# Seven's Suspension **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 30, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738 "2009-07-30T01:50:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/181 "2009-07-31T17:25:52Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Sure. I could read every post seven made in the last months and analyze it trying to see what parts made them worthy of banning him. Or I could ask you, the mods. The ones that are supposed to know exactly why they are punishing him and save a lot of time. I mean, you didn’t ban him out of an impression, did you? OK, here’s the link. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495) The point we are making about the recently totality of his posts is to add weight to a opinion that the suspension will do no good, he’ll just keep doing the same. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/182 "2009-07-31T17:39:19Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I’ve opined before, I’ll say it again: moderators have no business engaging in snarky responses. You may opine all you like, but I think you should engage in more consideration of the content of your posts and less consideration of the content of mine. My response was pretty reserved. If you got the impression that your suggestion that my opinions do not count and I should stop posting was not appreciated, that demonstrates your reading comprehension skills are functional. I expressed that in a pretty polite fashion considering how impolite the suggestion was. If you are that interested in opining on such matters, that might be cause for reflection. Emily Post, heal thyself, as it were. > [@](#): > > A simple, “I’ll take that under consideration” will do, if any response is needed at all. I will take that under consideration, sir. As far as banning vs. suspending goes, for most of us, this appears to have been a procedural question: we generally suspend people for breaking the rules before we ban them. And for that reason, **Seven** ’s ban was reduced to a month’s suspension. It was not a dispute about how bad **Seven** ’s behavior was or was not. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/183 "2009-07-31T17:44:53Z")
For the record, or whatever it is, I had said earlier that **Seven** had received two mod warnings recently, and it’s actually three as far as I know. [I missed this one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10976022#post10976022) [I posted this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11109877&postcount=43) [and this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11310780&postcount=63). ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/184 "2009-07-31T17:45:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > OK, here’s the link. > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495) > > The point we are making about the recently totality of his posts is to add weight to a opinion that the suspension will do no good, he’ll just keep doing the same. Excellent! Two solid subjects we can actually discuss about. Two warnings, one for insulting liberal in a pit thread just after the rules of the pit were changed disallowing that, and another for making fun of Shodan by signing off with libertarian’s name, another, I think, new rule. Pretty silly reasons for a ban, and do denote a certain lack of humor among the mods, but whatever. Would those two warnings be cause enough to warrant the banning of a poster, according to the mods? ---
**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 31, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/185 "2009-07-31T17:48:56Z")
Especially given the 9 warnings (including like 5 “last and final” warnings and the admin note) that Reeder got. Or the similar amount of warnings December got. And their posts were disruptive. Seven confined his “complaining” and/or “insulting” to a very, VERY small number of threads. Reeder was starting multiple threads a day and December was in about half of GD threads spewing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/186 "2009-07-31T18:21:50Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Two warnings Three. > [@](#): > > one for insulting liberal in a pit thread just after the rules of the pit were changed disallowing that This is an unusual use of “just.” I believe the Pit rules were changed in late February and the sticky about banned words is from March 2. The warning is from early May. And if you read the post **Seven** obviously knows the rule he is discussing. > [@](#): > > another for making fun of Shodan by signing off with libertarian’s name, another, I think, new rule. A pretty recent one that resulted from much discussion on the boards, yes. And one that’s quoted in the post that drew the warning. > [@](#): > > Would those two warnings be cause enough to warrant the banning of a poster, according to the mods? We felt that the time that those warnings, plus the other issues, warranted a banning but changed it to a one-month suspension after discussing it further. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/187 "2009-07-31T18:22:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The point we are making about the recently totality of his posts is to add weight to an opinion that the suspension will do no good, he’ll just keep doing the same. So…not necessarily an informed or factual opinion is necessary, just one that serves the intended purpose? Excellent! The beatings will continue until morale improves! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/188 "2009-07-31T18:33:24Z")
> [@Syntropy](#): > > So…not necessarily an informed or factual opinion is necessary, just one that serves the intended purpose? Excellent! The beatings will continue until morale improves! Careful, now! You’re getting snarky with a mod… ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/189 "2009-07-31T18:33:42Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Well, I’m sorry, but I still say that if you are going to ban somebody, you should be obliged to post tangible evidence of their misbehaviour… That literally leaves you _carte blanche_ to happily ban anybody. No and Yes. One of the top rules here is “remember you are our guest here” (which also applies to paying members). If they don’t want you here, they can kick you out for no reason whatsoever. No evidence needed as this is not a due process thing and they do have full _carte blanche_ to ban at will. > [@Marley23](#): > > I’m sorry that an honest assessment of the situation bothers you, but yes, some people here do complain pretty much because they enjoy it. I’m not characterizing all complaints that way, but that’s how it goes. Although that might be true, this is not a good time to bring that up. This is an issue that brought a lot of people from all walks of sdmb life together. Even if just by association, you are pretty much accusing the whole board of recreational complaining (the new term _du jour_). > [@Giraffe](#): > > … > > 1. New posters who complain too much get banned. It’s easy – you’re either a sock, a troll, or not a good match for the site. > > 2. Otherwise, treat posters at face value. Answer their questions, let them complain if they want, but as long as they stay within the rules, let them be. Yes. But. If a long time poster reinvents himself and comes back with a new persona, is he a new poster or an old one? Bonus points for the case of a poster whose reinvention happens after a hiatus on posting. (Please, this without it meaning that this is what I think happened with Seven). People change and have phases. According to other posters here, I am now in my third phase of sdmb posting. > [@](#): > > 1. Your feelings as mods should not be the guiding force on getting rid of people. The guiding force should be disruption to the board. If someone is making it hard for regular posters to enjoy the boards, e.g. by hijacking threads or dominating every discussion, take action. If you’re just sick of them riding your ass every time you explain your actions poorly in ATMB, tough titty. > > What attracted me to this board in the first place was the fact that nitwits like **Reeder** and **december** were given such a fair shake. It’s the plurality of opinion and attitude combined with fair, impartial moderation that makes for an interesting board. I agree with all this, but I am getting the nagging feeling that some of the higher PTB do not agree with this anymore. That a manageable mass of more uniform thinking is what is now desirable. I think I once referred to this as the “club vs crossroads” dilemma. This started as a crossroads, then was forced into club mode with pay-to-post and some of TPTB got used to the peace of that mode over the variety of the crossroads model. Now that we are back to free-to-post, they are trying to fight the crossroads model from returning. > [@Marley23](#): > > I will take that under consideration, sir. 