# question for bibliophage, DrMatrix and xash **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 5, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821 "2003-09-05T21:56:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/1 "2003-09-05T21:56:37Z")
Not knowing much about “chat sites”, computers, servers, hosts or what not i have to ask…Whats the poop with you guys. Where do you work, home or office. I would imagine being a monitor of a site like this you can do this from your home. How’s the pay? Do each of you take a thread to monitor or how do you divy up the monitoring. Can one make a living doing this or is this just “for fun”. Thought i would ask. I usderstand if you are not supposed to “answer threads” and are just supposed to keep everybody in line. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/2 "2003-09-05T22:06:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by squid \* > \*\*How’s the pay? Can one make a living doing this… > \*\* Good one. They do it for the respect and admiration of the members. And for the chance to be called a Nazi. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/3 "2003-09-05T22:39:42Z")
Well, **Arnold Winkelreid** , board administrator, once expressed his views on renumeration. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/4 "2003-09-05T23:32:43Z")
When we log on, we check out our forum. Threads are not assigned to a particular moderator. We don’t get paid in actual money. We get a coffee mug. Oh yeah, and a calendar once a year; sometimes we have to remind Ed to send the calendar (not that I’m complaining). Since your questions apply to the whole board, I’ll move this to ATMB. Off to ATMB. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/5 "2003-09-05T23:36:57Z")
Yeah, and I’m learning other things too. If you have been around these boards a while, you are familiar with the poster Q.E.D. Seems that said poster was the guest answerer on yesterdays daily Cecil question. Under his name was noted that he was a Straight Dope Staff member. Hmmm, no wonder he has such fast access to just about any question that comes along. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/6 "2003-09-06T00:04:40Z")
It should be noted that being a SD Staff Member has nothing to with board moderation, nor does it give one any special features or abilities on the boards. I’m just quick. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/7 "2003-09-06T03:30:47Z")
The word “Staff” is used loosely for two different groups, and sometimes gets confused. (1) There’s the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, of which Q.E.D. is now a distinguished member. Called “Staff”, these are the people who write Staff Reports and occasionally help Cecil with research (like allowing ourselves to be bit by mosquitos, running through the halls with ducks, etc.) We also have some Guest Contributors, from time to time, like Antiquarian. (2) There’s the Moderator Gang, also called “Staff”, and these are the folks who moderate the boards. The two groups do have some overlap – some Moderators who also write Staff Reports. And there are lots of people who write Staff Reports (like Ken or Karen or Doug) who are not Moderators – indeed, some of them rarely participate in the boards. And there are some Moderators, like Lynn or Cajun Man, who never write Staff Reports (although we always hope.) ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/8 "2003-09-06T10:00:12Z")
I have TOO written a few staff reports. One on how [crayons](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcrayon.html) work, one on [pinworms](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpinworm.html) (scratch, scratch) and one which combined two questions, whether [horses](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhorseglue.html) are really sent to the glue factory and whether horseflesh is consumed by humans. So there. Oh, and **Bryan Ekers,** your sig is WAY too long. It should be no longer than four lines, tops. ---
**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:** [September 6, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/9 "2003-09-06T16:05:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lynn Bodoni \* > \*\*Oh, and **Bryan Ekers,** your sig is WAY too long. It should be no longer than four lines, tops. \*\* That why I never use it, except when it’s part of the joke I’m trying to make. Out of nearly 6000 posts, I’ve used my sig maybe ten times. ---
**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:** [September 6, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/10 "2003-09-06T18:01:01Z")
However, on reflection, it occurs to me that even a rare act of rule-breaking is still breaking the rules, and since I don’t want whiners complaining “But you let Bryan get away with it” if they happen to spot my rare transgressions and wonder why their 2000-word autobiographical sig line got cut, so I’ll trim it. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/11 "2003-09-06T21:37:27Z")
**Where do you work, home or office.** Both. Since all we need is an Internet connection and some boots, we can do it from anywhere really. **I would imagine being a monitor of a site like this you can do this from your home.** I do it primarily from home. At work I don’t surf the boards much, but I do monitor my emails. If there’s any “Report this post to a moderator” that requires immediate action, I do that bit from work and leave the rest for when I get home. **How’s the pay?** Best in the business. Only, they pay in kind. I wouldn’t trade it for money, though. I’ve even negotiated with **Cecil** to pay me a mug and a signed book. So I already get paid double the usual salary. The people of the Straight Dope make this a wonderful place to be in. Over the years, the SDMB has given me access to the greatest and wittiest minds on the planet. Also, some of the nicest. Being a mod allows me the opportunity to pay back in some small way to the community that has given me so much. **Do each of you take a thread to monitor or how do you divy up the monitoring.** We walk the aisles. If we see anything untoward, we act on it. It’s usually the first to get to it that acts on it. **Can one make a living doing this or is this just “for fun”.** It doesn’t pay cash, so if you’re looking at it from a “work from home” perspective it really won’t help. **Thought i would ask. I usderstand if you are not supposed to “answer threads” and are just supposed to keep everybody in line.** We are allowed to answer threads. And question them 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/12 "2003-09-07T12:55:22Z")
My blushes and apologies, Lynn. They say memory is the third thing to go. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/13 "2003-09-07T23:46:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Both. Since all we need is an Internet connection and some boots, we can do it from anywhere really. And a hat or other moderatorial object, of course (watch, clogs, etc.). Unless, of course, you’re going the efficiency route, and just announce “Moderator jack-boots **on** ”. ---
**Author:** ![Pelleas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@Pelleas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pelleas)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/14 "2003-09-07T23:55:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > \*\*My blushes and apologies, Lynn. They say memory is the third thing to go. \*\* I always heard it was second. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/15 "2003-09-08T00:32:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrMatrix \* > \*\* We get a coffee mug. \*\* I always thought that was a joke… _Hides face in shame_ ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/16 "2003-09-08T01:22:42Z")
_stares in horror_ _ **C K Dexter Haven** stole my joke!!!_ _bursts into sobs and runs out of thread_ ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/17 "2003-09-08T02:49:49Z")
Given that there’s only 2-4 mods per thread and Mods seem to respond quickly, does that mean each Mod work 8 hour shifts? And how do they manage it without getting smacked by their boss for excess Internet usage? And why don’t they get a free T-shirt too? Sorry, I have this image of a manically cackling Mod hovering over threads with their big pointy Banning SticksTM. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/18 "2003-09-08T05:37:09Z")
The work never ends. We never rest. your humble TubaDiva Administrator Sleep is for sissies. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-bibliophage-drmatrix-and-xash/199821/19 "2003-09-08T23:04:30Z")
Part of the quick response is thanks to our fine, upstanding members. At any given time, even if there is not actually a moderator on the board, there’s usually at least one at e-mail. And if those fine upstanding members report a problematic post, said moderator can usually spare a couple of minutes from whatever unimportant stuff they’re doing (like, say, earning money) to take care of it. So if you see a problem, report it. The mods really are grateful.