# What happens at 1,000,000? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772 "2003-08-21T21:03:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/1 "2003-08-21T21:03:04Z")
a) system crash b) column expands to show 1,000,000 c) column remains same, count restarts at 1 d) asteroid strikes earth, kills us all e) clock strikes 4:30 PM CDT f) everybody online farts in unison g) your choice ---
**Author:** ![Acrylic\_Vessel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Acrylic\_Vessel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acrylic_Vessel)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/2 "2003-08-21T21:27:42Z")
We tilt the hamster. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/3 "2003-08-21T21:33:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zeldar \* > \*\*a) system crash > \*\* If you’re running windows but I’m being redundant. > [@](#): > > \*\* > b) column expands to show 1,000,000 > \*\* ALTER TABLE tabname MODIFY colname NUMBER(9,0); Oracle only and you’ll have to do it before it becomes a problem. > [@](#): > > \*\* > c) column remains same, count restarts at 1 > \*\* Not in any system I know of. > [@](#): > > \*\* > d) asteroid strikes earth, kills us all > \*\* That would be best really > [@](#): > > \*\* > e) clock strikes 4:30 PM CDT > \*\* Sorry, we don’t have daylight time here. > [@](#): > > \*\* > f) everybody online farts in unison > \*\* Except for those still on daylight time. > [@](#): > > \*\* > g) your choice \*\* You’ll probably get an error when you try to insert or update a value wider than the column allows unless you have an error handler or some kind. What system? ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/4 "2003-08-21T21:33:46Z")
Dagnabbit! Have to remember my logs on from home! That was me, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/5 "2003-08-21T21:33:52Z")
1000001 50079 08-21-2003 04:33 PM by Blonde ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/6 "2003-08-21T21:35:06Z")
Well done, Padeye: ```auto MPSIMS 1000000 50079 08-21-2003 04:33 PM by Padeye Cajun Man, Coldfire, UncleBeer Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share. For general chatter, great thoughts, etc. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/7 "2003-08-21T21:38:13Z")
993555 49827 08-14-2003 04:39 PM by My Darn Snake Legs 993907 49839 08-14-2003 09:11 PM by SkyBum 994356 49854 08-15-2003 05:13 AM by Achernar 994902 49866 08-15-2003 05:10 PM by Baker 995288 49883 08-16-2003 04:55 AM by flodnak 995360 49884 08-16-2003 08:13 AM by ShibbOleth 995572 49898 08-16-2003 04:48 PM by Joe K 996037 49920 08-17-2003 07:36 AM by LolaCocaCola 996140 49923 08-17-2003 09:08 AM by Rabid Child 996620 49942 08-18-2003 05:27 AM by Derleth 997096 49964 08-18-2003 05:25 PM by Boscibo 997756 49989 08-19-2003 09:35 AM by dantheman 998017 49998 08-19-2003 02:42 PM by Phlosphr 998041 49997 08-19-2003 03:05 PM by Monstre 998069 49998 08-19-2003 03:28 PM by Rico 998077 49999 08-19-2003 03:34 PM by Frankd6 998078 50000 08-19-2003 03:35 PM by xxxx 998538 50018 08-20-2003 05:52 AM by shijinn 998660 50024 08-20-2003 08:59 AM by Tygr 998999 50035 08-20-2003 04:23 PM by bdgr 999003 50035 08-20-2003 04:29 PM by Lobsang 999031 50037 08-20-2003 05:15 PM by Sternvogel 999034 50037 08-20-2003 05:22 PM by Ms Macphisto 999516 50057 08-21-2003 09:19 AM by Mama Tiger 999684 50066 08-21-2003 12:27 PM by Cosmopolitan 999821 50074 08-21-2003 02:14 PM by lieu 999836 50074 08-21-2003 02:25 PM by Homer J. Simpson 999849 50075 08-21-2003 02:42 PM by Zeldar 999902 50076 08-21-2003 03:24 PM by whuckfistle 999914 50076 08-21-2003 03:29 PM by ArrrMatey 999935 50078 08-21-2003 03:36 PM by curlybacon 999948 50078 08-21-2003 03:47 PM by neutron star 999962 50078 08-21-2003 03:59 PM by Capt B. Phart 999968 50079 08-21-2003 04:03 PM by Zeldar 999986 50079 08-21-2003 04:27 PM by Acrylic Vessel 999989 50079 08-21-2003 04:29 PM by Zeldar 1000000 50079 08-21-2003 02:33 PM by Padeye 1000001 50079 08-21-2003 04:33 PM by Blonde ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/8 "2003-08-21T21:42:00Z")
I didn’t even understand the question and I still won 😃 Uh, what the hell did I win? The millionth post since the system crash? ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/9 "2003-08-22T15:09:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Padeye \* > \*\*Uh, what the hell did I win? \*\* You should win some free gas! Or is it possible to get some in Phoenix now? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/10 "2003-08-22T16:45:00Z")
