# Questions about being a Mod **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 1, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830 "2002-12-01T21:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/1 "2002-12-01T21:37:11Z")
I just have some questions for the Mods or anyone who knows. -How do you become a mod? Do you have to have a certain number of posts/been a member for a certain ammount of time? -Do you get paid? If so, how much? (You dont have to answer how much if you don’t want to) -Is being a Mod a full-time job? How many hours a day are you on the SDMB? -Do the Mods run the message board, or do they just work here? -Do you have contact with Cecil? Just some things I’ve been wondering about. I don’t want to become a moderator or anything, I am just curious. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/2 "2002-12-01T21:47:25Z")
[This is a good start.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=107909&highlight=moderator) ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/3 "2002-12-01T23:11:22Z")
Thanks, Coldfire. That answered a few of my questions. I would have done a search for the topic myself but I’m lazy. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/4 "2002-12-01T23:39:13Z")
It’s funny that no one is bothering to come up with better excuses for not searching now that the hamsters are healthy. This is like the third or fourth person I’ve seen admit (seemingly without any misgivings whatever) that the only reason they didn’t do a search was pure laziness. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/5 "2002-12-01T23:52:04Z")
Well, that’s what mods are for, right? Searching threads you’re too lazy to search for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/6 "2002-12-02T00:13:56Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s funny that no one is bothering to come up with better excuses for not searching now that the hamsters are healthy. This is like the third or fourth person I’ve seen admit (seemingly without any misgivings whatever) that the only reason they didn’t do a search was pure laziness. Is there another board to search? I remember someone suggesting this when we were having so many slow downs. Just wondering. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/7 "2002-12-02T00:20:49Z")
One of the reasons that I usually dont search is because the search either brings up zero results, or about 500! ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/8 "2002-12-02T00:35:23Z")
Maybe we need a workshop on searching. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/9 "2002-12-02T00:48:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Achernar \*\*\* > Maybe we need a workshop on searching. That’s a great idea. There is “another board” where you can do your searching – just ask **minty green**. Check out [www.boardreader.com](http://www.boardreader.com) and include “sdmb” in your search terms. **Coldfire** : Yeah, that’s pretty much how I think of you guys. You’re like a big crew of graduate assistants or legal secretaries, sitting around all day just to do my legwork. Step to! ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/10 "2002-12-02T01:11:37Z")
:: sneaking into this thread :: Um … It’s HELL! Get me outa here!! _ **Get me outa here!!!** _ ---
**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:** [December 2, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/11 "2002-12-02T01:38:25Z")
Pay no attention to the Eutychus behind the curtain. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/12 "2002-12-02T05:59:06Z")
I went through **Coldfire** ’s link and I must say, **MEBuckner** ’s post was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/13 "2002-12-02T09:01:39Z")
Thanks, White Lightning. I bookmarked the link. pv ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/14 "2002-12-02T13:25:53Z")
I still want to know if you guys get paid or not. It didn’t say in that link. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/15 "2002-12-02T13:32:08Z")
They get paid A LOT. They’re all very, very rich by now, especially those who have been around since the AOL days, doing moderatin’ and all that jazz. Why, they get paid commission, too; every time they kick some doofus’s ass all over the place, they get a free SD t-shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Sebhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Sebhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sebhal)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/16 "2002-12-02T13:33:08Z")
No, it’s all [voluntary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=137535), and very grateful we are too. N. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-being-a-mod/139830/17 "2002-12-04T04:55:04Z")
Our only pay is to be able to bask in the feeling of service to our fellow human beans.