😃 > [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Excellent! Two solid subjects we can actually discuss about. Marley, see what I mean by not giving them hooks to latch on? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/190 "2009-07-31T18:41:28Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Careful, now! You’re getting snarky with a mod… Since when is **DrDeth** a mod? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/191 "2009-07-31T18:51:44Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > Yes. But. If a long time poster reinvents himself and comes back with a new persona, is he a new poster or an old one? Bonus points for the case of a poster whose reinvention happens after a hiatus on posting. (Please, this without it meaning that this is what I think happened with Seven). People change and have phases. According to other posters here, I am now in my third phase of sdmb posting. I think that once someone has demonstrated a sincere interest in participating here (in contrast with a new trollish guest), you don’t worry about their opinions or attitudes so long as they’re within the rules. You’re a perfect example, incidentally. You came very, very close to being banned after only a couple of warnings, and I think a large part of that was due to the combination of posting under your name at the Snarkpit and being critical of the staff in several Pit/ATMB threads. Are you an irredeemable troll? Or did you just have a snarky phase which you’ve since worked through? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/192 "2009-07-31T18:57:56Z")
> [@Sapo](#): > > According to other posters here, I am now in my third phase of sdmb posting. I hope you’ve come up with scientific-sounding names for the phases. Please tell me that you have. 😉 ---
**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 31, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/193 "2009-07-31T19:09:00Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > I think that once someone has demonstrated a sincere interest in participating here (in contrast with a new trollish guest), you don’t worry about their opinions or attitudes so long as they’re within the rules. > > You’re a perfect example, incidentally. You came very, very close to being banned after only a couple of warnings, and I think a large part of that was due to the combination of posting under your name at the Snarkpit and being critical of the staff in several Pit/ATMB threads. Are you an irredeemable troll? Or did you just have a snarky phase which you’ve since worked through? Sound of Music moment: When you walk Through a phase Keep your keep snark up high And don’t be afraid if you troll ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/194 "2009-07-31T19:16:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I’ve opined before, I’ll say it again: moderators have no business engaging in snarky responses. I trust you won’t view this question as snarky, but have you read many of Cecil’s books or columns? This is the **Straight Dope** message board. It’s based on columns written by a man whose popularity lies largely on his snark. Granted, I don’t think that every moderator comment on the board should be insulting, snarky, or sarcastic, but the board is supposed to fight ignorance in a _fun_ way. And, as a side note, humor can often diffuse a situation where a robotic response couldn’t. Saying “You are being insulting in a forum where it is not allowed. This is an official moderator warning” isn’t going to get laughed off. Saying, “Hey, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning? Can you dial it back a notch?” just might. The art of moderation lies in figuring out when to use which response. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/195 "2009-07-31T19:20:44Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > I hope you’ve come up with scientific-sounding names for the phases. Please tell me that you have. 😉 Although by education I am a scientist, the reality is that at heart I am an artist. Thus: Rose Blue Airy ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/196 "2009-07-31T19:23:09Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > I think that once someone has demonstrated a sincere interest in participating here (in contrast with a new trollish guest), you don’t worry about their opinions or attitudes so long as they’re within the rules. > > You’re a perfect example, incidentally. You came very, very close to being banned after only a couple of warnings, and I think a large part of that was due to the combination of posting under your name at the Snarkpit and being critical of the staff in several Pit/ATMB threads. Are you an irredeemable troll? Or did you just have a snarky phase which you’ve since worked through? I don’t think I have worked it through. I have just re-evaluated the effectiveness of my different strategies and changed the mix of how I use them. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/197 "2009-07-31T19:31:01Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Sound of Music moment: > > When you walk > Through a phase > Keep your keep snark up high > And don’t be afraid if you troll _Carousel_, actually. I’m gay. I know these things. 😃 ---
**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 31, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/198 "2009-07-31T19:42:07Z")
I’m straight but love musicals. I should too. :smack: (I love R&H and think Allegro is better than the original cast recording would lead one to believe. So there. 😉 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/199 "2009-07-31T19:44:15Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Unsurprisingly when he moved ahead with the PM, it exacerbated things. The issue was not (does it matter if I say this?) that he posted a private message. That falls a bit flat, since you listed it as one of the reasons [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738/200 "2009-07-31T19:47:09Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > That falls a bit flat, since you listed it as one of the reasons [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11387495). That’s odd, I see a link to his signature and not a mention of “quoting a private message” as one of the issues there. I linked to his signature. I have said, repeatedly and in multiple threads, that the “offense” wasn’t quoting a private message. The issue was what he said, not where it came from. In fact there’s an entire thread devoted solely to that subject. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sevens-suspension/504738.md?page=11)