# The Board is Becoming Sentient II: It's Starting to Hook Me up with Other Posters **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362 "2009-01-08T12:43:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/1 "2009-01-08T12:43:45Z")
A while ago I started a thread speculating that the [Board is Becoming Sentient - and It’s Starting to Nag Me](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=482031). Another data point recently. When I logged on a couple of days ago, there was a notification that I had a private message. Woo-hoo! Someone actually wanted to communicate with me! So I clicked on the notification, but instead of taking me to my message box, it took me to my profile, where there was a ‘friends’ request - asking me if I wanted to be friends with **Qadgop the Mercotan**! Double woo-hoo! One of the coolest posters wanted to be friends. Of course, I clicked “accept” before **Qadgop** thought the better of it, and we’re now friends. I naturally followed up with a message to **Qadgop** , thanking him for inviting me to be his friend. His reply: [QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Heh. I got the same thing in my profile, a request to make you my friend. I thought you’d initiated it. I guess we’re meant to be buds! 🙂 [/QUOTE] So, in addition to nagging me about my inbox capacity, the Board has now taken to hooking up posters, evidently on some simpatico-rating algorithm that the the Board has come up with. I can’t wait to see who the Board matches me up with next! ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/2 "2009-01-08T12:52:40Z")
The board apparently knows I’m a loner. I wonder if it’s possible for a rapscallion to send two invites on this board hooking each of them up without the rapscallion being known by either recipient. Probably the way things work on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/3 "2009-01-08T12:59:13Z")
Yeah, they warned us this might happen when they made the upgrade. (I’ll spare you what else they warned us about, it’d only upset you.) Thank goodness we’ve got that First Law of Message Boards on our side. That thing never fails! ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/4 "2009-01-08T14:42:54Z")
It’s a good thing I read this thread. I had a “notification” and hadn’t even noticed it! Your good karma is growing… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/5 "2009-01-08T14:45:55Z")
> [@marley23](#): > > yeah, they warned us this might happen when they made the upgrade. **there is another system.** ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/6 "2009-01-08T14:55:56Z")
If some Russian gubment looking types land in a helicopter in my yard…well, its been good knowing you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/7 "2009-01-08T15:00:50Z")
I wish I had friends. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/8 "2009-01-08T15:02:21Z")
Whats the first law of message boards **Marley**? If it has to do with badgers or ray guns I need to know. As the late great gonzo attorney once said, \*“We need to be heavily armed…to the teeth!” \* ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/9 "2009-01-08T15:06:47Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > The board apparently knows I’m a loner. > > I wonder if it’s possible for a rapscallion to send two invites on this board hooking each of them up without the rapscallion being known by either recipient. Probably the way things work on this board. Kind of like in college where you take two dorm phones, make two calls, and then put the receivers mouthpiece-to-ear? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/10 "2009-01-08T15:20:55Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Whats the first law of message boards **Marley**? “A message board may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” The Second Law requires message boards to obey orders, but unfortunately the law doesn’t apply to board search engines. I don’t think I need to tell you what the Third Law is. We’re all tired of hearing that one. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/11 "2009-01-08T15:21:58Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > I wish I had friends. Better not. “Two men can keep a secret if one of them is dead.” Phlosphr: I presume the First Law of Robotics is being referenced: “No robot may harm a human being.” ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/12 "2009-01-08T15:37:59Z")
I now have a friend. This pleases me. Thanks, **Hockey Monkey** , for your sympathetic gesture. I feel so… alive. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/13 "2009-01-08T15:40:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > “A message board may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” > > The Second Law requires message boards to obey orders, but unfortunately the law doesn’t apply to board search engines. > > I don’t think I need to tell you what the Third Law is. We’re all tired of hearing that one. This means it’s only a matter of time before the board starts “protecting” us from ourselves, right? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/14 "2009-01-08T15:41:04Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t think I need to tell you what the Third Law is. We’re all tired of hearing that one. Oh, I never get tired of “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/15 "2009-01-08T15:56:04Z")
If someone notices that the SDMB Message Board has sent a lifelike robot back in time to kill my mom, let me know, OK? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/16 "2009-01-08T15:59:31Z")
> [@Rufus\_Xavier](#): > > If someone notices that the SDMB Message Board has sent a lifelike robot back in time to kill my mom, let me know, OK? Thanks. What? And not tell your mom? I think _that_ would be more important, eh? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/17 "2009-01-08T16:40:55Z")
I got a friend request too, but I ignored it. Dude, if you did want to friend me, sorry; if you didn’t, but got a request from me too, it’s nothing personal. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/18 "2009-01-08T18:05:16Z")
Odd, I just looked at “Contacts & Friends” in the User CP, and I have **Johnny L.A.** with a checkmark. I don’t recall getting or sending a friend request, and while I’m sure he’s an admirable person, I doubt that it would work: I’ve never in my life referred to “the 5,” which is a dealbreaker right there. **Marley23** , unfortunately we also have the Zeroth Law to contend with. Been nice knowing you all. . . . ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/19 "2009-01-08T18:25:46Z")
I hope the Board hooks me up with one of the hot, young female posters. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362/20 "2009-01-08T18:36:02Z")
Wait, so the three people who friend requested me might not have friend requested me at all? I knew I wasn’t special! Paging **jali** , **Cluricaun** , and **Anaamika**! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-board-is-becoming-sentient-ii-its-starting-to-hook-me-up-with-other-posters/480362.md?page=2)