# OK, mods, this is getting Orwellian **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 20, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977 "2006-12-20T22:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/1 "2006-12-20T22:27:37Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=400635) was just locked after nine posts. There have been requests on ATMB for a list of banned posters. Mods have responded they don’t want to put up a list on “don’t feed the troll” grounds – we would be infested with troublemakers gunning to get banned and listed as a point of honor. Fine, I can understand that. But now we can’t even **talk** about them?! Have they become unDopers now?! :mad: I’m thinking his is related to the equally braindeadly policy of flushing banned posters’ threads down the memory hole so the rest of us can’t even access them for reference purposes – discussed in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=359733) Pit thread. “Syme did not exist. Syme had never existed.” Fellow Dopers! Never think **you** can’t be vaporized by the Thought Mods! ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/2 "2006-12-20T22:40:22Z")
You’re funny. And retarded. But funny. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/3 "2006-12-20T22:46:47Z")
Get a fucking grip, OK? Spammers and socks and trolls are disappeared to the best of our ability. We understand the issues members have with that. Nevertheless, we believe it is the best method to deal with such. Posters banned for other reasons are not wished into the cornfield. The reason we discourage general discussion of those posters is very simple: they cannot respond. Though some may find it enjoyable to be able to unrequitedly pile on those who are no longer with us, we see no point in such a walk down memory lane. If, in the course of a thread, a relevant reference is made to a banned poster, that’s a horse of a different color, but threads devoted solely and merely to the departed have been, and will be, closed. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/4 "2006-12-20T22:57:22Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=400635) was just locked after nine posts. [/QUOTE] Consider yourself lucky. [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=365756&highlight=banned) was locked after two posts. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/5 "2006-12-20T23:07:57Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] If, in the course of a thread, a relevant reference is made to a banned poster, that’s a horse of a different color [/QUOTE] **Must…not…make…obvious…joke…** …sorry, couldn’t resist. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/6 "2006-12-20T23:20:52Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=400635) was just locked after nine posts. There have been requests on ATMB for a list of banned posters. Mods have responded they don’t want to put up a list on “don’t feed the troll” grounds – we would be infested with troublemakers gunning to get banned and listed as a point of honor. Fine, I can understand that. But now we can’t even **talk** about them?! Have they become unDopers now?! :mad: [/QUOTE] That thread you linked to is, essentially, “list your favorite banned posters.” If you can’t see how that would violate a rule about not listing banned posters, which you yourself reference and acknowledge, then I don’t know what explanation is going to satisfy you. There’s nothing Orwellian about it. It’s the same exact policy. If a banned poster comes up in conversation, there’s no problem at all. But a thread devoted to listing banned posters is going to be locked. I really don’t see the problem. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/7 "2006-12-20T23:35:39Z")
Are you kidding? You’ve been around plenty long enough to realize what a stupid idea the original thread was. Aside from the whole issue of banned posters not being able to respond to criticism about them, a thread of that kind will almost inevitably devolve into discussion of why so-and-so was banned, and whether it was justified or not. It’s practically an invitation for a train-wreck. Discussion of posters who voluntarily left without being banned is only marginally better. Some of these have been controversial, with strong feelings on the part of some for or against. Once again a fight just waiting to happen. As has been pointed out, there is no problem with mentioning a banned poster when the subject happens to come up in the course of discussion. But a whole thread devoted to them? Bad news. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/8 "2006-12-20T23:35:40Z")
Why don’t you open a thread in GD: _What would a SDMB without the rule against listing banned posters look like?_ ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/9 "2006-12-20T23:42:47Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Why don’t you open a thread in GD: _What would a SDMB without the rule against listing banned posters look like?_ [/QUOTE] Don’t give him _more_ ideas, please. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/10 "2006-12-20T23:48:45Z")
How about, “What dozen threads should I start today?” ---
**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:** [December 21, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/11 "2006-12-21T00:22:08Z")
Cafe Society: What banned posters would you like to see movies made about, and who would play them? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/12 "2006-12-21T00:37:32Z")
“Are you gellian?” “I’m so gellian, I’m Orwellian! And so’s my daughter, the hellian.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/13 "2006-12-21T02:32:57Z")
Gosh. Guess I should rethink creating that “let’s see how many board rules we can break in one thread” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/14 "2006-12-21T02:50:16Z")
But my “How do I rob a bank?” GQ thread is still golden, right? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/15 "2006-12-21T02:54:44Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] But my “How do I rob a bank?” GQ thread is still golden, right? [/QUOTE] As long as it doesn’t involve file sharing, you should be ok. ---
**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:** [December 21, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/16 "2006-12-21T03:22:44Z")
**BrainGlutton** : Overall I like you and your posts. You start many interesting threads. Last night half the active GD’s were started by you. I think I posted to half of those. 😉 But you do come up with interesting complaints for the pit that show a weird lack of Board common sense recently. This thread and the [This ATMB thread should not have been locked!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=398462) really leave me scratching my head. I was also wondering if you noticed that you have started 422 threads in the last year? That is an amazing amount. More amazing as so many are interesting. Jim ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/17 "2006-12-21T03:52:25Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Why don’t you open a thread in GD: _What would a SDMB without the rule against listing banned posters look like?_ [/QUOTE] Oka-a-a-a-ay, now that you’ve moved up near the top of MY list. . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/18 "2006-12-21T04:10:22Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] That thread you linked to is, essentially, “list your favorite banned posters.” If you can’t see how that would violate a rule about not listing banned posters, which you yourself reference and acknowledge, then I don’t know what explanation is going to satisfy you. [/quote] Of course I **acknowedge** it. I don’t **accept** it. That is the whole point of this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/19 "2006-12-21T04:11:06Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] “Are you gellian?” “I’m so gellian, I’m Orwellian! And so’s my daughter, the hellian.” [/QUOTE] _snort_ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977/20 "2006-12-21T04:11:29Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] Aside from the whole issue of banned posters not being able to respond to criticism about them, a thread of that kind will almost inevitably devolve into discussion of why so-and-so was banned, and whether it was justified or not. It’s practically an invitation for a train-wreck. [/quote] On this Board, a train-wreck is **not** a bad thing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-mods-this-is-getting-orwellian/384977.md?page=2)