# Regarding Shodan **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 6, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076 "2009-07-06T14:30:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/1 "2009-07-06T14:30:10Z")
In [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11285597&postcount=99) in the Pit I am admonished by Gfactor for “taking a joke too far”, the joke being that I wrote “regards Shodan” in two of my posts in the same thread. We know [we can not make fun of **Liberal**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523231&page=2) by using any other name but his chosen name. I have no idea how this exception came about. Maybe he is in some endangered species list which merits special protection. Now it seems we cannot make fun of Shodan by using his chosen name. Even in the pit. Even in a thread about idiotic signatures. I find this to be really stupid. Two posts in the same thread is “carrying a joke too far”? Is one post OK? Or is even one post “carrying a joke too far”? How far is “too far”? It seems to me this is most mild compared to other threads poking fun at people. Why does Shodan have special status? Or is this universal and now in the pit we cannot even obliquely poke fun at any other poster? regards Shitdan ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/2 "2009-07-06T14:42:53Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > We know [we can not make fun of **Liberal**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523231&page=2) by using any other name but his chosen name. I have no idea how this exception came about. Maybe he is in some endangered species list which merits special protection. Doubly untrue. First, referring to him as **Lib** is copacetic. Second, I’ve seen other folks get admonished for referring to folks by a nickname that is chosen to irritate its subject. So you can refer to him by another name; and it’s not only him that has the protection against intentionally irritating names. > [@](#): > > Now it seems we cannot make fun of Shodan by using his chosen name. Even in the pit. Even in a thread about idiotic signatures. I can see the purpose behind this rule: it’s similar to the purpose behind editing material inside quote tags, even when the edits are an obvious parody. There’s a small chance that an uncareful reader will incorrectly attribute poster B’s words to the quoted (or sig-appropriated) poster A. And SDMB has decided not to take that chance. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/3 "2009-07-06T14:49:10Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > We know [we can not make fun of **Liberal**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523231&page=2) by using any other name but his chosen name. I have no idea how this exception came about. Maybe he is in some endangered species list which merits special protection. The rule started [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5048163#post5048163). **Veb’s** post #37 was widely understood to mean: No changing his name anywhere, including in the Pit. > [@lissener](#): > > Sorry, missed this post, until someone mentioned it. I understood that namecalling was acceptable in the Pit. How does explaining exactly why I’m calling someone a particular name make it a violation of the rules? serious question. > [@TVeblen](#): > > Because you don’t get to choose a particular name for any other poster, especially when the intent is solely to keep long-term disagreements right at the forefront. This hasn’t just happened in the Pit, as evinced in this thread that started in IMHO and later moved to GD discussing the definitions and usages of “liberal”. Nor in ] this Cafe Society thread where you not only repeatedly called him "Libertarian’', complete with red highlighting. > Again, your opinion of his name change doesn’t matter. Your deliberate, repeated use of it is designed to rake up old crap nobody else besides you cares about. You’re acting like a jerk. For what it’s worth, I thought it was a prohibition of not changing his name in the Pit as well. Two-ish years later, [that rule was clarified/rescinded](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353003&highlight=liberaltarian&page=2) > [@giraffe](#): > > There has been some confusion about whether or not there is a rule against changing someone’s username in order to insult them. I want to clarify that there is no such rule in the Pit. > > I suspect the confusion originated when Liberal changed his username from libertarian, and another poster pledged to follow him around the board using his old username. The mods at the time felt this was inappropriate and made a rule against that behavior, for that situation. That rule was never meant to be a blanket prohibition on writing anyone’s username inaccurately. > > So, go nuts. It’s the Pit. If we let you call each other twats and ass-lickers, it seems silly to warn you for changing Poster to Postard or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/4 "2009-07-06T15:07:34Z")
1. I was merely enforcing the rule as written. It says you may \*sign \*posts with \*your \*name. You agreed your name is not Shodan. There is not currently an exception to that rule for the Pit. If you would like to discuss creating one, I’m willing to discuss it. In fact, I favor it, but see point 3 below. 2. I never said you can’t use Shodan’s name. Perhaps I was unclear in my note, but I only intend to enforce the rule as written. It does not apply to areas of the post other than the final sign-off. As long as you do not violate other rules (stalking, harassment, etc.) I don’t care what you do with the rest of your post. 3. One of the problems with permitting posters to sign their posts with others’ names is that it tends to confuse other posters. I’ve had your posts reported by people asking if you are Shodan’s sock, or generally asking why you are signing another poster’s name to your posts. That shouldn’t necessarily determine what the rule is, but it is something to consider. 