In this post, **Dancer_Flight ** says he was driven to the boards by a particular Pit thread he links to. That got me thinking: did everyone get prompted by one thing? Or was it a sort of gradual thing? So Dopers, what caused you to ante up and join?
Me? Well, I hang out in MPSIMS a lot, and even IMHO - but what brought me here is Cafe Society, and the stunning realization (how did I miss this?) that **different ** people see the **same ** books in totally **different ** ways. I post about almost every book I read that affects me enough. And if even five people answer me, I feel both vindicated and satisfied. If even one does! Occasionally my book threads have even gone to two pages. And I always come away with a new perspective on at least some part of the book. Many times the opinions have caused me to re-read a section, or even the whole book!
I was involved in a sort of discussion group with some friends. We once got entangled in a discussion of the “No two snowflakes are alike” question, and when I googled it, I happened upon the Dope Archives. I read and read the classics first, then lurked on the boards for awhile. I probably enjoy Cafe Society the best as well, but what caused me to fork over the dough was the amazing amount of information you can get here for free and it only takes the blink of an eye.
I joined because I had been driven out of another large, active forum under very painful circumstances, and I missed the camaraderie. However, in my first two and a half years of being an SDMB member, I was only able to work up the courage to make two posts.
I got fed up with another message board, in which I had been heavily involved for several years. It was over-moderated, self-indulgent, and anti-intellectual. It was fun while I was 19-20-21 and was absolutely sure that I could change the world with words. Well, the world didn’t change… so I “grew up” and came here. Mostly, the size of this place intimidates me–if a thread has more than 30 entries, I think, “why bother to throw in my opinion… nobody cares, least of all me.” It is useful for asking questions, though.
I honestly don’t remember. I found the Straight Dope website, found the boards from that, joined for no real reason. Though it was quite refreshing to find a board with gasp intelligent conversation. Why, that should be outlawed! It’s definitely nice to be able to see people having deep conversations on life, the universe and toaster ovens, even if I don’t take part most of the time.
I’m more of a lurker than a poster though, or at least I feel that way–most of the time my posts seem to go unnoticed by the rest of the world anyways. Not that I mind. (Yes, I do realise that someone will post something like ‘Did you hear something?’ in response to this)
There was an incident with another message board that I was a member of, and IIRC, things went both ways. People from that board coming here and from this one going there.
I was impressed with the way the people from here debated, rather than just stating their opinion as part of the debate. I lurked, and eventually joined. Then finally I abandoned that board completely.
I’d read all the books, seen the TV show, had read the AOL board whenever I visited my sister, but not having AOL myself, never joined.
When the site moved to this address, I spent a few months reading the archives online, and enjoying the new articles. I’d never really posted to message boards, but had started posting on the A&E boards for some reason rigth around the same time. Once I got a feel for message board activities (and had finished reading the archives), I signed right up and started reading and posting.
I was talking to a friend from another board on MSN one night and complaining about how the board she and I were members of was dead so she suggested I take a look around here. I registered immediately but didn’t really post much for the first couple months and then stuck mostly to Star Trek threads for a year after that – it actually wasn’t until sometime around late 2003 or early 2004 that I became a truly active poster.
I wish I still talked to the woman that brought me here so I could thank her; my life’s completely different thanks to her.
I lurked for a few months before joining. It seemed like every week I would have the perfect answer or comeback to a thread and I just couldn’t post because I wasn’t a member. I did my free trial and found a lack of those perfect threads during my one free month, I didn’t wow the board with my posting skills. After my month had expired I was considering a membership when the board went through one of it’s periodic episodes of drama. I was impressed by the way the mods handled the situation so I figured it was worth the money to join this playground. It’s been fun so far.
Well, I remember a friend telling me about the Straight Dope column a few years ago, but I really don’t remember how I stumbled across the site (and then the message board) last July. I know that I was thrilled to find this place, though, because I’d been missing being part of a board and I liked how this place was set up and what I saw/read. I became a paid member well before my 30 days were up, and haven’t regretted it yet.