What was the content of the post in question? Was it about beans? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/11 "2003-08-22T16:57:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*What was the content of the post in question? Was it about beans? \*\* MPSIMS hit 1,000,000 posts yesterday afternoon. There had been some speculation about how the column holding the post count might behave once the 7-digit number came up. The rest of this thread pertained to that. Oddly enough, **Padeye** ’s reply was the 1,000,000th post. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/12 "2003-08-22T17:04:56Z")
It was by **Padeye** according to the database, but as Gorgon Heap said - it was actually him. 🙂 Unless I misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/13 "2003-08-22T19:47:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*It was by **Padeye** according to the database, but as Gorgon Heap said - it was actually him. 🙂 Unless I misunderstood. \*\* I saw that post by **Gorgon Heap** but no follow up to demonstrate some other verification. What other source is there for post count within a forum? The postid# isn’t thread or forum specific, is it? **Munch** ’s post above seems to solve the problem, unless some other post count is in play. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/14 "2003-08-22T19:58:54Z")
No, it’s not specific to anything. I’m just saying that GH was clarifying who actually made the post. It was under the name of Padeye, but GH wrote it, having forgotten to log himself in. At least that’s how I interpreted it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/15 "2003-08-22T20:12:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*No, it’s not specific to anything. I’m just saying that GH was clarifying who actually made the post. It was under the name of Padeye, but GH wrote it, having forgotten to log himself in. At least that’s how I interpreted it. \*\* That wasn’t clear to me either. Do we know if GH and Padeye are the same person, share a computer, work togther, or anything along those lines? I hadn’t seen Padeye before, but had seen Gorgon Heap. Maybe one or both will eventually saunter by and give us a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/16 "2003-08-22T20:50:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zeldar \* > \*\*(…) GH and Padeye are the same person, share a computer, (…) \*\* With GH being in NY and Padeye in Phoenix, this might be rather tricky. Or am I missing something important? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/17 "2003-08-22T21:01:36Z")
Maybe he/she/they move real fast? (I did spot that apparent inconsistency in the Location area and had some question about the likelihood they were the same, but I just thought I’d ask). The Registered dates and the Posts counts seemed to be clues that there were/are two actual people invloved. But I’m practically a newbie and didn’t want to make too many assumptions. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/18 "2003-08-23T00:41:57Z")
Oh, I doubt they’re the same person, but GH admonished himself for not remembering his logs on from home. Home might be AZ, no? ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/19 "2003-08-23T02:57:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Oh, I doubt they’re the same person, but GH admonished himself for not remembering his logs on from home. Home might be AZ, no? \*\* “Logs on?” What, are you William Saffire? FTR I am a different person than Gorgon Heap. I’m from Arizona, hence the remark about daylight savings time. Several people noted my millionth mark post and I was able to get gas last Tuesday for $1.91 though a station half a mile away was gouging people for $4. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772/20 "2003-08-23T11:47:16Z")
Thanks for clearing this all up, **Padeye**. Now, if we can just figure out the real meaning of **Gorgon Heap** ’s statement, it’ll all be good. I was surprised that after clicking on your link, I got an exact duplicate of the thread I had been reading in another window. This makes me want to try a thread that has nothing in it but a link to itself. I had thought that two threads pointing at each other, with nothing else in them but the links to each other, would be a fun mind game to play. But the more I thought about how to do that, without the ability to edit one’s own posts, the more I began to think of it as an impossible situation. Much like the ability to sort things without going into another dimension. I don’t want that to sound weird, so all I’m saying is that if you want to trade places with two entities, you have to have a place to store one while you move the other where the first had been, and then bring the first from its storage area to where the second had been. In BASIC, if you say A = B and follow it with B = A, you wind up with two copies of B in both variable locations. To make A and B swap places you have to say: C = B then B = A then A = C. Am I just unable to see a possibility or is it really impossible? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-at-1-000-000/196772.md?page=2)