4. You didn’t just do it twice. Those are examples. You’d done it in several recent threads. No matter, though. As I said, I’m willing to consider an exception to the rule in the Pit. 5. Regarding **Fenris** ’s post. I don’t think I’ve said anything inconsistent with **Giraffe** ’s quoted ruling and I don’t really have a problem with that being the rule in the Pit. **Gfactor** Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/5 "2009-07-06T15:08:20Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I can see the purpose behind this rule: it’s similar to the purpose behind editing material inside quote tags, even when the edits are an obvious parody. There’s a small chance that an uncareful reader will incorrectly attribute poster B’s words to the quoted (or sig-appropriated) poster A. And SDMB has decided not to take that chance. Yeah, but that rule strikes me as an over-reaction. It came about when Scylla changed (in bold/red type) the text in some jerk’s anti-Republican screed to black or Jew or something. The guy thought he was being “slandered” and threatened to sue everyone. [I think the original thread has been lost](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6663952&postcount=17) ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/6 "2009-07-06T15:09:48Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > We know [we can not make fun of **Liberal**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523231&page=2) by using any other name but his chosen name. I have no idea how this exception came about. Maybe he is in some endangered species list which merits special protection. You shouldn’t take shots at _anyone_ in ATMB, no matter who it is. **Seven** ’s post was just the latest outpouring from his fascination with **Liberal** and didn’t belong anywhere other than the Pit. It’s really silly to break the rules (spirit and letter) and then complain about us “protecting” whomever you’re (generic “you”) targeting. The purpose of moving board complaints to ATMB was to keep the conversations civil and avoid derailment due to personal attacks; so, of course we’re going to say something when someone intentionally violates the rules of the forum. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/7 "2009-07-06T15:50:08Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > [I think the original thread has been lost](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6663952&postcount=17) [This is it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=116263) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/8 "2009-07-06T15:54:37Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > 1. I was merely enforcing the rule as written. It says you may \*sign \*posts with \*your \*name. You agreed your name is not Shodan. There is not currently an exception to that rule for the Pit. If you would like to discuss creating one, I’m willing to discuss it. In fact, I favor it, but see point 3 below. > > 2. I never said you can’t use Shodan’s name. Perhaps I was unclear in my note, but I only intend to enforce the rule as written. It does not apply to areas of the post other than the final sign-off. As long as you do not violate other rules (stalking, harassment, etc.) I don’t care what you do with the rest of your post. > > 3. One of the problems with permitting posters to sign their posts with others’ names is that it tends to confuse other posters. I’ve had your posts reported by people asking if you are Shodan’s sock, or generally asking why you are signing another poster’s name to your posts. That shouldn’t necessarily determine what the rule is, but it is something to consider. > > 4. You didn’t just do it twice. Those are examples. You’d done it in several recent threads. No matter, though. As I said, I’m willing to consider an exception to the rule in the Pit. > > 5. Regarding **Fenris** ’s post. I don’t think I’ve said anything inconsistent with **Giraffe** ’s quoted ruling and I don’t really have a problem with that being the rule in the Pit. > > **Gfactor** > Moderator So I interpret there is no problem at all with my using “regards Shodan” anywhere except at the end of the post. But even at the end of the post, in a thread poking fun at idiotic signatures, it is not “my signature” but an integral part of my post with obvious meaning. I hope that will be clear to you and you will rescind your post to me in that thread. Frankly, anyone who thinks my posts criticizing Shodan’s use of signatures might have been made by Shodan is a retard with no reading comprehension and needs to go back to school and learn to read for comprehension. I hope the board is not going to be run on the basis that the meaning of posts has to be clear to seven year olds. But, if this is the case, I suppose it would be solved by adding some small print saying something like Regards Shodan "With the above two words I am merely expressing my regards for Shodan and in no way imply that this post is in any way connected to or has been approved by Shodan. " ---
**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 6, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/9 "2009-07-06T15:55:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [This is it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=116263) That link doesn’t work. It says that I don’t have the permissions to view it. I think it must have been hidden from view unless one has Moderator status. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/10 "2009-07-06T15:58:12Z")
This rule is really the only thing keeping people from addressing me as FailGoat. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/11 "2009-07-06T16:12:07Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > But even at the end of the post, in a thread poking fun at idiotic signatures, it is not “my signature” but an integral part of my post with obvious meaning. I hope that will be clear to you and you will rescind your post to me in that thread. This is actually a good point. I rescind my instruction in that post. Moreover, I’m going to work on rescinding limitations on non-profile signatures in general in the Pit. **Gfactor** Moderator ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/12 "2009-07-06T16:19:02Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > That link doesn’t work. It says that I don’t have the permissions to view it. I think it must have been hidden from view unless one has Moderator status. Yeah, I get that too. Are some archived threads available only to the mods? If so, is there any particular reason for it? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/13 "2009-07-06T16:21:35Z")