(I know, I know: it’s only been eight months, give it time! ;))
My fiancee, TVGeek , got me interested in Cecil’s column. Then one day, he had me read Threadspotting. I don’t think he had ever read the boards if they weren’t on Threadspotting. That one link got me hooked. After reading for a few months, I joined. After lurking for a few weeks, I finally posted. After a few more months, I realized that no one was going to be a jerk to me if I wasn’t as witty as some of the other posters so I started posting more. I’m totally hooked now. I’ve also managed to get my fiancee interested enough make a screen name and my mom is also now a member.
I stumbled across the straightdope while hunting for the answer to some question. Can’t recall what it was.
Only had limited contact to the MB via threadspotting (which I must protest! is false advertising because I assumed that all threads were equally witty and funny)
Then, I finally found the board. And now all my free time was sucked into this big black hole which is the SDMB.
I found the link to The Dope in a thread about other forums that folks visited on a hobby board. I was dissapointed in the prevalent jingoism and outright bigotry displayed toward Muslims, especially Arabs, on some other boards that I frequented. And I wanted to vent about the whole foolishness of the Iraq invasion. The Dope has its problems, and I disagree about the left leaning / urban positions of most folks here, but it is nice that outright bigotry isn’t very much tolerated.
I had never heard of The Straight Dope or message boards before the day I Googled “colitas” and was given the link to Cecil’s column on it. I read the archives, and clicked on the messge board. One of the first things I read was Auntie Em’s thread on The Missing Co-Worker. I lurked for awhile, then joined when it was free, and stayed when it went pay.
I remember visiting straightdope.com every once in a while and being somewhat irritated that the forums (and perhaps the archived columns? I don’t remember) were an AOL-only thing. I wanted to join then, figuring that people who’d be interested in Cecil’s columns would be the type of folks I’d like to talk to. Unfortunately, since AOL was slower and more expensive than my ISP (and something of a mark of shame to computer nerds), I never switched over.
In September 1999, I dropped by and was happy to find that the SD was severing ties with AOL and that there was now a happily thriving message board here. I signed up and started posting right away. (I changed my handle in Feb. '00, which is why that shows as my join date.)
I found a bookmark to the columns on Opera when I downloaded it. I read the archives, and eventually found Threadspotting. From there it was lurking for a long time. There were lots of threads I found myself wishing I could post in. Somebody posted something that made me cry in a thread about marriage rights (I think it might have been Miller but I’m not sure anymore), and I knew I had to sign up. I didn’t actually sign up until a good while later though, I think I was nervous. I’m still pretty shy about posting, but I’m definately going to pay to be a member here.
After having read the columns in the local weekly, I decided I really wanted to ask why it is that time seems to speed up as you age. As I recall, no definitive answer was reached.
Long(er) answer, I’m a total intellectual snob, and the people on this board are phenomenally well-read. You can toss a reference that nobody within 300 miles of you in real life will get out into the ether, and in fifteen minutes have three replies snarking and variating on a theme. I’m a sucker for academic improv.
Also, the modding does an excellent job of keeping debates…what’s the word I’m looking for? Not gracious, although that happens more often here than anywhere else I’ve found. Certainly not even-tempered. Er, something like “level.” The cite requirement itself is a thing of wonder and beauty. It really makes a difference in the kind and quality of debate that goes on. If you can’t put your money where your mouth is, don’t let the door hit you on your way out.
On top of that, this is the first message board I’ve found where people both give and accept apologies gracefully without it turning into a major “NYAH NYAH YOU FAIL” business. “You’re right, I was wrong! My mistake, I’m sorry.” “Oh, that’s all right, we all make mistakes.” And then the posters go on without thinking any less of each other. That’s wonderful.
Basically, it’s the atmosphere of intellectual politeness and graciousness here.
