# The "Look and Feel" of this place

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [August 25, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658 "2012-08-25T23:28:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/61 "2012-08-27T00:19:56Z")

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Most boards I go to look like this. Even mine and I paid for my “fancy” skins. My only argument is with the ban on avatar use here (unless we hack around it).

The site linked as an example in the OP doesn’t fit on my screen. That is the sole reason I would not ever go there. I do not like to scroll left-right. Otherwise it looks fine to me.

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/62 "2012-08-27T01:00:57Z")

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> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Lighten up. :rolleyes:

Did he graduate from “lighten the fuck up”? 😃

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/63 "2012-08-27T01:13:05Z")

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> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Did he graduate from “lighten the fuck up”? 😃

Economy of language. The casual reader is free speculate as to any implications of non-literal subtext. It is certainly possible that I wish dear Tom love and peace and happiness in a life filled with lollipops and unicorns for the rest of his days.

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/64 "2012-08-27T02:11:44Z")

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Colibri – Mod Lite.

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**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/65 "2012-08-27T02:41:46Z")

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> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> ETA: I understand there is a problem with VBulletin boards rendering to iPhones. But more bells and whistles presumably wouldn’t help.

I suspect a lot of the hardcore smartphone users on here have caved in and gotten Tapatalk. I did. One of the advantages, incidentally, is that I can set the theme to whatever I damn well please, and thus spruce up my forum experience without offending the [del]curmudgeons stuck in the TELNET BBS days[/del] longtime dopers. 😉

I’m almost at the point where I enjoy browsing the forums on there more than my computer, despite having to type with my thumbs.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/66 "2012-08-27T04:38:39Z")

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> [@Colibri](#):
>
> You think tom’s post was harsh?
> 
> Lighten up.🙂

No. No. He was just paying me back for having the temerity to mention he ought to lighten up when he objected to a phrase in another thread.

It’s all good. (Particularly since I can still look at Dex’s polite post and constrast it to his response to this OP and then review his offended response to Dex. Humor abounds.)

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/67 "2012-08-27T05:11:09Z")

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Hey OP, looking for another empire to lose? 😛

Get off my web lawn!

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/68 "2012-08-27T05:20:52Z")

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> [@tomndebb](#):
>
> No. No. He was just paying me back for having the temerity to mention he ought to lighten up when he objected to a phrase in another thread.
> 
> It’s all good. (Particularly since I can still look at Dex’s polite post and constrast it to his response to this OP and then review his offended response to Dex. Humor abounds.)

Or, you know, you could show a little professionalism and become a better mod.

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**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/69 "2012-08-27T05:49:59Z")

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> [@Lazlo Hapsburg](#):
>
> 1. It was never my intention to rearrange any furniture or to offend anyone.

Don’t worry, **Oakminster’s** post looks like it’s due to some sort of an emotional reaction that most people didn’t and wouldn’t have to your OP.

I don’t think anyone here can explain it, it was just kind of a bizarre post, so don’t let it bother you.

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/70 "2012-08-27T05:58:35Z")

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> [@RaftPeople](#):
>
> Don’t worry, **Oakminster’s** post looks like it’s due to some sort of an emotional reaction that most people didn’t and wouldn’t have to your OP.
> 
> I don’t think anyone here can explain it, it was just kind of a bizarre post, so don’t let it bother you.

It was a simple analogy misconstrued by an overzealous mod. If I wanted to be hostile, I’m capable of making that intent crystal clear.

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**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/71 "2012-08-27T06:01:47Z")

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> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> It was a simple analogy misconstrued by an overzealous mod.

Yes, it was simple…it was also ridiculous.

The OP didn’t change our software, didn’t change anything…did you think they had changed something? Maybe your screen suddenly looked different?

And I correctly interpreted your post as ridiculous the minute I read it - has nothing to do with mods.

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/72 "2012-08-27T06:06:58Z")

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Whatever, dude. There was no hostile intent there, and no reasonable person would read any into it.

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**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/73 "2012-08-27T06:09:46Z")

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> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Whatever, dude. There was no hostile intent there, and no reasonable person would read any into it.

I didn’t say it was hostile. I said it was ridiculous.

A person made a suggestion…happens all the time all over the world and most reasonable people look at the merits of the suggestion..

Your response ignored the merit of the idea (pro or con) and instead implied that the OP had no right to make any suggestion at all.

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**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/74 "2012-08-27T06:20:26Z")

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> [@RaftPeople](#):
>
> I didn’t say it was hostile. I said it was ridiculous.
> 
> A person made a suggestion…happens all the time all over the world and most reasonable people look at the merits of the suggestion..
> 
> Your response ignored the merit of the idea (pro or con) and instead implied that the OP had no right to make any suggestion at all.

No, my response indicated a belief that the idea lacked merit, just as the idea of a random person rearranging the furniture in a stranger’s home would lack merit. There was no intent to squelch the OP’s right to offer his ideas. I think this particular idea is a bad one, and said as much. His next idea may be brilliant. If it is, I’ll support it. If it isn’t, I may comment accordingly.

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**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:** [August 27, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/75 "2012-08-27T12:04:49Z")

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> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> No, my response indicated a belief that the idea lacked merit, just as the idea of a random person rearranging the furniture in a stranger’s home would lack merit.

AS POSTER, NOT AS MODERATOR: Thanks, **Oakminster** , for your explanation. I’m glad to understand your perspective on this: namely, that extreme, irrelevant, hyperbole analogies are “being nice” and that pointing out that an analogy is inappropriate is being “snotty.” I’ll try to remember that, I’m always glad to learn.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/76 "2012-08-27T12:18:12Z")

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> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Or, you know, you could show a little professionalism and become a better mod.

We all get the mods we deserve.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/77 "2012-08-27T12:31:11Z")

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> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#):
>
> AS POSTER, NOT AS MODERATOR: Thanks, **Oakminster** , for your explanation. I’m glad to understand your perspective on this: namely, that extreme, irrelevant, hyperbole analogies are “being nice” and that pointing out that an analogy is inappropriate is being “snotty.” I’ll try to remember that, I’m always glad to learn.

Bullshit. It was not extreme, irrelevant, or hyperbolic. And just because you think it was inappropriate does not make it so. Cite me to a board rule that was broken in that post.

Your reaction, on the other hand, was entirely uncalled for, obnoxious, and provocative. You could have disagreed without getting personal, but you chose to get nasty with me, accusing me of being “snotty” when a fair reading of my post shows no such intent. You’re the one that cranked the hostility up to 11, and I replied in kind…without violating any rules.

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/78 "2012-08-27T12:37:13Z")

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It looked pretty snotty to me. And what’s the relevance of citing the rules when no mod action was taken?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/79 "2012-08-27T12:40:43Z")

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> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> And what’s the relevance of citing the rules when no mod action was taken?

What’s the justification for a mod attacking a poster when no rule was broken?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-look-and-feel-of-this-place/632658/80 "2012-08-27T12:45:18Z")

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Anyone is free to criticize a post. When is justification ever required?

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