# Thread closure: what's up with this? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 28, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896 "2008-10-28T03:48:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/1 "2008-10-28T03:48:35Z")
> **[Dopers! Check out my band's music!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489815)** > > So, we’ve been working on this for a while now. Here’s the result of several months of recording and mixing. This is still closer to being a demo than it is an EP or something. It still has flaws, but overall, I’m pretty happy with it. The band’s... The above thread was an appeal to Dopers to listen to and critique all-original music by me and my band. **SkipMagic** ’s reason for closing was: > [@](#): > > Ogre, we ask that you request permission from a mod before starting threads like these. Whether you’re promoting a book, movie, or even your local neighborhood production of The Cat in the Hat, we want you to ask first so that the SDMB doesn’t turn into a college-town streetlamp where anything and everything is promoted. Please be sure to ask permission in the future. I went through the CS rules again, and found no mention of requiring permission to post links to original art. In fact, the rules refer to different scenarios involving “original art” threads. To wit: > [@](#): > > Special Case: If a member posts their own poem, for instance, or a link to a song they wrote, then the rule about “Not Insulting Posters” takes precedence over the permission to insult the writer. OK, so: 1. We’ve had loads of threads involving original art over the years. I’ve posted them, **OpalCat** has posted them, as well as many, many other posters, about art ranging from music to painting to poetry. 2. I don’t recall ever having to ask permission before, and it ain’t in the rules. 3. Why should the mods care, even if there are a ton of threads linking to original art (“we want you to ask first so that the SDMB doesn’t turn into a college-town streetlamp where anything and everything is promoted.”)? It’s Cafe Society. It’s “Our salon for art, drama, literature, movies, music, comics, cuisine – all the artistic disciplines – if it’s about creativity, entertainment, or leisure, it goes here.” If there’s no interest, it will go away. It’s pretty much that simple. 4. I’m not promoting my band for commercial purposes. I think it’s good music, and I want Dopers to hear it. 5. Given that my inquiries via PM have thus far gone unanswered (yeah, yeah, real life, etc.), I thought I’d ask here: What the hell? I’m not exactly infuriated about it, but I must confess to being annoyed. Why does it seem that this board gets more restrictive and anal-retentive as time goes on? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/2 "2008-10-28T04:07:51Z")
I am not a mod, but I think they were referring to this rule: [This message board is intended as a medium for public discussion. Do not post spam, including but not limited to advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, solicitations, offers to trade or barter, charitable appeals, or other messages primarily intended to promote a cause, venture, organization, event (except Straight Dope-related events), website, or other entity or activity, whether or not money is involved. We allow exceptions for worthy causes (in our sole opinion) if you obtain prior permission from a moderator or administrator.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=423183) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/3 "2008-10-28T04:13:36Z")
It’s not a new rule, **Ogre**. Maybe it should be made clearer, but I know we get requests about this stuff so we’ve gotten the word out to some people, I guess. We encourage people to promote all their creative ventures, we just ask that they clear it with us first so we can weed out the occasional idea that crosses over into spam territory. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/4 "2008-10-28T04:27:38Z")
Ah, I understand. Yeah, it could probably stand to be clarified in the rules a bit. It never even occurred to me that it might be considered spam. So, can we reopen it? ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/5 "2008-10-28T04:35:24Z")
I hope it gets reopened. I wish I could give more of a critique, but I’m about to hit the sack - I enjoyed what I listened to though. ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/6 "2008-10-28T05:02:10Z")
I don’t see how Ogre’s thread can be interpreted as anything close to spam. He wasn’t promoting an album or even a concert. His OP wasn’t an “empty” OP, with just a link–he discussed his band’s style, technique, and influences, and invited feedback. How is this any different from the threads inviting visual artists to discuss and view one another’s work? Here’s one from a month ago, that went on for four pages: [Artists show your work!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=484856) And there have been many additional threads consisting of a single artist posting links to his or her artwork, and inviting comments. I don’t recall anyone suggesting that those threads were spam, even though the artist might conceivably get someone interested enough in his or her work to sell a painting or two. Since those threads were clearly focused on discussions of creativity and technique, and not directly about the commercial promotion of the artworks, it would have been ridiculous for anyone to say they were spam. I honestly can’t see what’s different about Ogre’s thread, except that it’s music instead of visual art. It seems that SkipMagic and Marley23 are saying the thread was closed mainly because Ogre didn’t ask permission first for posting a thread that, in the moderators’ opinion, came too close to spam. While I can understand this rule in principle, it doesn’t apply to Ogre’s thread–just reading the OP makes it clear that it is in the same category as threads of other artists’ sharing their works and inviting discussion. I’d humbly ask the moderators to reconsider this one. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/7 "2008-10-28T05:12:06Z")
