# Sorry, I have to ask a dumb question. What's a friend request? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 16, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277 "2017-03-16T00:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/1 "2017-03-16T00:58:26Z")
I mean I know what it is. I’m a curmudgeon, not a misanthrope. But what does it do, practically. I have been here a long, long time. I would have wanted to be friends with Eve, for example. But I just kind of hang out here and occasionally, _very occasionally,_ post something that I don’t think sounds too stupid. But I see, and I’m not sure how long it’s been there, that there is a friend request from a poster that I am aware of. I click the link and it appears that I accept all friend requests. But, unlike LinkedIn, for example, there is no procedure to complete the transaction. So are we friends yet? What does it all mean? One friend request in all these years. Maybe I am a misanthrope. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/2 "2017-03-16T01:55:10Z")
Friends are a feature of vBulletin that SDMB doesn’t really use. You can friend or not anybody you want. Nothing much changes when you do or don’t. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/3 "2017-03-16T02:02:44Z")
There’s no one listed on your friends list so I’m pretty sure you didn’t do it right. I don’t exactly have a huge friends list myself (I guess I’m not very friendly 😛 ), but I think you have to check the box next to their name when you accept or it thinks you aren’t accepting anyone. Something like that. It’s been a long time since I accepted a friend. If you accept, then their name shows up on your friends list. If you go under your user control panel (User CP on the upper left area of the page), there are some privacy options available. You could, for example, only allow people on your friends list to see your e-mail address or certain other parts of your profile. Other than that, eh, not much. We don’t really use friends lists around here for much. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/4 "2017-03-16T03:37:00Z")
Moderator **Idle Thoughts** gives the reasons for her/his friend requests in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=807373](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=807373) It may shed some light on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/5 "2017-03-16T04:52:07Z")
To answer your question: Procedure: you have to check the box next to the username/avatar you want to accept, then click the accept button Impact: very little 🙂 I’ll send you one and you can test it out. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/6 "2017-03-16T05:22:59Z")
Okay, I got it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to loan you money or anything. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/7 "2017-03-16T05:25:49Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > Okay, I got it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to loan you money or anything. Dammit. Well that was a waste of time, then. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/8 "2017-03-17T05:40:51Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > Okay, I got it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to loan you money or anything. If you do, just mail it to: BEHIND THE HOT WATER PIPES THIRD WASHROOM ALONG VICTORIA STATION 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/9 "2017-03-17T11:59:09Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > Okay, I got it. Doesn’t mean I’m going to loan you money or anything. Request sent. If/when I’m in the area, I expect my friends to put me up for a night or two. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/10 "2017-03-17T23:45:32Z")
I received a friend request after interacting with a poster in a thread.ì accepted and though we haven’t communicated since, I get a warm feeling when I see his posts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/11 "2017-03-18T00:31:16Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > I received a friend request after interacting with a poster in a thread.ì accepted and though we haven’t communicated since, I get a warm feeling when I see his posts. 🙂 I’m feeling warmer already. From zero to five friends in only a couple of days. Nice.🆒 ---
**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:** [March 18, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/12 "2017-03-18T03:29:06Z")
It’s just a precaution. It doesn’t mean we’re engaged or anything. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/13 "2017-03-18T13:28:30Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > I received a friend request after interacting with a poster in a thread.ì accepted and though we haven’t communicated since, I get a warm feeling when I see his posts. 🙂 _hugs_ ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-i-have-to-ask-a-dumb-question-whats-a-friend-request/782277/14 "2017-03-18T20:55:37Z")
Ok, I guess that means I’m going to have to put up with you, sorry put you up for a night or two:D