# To become more than a guest **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 6, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462 "2014-12-06T01:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/1 "2014-12-06T01:29:22Z")
I’m not all that smart, so bear with me. Do I become a Member, charter member, etc by purchasing a subscription? Or is the nomenclature dependent on the number of posts I make ? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/2 "2014-12-06T01:34:59Z")
Buy a subscription, you’re a member. Charter Member was a one time deal years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/3 "2014-12-06T02:05:39Z")
Heh heh. He said “member.” ---
**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:** [December 6, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/4 "2014-12-06T02:39:35Z")
Charter Members are those who paid for a membership when the SDMB first changed to a paying membership subscriber model many years ago. As **running coach** said this was a one-time deal, and as long as Charter Members keep renewing their membership they remain Charter Members. A new user cannot become a Charter Member. Members are paying subscribers. To become a Member, click on User CP on the upper left side of the page to go to your User Control Panel, then scroll down and click on Paid Subscriptions on the lower left, and follow the on-screen instructions from there. You have the choice of purchasing a membership and (for a small additional fee) you may even purchase a custom title which will appear under your name. There are some restrictions with your custom title (you can’t choose “Moderator” or “Administrator”, for example). Paying Members do not see advertisements on the message board and also have privileges to create posts in the Marketplace forum. ---
**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:** [December 6, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/5 "2014-12-06T02:58:06Z")
Should we tell him how to become a mod or just let him find himself unpopular on his own? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/6 "2014-12-06T03:11:04Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Should we tell him how to become a mod or just let him find himself unpopular on his own? 🙂 It’s all about finding users with feet that fit their available supply of jackboots. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/7 "2014-12-06T03:53:48Z")
How do i become a Throbbing Member? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-become-more-than-a-guest/706462/8 "2014-12-06T04:13:34Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > How do i become a Throbbing Member? Step#1: Buy membership. Step#2: Hit yourself with a hammer. Your choice on which appendage to strike :). It’s a membership perk!!!