I agree that this post was miles away from Spam. For starters, it was an incredibly detailed OP, and although the music doesn’t seem like it will be up my alley, I’d be more than happy for creative Dopers to be able to put their art up here, give it a context, and have fellow Dopers comment on it. Sort of like what might happen in a real Cafe. It’s not like we have fifty members a day creating new music, and dominating the board. (Although, now I think about it, that would be GREAT). Of course, we don’t want our own artists here swamping all those essential _ **What did you think of last week’s Simpsons episode’** _ threads :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/8 "2008-10-28T06:08:34Z")
These are the sorts of mod decisions i absolutely hate. There is no way in hell that thread is spam, and if it’s not spam then what’s wrong with leaving it open, and just making a post along the lines of, “Please check with us if you’re going to open a thread like this in future”? Also, why can’t there be some common sense regarding the poster himself? If he was some newbie whose first post was about his band, i can see him getting smacked down for spamming. But **Ogre** has been a member here for 8 years, and he’s got over 6,000 posts. If his membership was just a cunning plan to spam the boards with his band’s music, it certainly took a while to come to fruition. I guess in future we should also have no [Critique my photos](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355504) threads either. > [@Gotterfunken](#): > > How is this any different from the threads inviting visual artists to discuss and view one another’s work? Here’s one from a month ago, that went on for four pages: [Artists show your work!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=484856) Exactly. Maybe **Ogre** should start a thread called **Musicians, let us hear your work** , and start off by posting some of his own music. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/9 "2008-10-28T15:59:27Z")
I don’t see any need to slam the mods - I appreciate what they do - but agree that, now that everything’s been clarified, can the thread be re-opened? Fan of Ogre’s Music ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/10 "2008-10-28T16:06:38Z")
OK, mods. What’s up? Can someone please reopen my thread, since there seems to be a certain amount of interest, and I’ve made it clear that I’m not spamming the boards? (P.S.: Thanks, **mhendo** , **Junior Spaceman** , **Götterfunken** , **WordMan** , and **Dissonance**.) ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/11 "2008-10-28T16:53:49Z")
OK. I’ve emailed and PM’ed all three CS mods with the following: > [@](#): > > Re: thread closure: > > Can we reopen it, please? It’s not spam. > > Link to thread: [Dopers! Check out my band's music! - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489815) > > Link to thread about thread: [Thread closure: what's up with this? - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489923) No response as yet. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/12 "2008-10-28T18:43:06Z")
We know you weren’t spamming the boards, and we never claimed you were. Regardless, we do want you to ask permission before you start threads promoting a group, cause or event, even if it’s something as innocuous as a charity. While this rule _is_ effective in weeding out spam, we also want to make sure the fora aren’t overrun by numerous threads all asking for attention for some pet cause or another. That said, we do like supporting our artist members, and rarely ever turn down a request. (None that I can think of, but I thought I’d throw in a “rarely” in case some enterprising Sherlock discovered a time when we didn’t allow an artist’s request.) So, please keep that in mind if you start a similar thread in the future. And, yes, I’ll re-open the thread. I would have answered your PMs and e-mails earlier, but I haven’t been near my computer much these past few days. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/13 "2008-10-28T18:45:02Z")
Awesome. Thanks. Being a Negative Nellie, my first instinct is usually to shout and rail, but I think I’ve been fairly restrained this time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/14 "2008-10-28T20:21:13Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > While this rule _is_ effective in weeding out spam… No, it isn’t. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-closure-whats-up-with-this/469896/15 "2008-10-28T21:24:06Z")
I said ‘weeding out’ not ‘keeping out’. Someone shows up, ignores the rule against spamming, and we remove the thread. So, yeah, it is effective.