On **Lib** , the rule (and IMO a good one) is against mocking him (and presumably anyone else) by using a previous board name in an insulting way. Some months ago, I had occasion to reference a very old discussion in which **Lib** and I had participated, and, as an aside, said something like “ **Liberal** (at that time using the name **Libertarian** …” to introduce something related to his position on an issue. There was no intent to mock – I consider him a very dear friend – and the moderators didn’t see any issue with it. There have been other people who have requested a name change for one reason or another, often because their chosen name has become one of mockery. (While I have serious issues with the woman, inactive member **Lynn73** had this problem with her former name **His4Ever** and requested the change, something I completely understood). I would presume the mocking of **Shodan** ’s signature outside the Pit – and, given the new Pit standards, probably sometime even in the Pit – would be subject to the same rules. And while I differ with **Shodan** on many issues, I can see the sense of it there. (I get personally offended by an intentional “Polycrap” for reasons I think obvious; the Golden Rule seems applicable here too.) ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/14 "2009-07-06T16:28:08Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Yeah, I get that too. Are some archived threads available only to the mods? If so, is there any particular reason for it? Nah, it’s not an archived thread; it was moved out of sight way back in 2002 due to what appears to be the threat of a lawsuit by one of the participants. Without going back to research _exactly_ what happened, I think [Scylla](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6663952&postcount=17)’s post as linked by **Fenris** gives a good summary. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/15 "2009-07-06T16:34:17Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Yeah, I get that too. Are some archived threads available only to the mods? If so, is there any particular reason for it? Well the mystery guy (mods: it’s driving me nuts…can you say what the guy’s screen name was?) threatened to sue Scylla, the SDMB and God Himself for besmirching his oh-so delicate rep so very, very terribly. It may have been hidden because of the threat. Keep in mind, Scylla wrote something like > [@NOT POSTED BY MYSTERY-POSTER](#): > > Blah-blah-blah, blah-blah, blah blah blah Jews, blah-blah, blah blah blah, Jews, blah-blah, blah blah So there was no possible way it could have been misconstrued. (I’m remembering this from however many years ago too though. ) :: shakes fist at Skip :: Curse your fast-typing ways! ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/16 "2009-07-06T16:38:32Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > regards > > Shitdan I didn’t notice this the first time because, apparently, I glossed over it, but this is a pretty blatant violation of the rules here in ATMB. Your complaint was fine up until you decided to mangle another user’s name and insult them in the process. Please do not do this again. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/17 "2009-07-06T16:55:58Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > I didn’t notice this the first time because, apparently, I glossed over it, but this is a pretty blatant violation of the rules here in ATMB. Your complaint was fine up until you decided to mangle another user’s name and insult them in the process. Please do not do this again. Bullshit rules. That’s what they are. I have been pretty careful to play by the rules and I do not remember ever receiving a warning and you are going to give me a warning over what you interpret as an insult to another user? That is bullshit and anyone with an ounce of common sense knows it. You can take your warning and stuff it. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/18 "2009-07-06T17:06:02Z")
Ah, yes, I see now that when you substitute “shit” for part of another poster’s name, you’re being complimentary and mean no insult at all. Gotcha. Please. That’s just stupid and your warning stands. In regards to your “stuff it” comment: thanks, I’ll keep that in mind; however, if you remain insistent that you’ll continue breaking the rules, you may soon find yourself without posting privileges at all. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/19 "2009-07-06T17:15:34Z")
So you can call my actions stupid but I cannot call your actions stupid? Oh, and you can stuff your threats as well. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076/20 "2009-07-06T17:21:53Z")
We can call each other’s actions stupid. What we don’t want is posters calling each _other_ stupid; otherwise, feel free to label my decisions as “stupid” or “bone-headed” or whatever floats your boat. The same rules concerning personal insults apply here as they do any forum other than the Pit. And, since you continue to advise I “stuff” your warning and stated consequence for further breaking of the rules, your posting privileges will be under discussion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-shodan/502076.md?page=2)