# Mods: Point of clarification about "board wars" please. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 14, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537 "2005-07-14T17:38:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/1 "2005-07-14T17:38:44Z")
I am not “Pitting” any moderator here, just asking for policy clarification. Specifically, is it the case that we are just not supposed to link to any of the hilarious things that can be found on other message boards because of the potential for a board war? Is it one of those “I know it when I see it” things? What is the deal? ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/2 "2005-07-14T17:56:17Z")
Let’s have it said first of all, that the topic in question was not actually about board wars at all, but was instead about a person whose message board posts (of spectacular flaming insanity) made [international news](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6366018#post6366018). See the link in post number 8. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/3 "2005-07-14T17:57:49Z")
The link in my above post is to the thread in question by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/4 "2005-07-14T18:02:06Z")
Yeah, I think the OP’er just made an unfortunate choice of words naming his/her link. It wasn’t an attempt to start a board war, IMO. The thread shouldn’t have been closed (at least not for board war reasons), and the user should not have been banned. IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/5 "2005-07-14T18:07:11Z")
Ok, I was the first person in that thread to hint that I thought the thread would be closed. I (for some reason) feel the need to note that I **did not** report the post. I just assumed the thread would be closed. Once I started reading the link, I posted that I was in error. I just wanted to clear that up, since I also agree that the thread closure and the banning were unjustified. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/6 "2005-07-14T18:15:04Z")
> [@Greathouse](#): > > I (for some reason) feel the need to note that I **did not** report the post. Not, that, um, there’d be anything wrong with a person that _did_ report the post… Right? Right?? RIGHT??? 😉 FWIW–not much–I think that the thread should have been closed or at the very least that the OP should have been given a friendly warning and the link editted out (linking directly to another board like that often DOES lead to ‘board wars’; he could have discussed the controversy sans link and let people figure it out themselves), but the banning does seem a bit harsh. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/7 "2005-07-14T18:22:02Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > Not, that, um, there’d be anything wrong with a person that _did_ report the post… Right? Right?? RIGHT??? 😉 Oh, absolutely. If someone felt the need to report the post, then more power to them. The ultimate desicion was the mods and they decided to close it and ban the guest. ---
**Author:** ![VegemiteMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/df788c/32.png) [@VegemiteMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VegemiteMoose)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/8 "2005-07-14T18:27:18Z")
> [@The Scotsman article](#): > > Now, normally this would just be chalked up at some guy having a bad day and going **radio rental** on a message board Bwaa-ha-ha. I’d never seen this before to describe a meltdown. I assume it’s rhyming slang for “mental”, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/9 "2005-07-14T18:28:21Z")
decision, decision, decision…I can spell. I swear. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/10 "2005-07-14T18:29:46Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > FWIW–not much–I think that the thread should have been closed or at the very least that the OP should have been given a friendly warning and the link editted out (linking directly to another board like that often DOES lead to ‘board wars’; he could have discussed the controversy sans link and let people figure it out themselves), but the banning does seem a bit harsh. I don’t think the link should’ve been edited out. It’s been linked all over the internet and isn’t an active thread that has anything to do with the Dope. I do think the thread should’ve retitled and moved to MPSIMS. Unless there were other issues, there’s no way what **Rayh** posted should’ve brought about a banning. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/11 "2005-07-14T21:02:10Z")
Holy cow. That was a pissed just _looking_ for an off. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/12 "2005-07-14T21:33:01Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Holy cow. That was a pissed just _looking_ for an off. I think your second sentence is missing something… ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/13 "2005-07-14T22:04:49Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Holy cow. That was a pissed just _looking_ for an off. **Mynn** , that you? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/14 "2005-07-14T22:41:10Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Holy cow. That was a pissed just _looking_ for an off. hehehe. I pick this as my “line o’ the day”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/15 "2005-07-15T00:07:16Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Holy cow. That was a pissed just _looking_ for an off. Well, it’s better than an angry looking for an under. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/16 "2005-07-15T01:21:17Z")
The text within the link was how to start a board war, so that was how I took it. To be honest, that’s still how it strikes me but after a few re-readings, the alternate interpretation seems possible as well. It could have been just an invitation to watch a spectacular meltdown rather than a specific invitation for Dopers to join the chaos. I’ve unbanned **rayh** , and will unlock the thread. My apologies, **rayh**. TVeblen ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/17 "2005-07-15T01:21:43Z")
Hey, they let me back!!! Thank you all for your support, it is much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/18 "2005-07-15T01:25:27Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > The text within the link was how to start a board war, so that was how I took it. To be honest, that’s still how it strikes me but after a few re-readings, the alternate interpretation seems possible as well. It could have been just an invitation to watch a spectacular meltdown rather than a specific invitation for Dopers to join the chaos. > > I’ve unbanned **rayh** , and will unlock the thread. My apologies, **rayh**. > > TVeblen In that case I apologise for not making my intentions clear. I was using board was as a description of the fighting on the board, and it was not my intention to inflame inter board rivalry. I will be more careful next time. Love and kisses. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/19 "2005-07-15T01:39:08Z")
> [@rayh](#): > > Love and kisses. No tongue, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537/20 "2005-07-15T01:51:05Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > No tongue, okay? Aw, you’re no fun anymore. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mods-point-of-clarification-about-board-wars-please/312537.md?page=2)