, and a person with experience of building websites gives some information on how they charge. To somehow find anything other than a relevant response is ridiculous. Or are you claiming that only users, rather than vendors, should answer? I note your own link in that thread - how do I know you don’t work for said company, or have a friend who does? There was no case in that thread of someone touting for business. > [@](#): > > \*\*And by the way, **whatami** , I intentionally went out of my way not to mention the Administrator by name in my post… \*\* Is that not pointlessly coy when you’ve linked to the thread? ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/35 "2003-07-17T10:10:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alohaaloha \* > \*\* And 2 or 3 people replying did…the advise was to look around on the web and in your area. \*\* General Questions would be a very poor place indeed if the only answer to questions was “look for the answer somewhere else.” The OP claimed to know nothing about web design. Being told a few numbers will help keep prices in perspective during any subsequent research. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alohaaloha \* > \*\ ***abby** gave a wonderful reply as the poster gave RANGES of fees, not what one vendor (who happens to be an Admin) charges. > \*\* Abby’s reply was excellent. But if a few web designers reply with what they charge in fees, and a few users reply with what they pay in fees, the OP will have a range of fees. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/36 "2003-07-17T10:21:12Z")
I think any definition of ‘spam’ has to include _‘unsolicited’_. Opal Cat _began_ a thread in her wide-eyed, ‘who me’ mode so what she did can readily fall into the spamming category. ‘The Administrator’ (why are we using this term . . ?), responded \*in context \*to a _genuine OP_. What The Admin wrote might be a whole bunch of things – including self-promo - but it ain’t spam in the sense I understand it cos it ain’t unsolicited and it is in context. If you want a legal analogy, I’d suggest the burden of proof is with the OP (in this case Opal Cat) to prove it _isn’t_ spam, and when someone is responding to a genuine OP, the burden of proof lies with whosoever is the accuser. IMHO The terribly misunderstood Opal Cat knows how to play the SDMB game very well. That she didn’t play this one better is a surprise. That notwithstanding, the home team played a good defensive game here. Well done Uncle Beer Monster and crew. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/37 "2003-07-17T10:42:51Z")
Question for a Mod or Admin: So, just so _I_ understand, say I had posted here that I knew nothing about t-shirt pricing (I live in the boonies–it could happen) and wondered what kind of prices I could charge on my website if I were to sell t-shirts displaying a logo I had invented. Now, Opal comes in and tells me that on her site in her Cafe Press store she sells her t-shirts at an average price of $19.99, sometimes more, sometimes less and that it depends on the type of shirt, etc. She also gives advice, based on what she does with her store. Would this be okay? Even though anyone reading that knows now she sells t-shirts on her site and they could easily contact her and buy one. I’m not trying to be deliberately annoying–I think this could possibly be a fine line and I am honestly curious so I know which side to step on. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/38 "2003-07-17T10:57:20Z")
Dave, in your op you mentioned the recent charity drive for a certain poster. that is covered by this section from the agreement. > [@](#): > > We allow exceptions for worthy causes (in our sole opinion) if you obtain prior permission from a moderator or administrator. (just a heads up for anyone unsure.) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/39 "2003-07-17T11:47:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilbeth \* > \*\*Question for a Mod or Admin: > > So, just so _I_ understand, say I had posted here that I knew nothing about t-shirt pricing (I live in the boonies–it could happen) and wondered what kind of prices I could charge on my website if I were to sell t-shirts displaying a logo I had invented. Now, Opal comes in and tells me that on her site in her Cafe Press store she sells her t-shirts at an average price of $19.99, sometimes more, sometimes less and that it depends on the type of shirt, etc. She also gives advice, based on what she does with her store. Would this be okay? \*\* If I may be so bold, I have an answer for this. If this was the first time she had ever posted about her ventures, it wouldn’t be a problem. If she did it after all of the warnings that she has received, it would be an issue. If I were **Opal** and I came accross that question, I’d send an email to you. That would be the common sense approach anyway. As analogy, if you posted something a bit insulting in GD, you’d either get a mild warning or the Mods might even let it go but keep the post in the back of their minds. If it were someone who had been warned about their behavior a few times, they’d be harshly warned or even banned. Past history has to come into play when the Mods make a decision. I never saw the link in question because it was deleted when I got to the thread. Now that I know more about the site I can’t see how _anyone_ wouldn’t have gotten a warning about posting it. That link absolutely should have been deleted. By the way, and this isn’t a slam on **Opal** , you’d have to be fucking nuts to sign up for that program. It just screams “if it seems too good to be true…” I’d advise anyone who did sign up for it to check their credit reports in a couple of months. Haj ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948/40 "2003-07-17T12:46:35Z")
> [@](#): > > _Opalcat posted:_ > oh and you can’t put in someone’s name, you have to have the specific numerical code to use them as a reference, so no one could have put “opalcat” as a referal Except this is exactly what I did on the first page. I also tried it without a referral name and couldn’t get past the page. Your other option was to select from a menu, where you heard about the study - a menu with some very limited and very specific options; there was no general “internet,” or “e-mail” choice. It was only on the third page that I encountered the request for an SSN on an unencrypted form and terminated the process. And as I said, your code was easily available through several methods anyway. > [@](#): > > _OpalCat posted:_ > Regarding previous accusations of spam, it’s about my t-shirts. Among other things. > [@](#): > > _OpalCat posted:_ > I would ONLY get paid for the men, not anything for anyone else. So your claim that you didn’t make any “extra money from this” was false. I think that pretty much settles it. > [@](#): > > _Weirddave posted:_ > I withdraw my question and apreciate the more complete explanation that you have posted. Thank you, Dave. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-double-standard/188948.md?page=3)