I was digging through the archives when I came across Starving Artist’s [THREAD=863221]ban[/THREAD], dated October 1, 2018. Starving Artist’s profile says his last activity was on August 6, 2019.
Obviously you can’t post anymore after being banned. But apparently you can still log in. Can you send messages? Vote in polls? Change your profile picture or signature? Make friend requests? View other people’s profiles (and contact information)?
What exactly happens when you are banned?
~Max
Starving Artist moved to a farm upstate, where he has lots of sunshine, open spaces, and fluffy bunnies to chase.
I heard they get fed to the hamsters.
You know, I didn’t read Animal Farm until last year. Always thought it would be part of some school course, but it never was. I ended up reading it when my sister checked it out for her Lit class.
~Max
As far as I know you can’t log in, and you can’t participate beyond reading what others write.
What? Nothing for the poor squids?
But getting to the actual OP – I believe The Banned, like everyone else, can read but SA’s membership was not renewed AFAICT and can no longer post. My bet is the activity monitor is based on the IP and not logging in since our regulars who are guests often don’t log in – just use certain browser options and things.
Most often on old vbulletin boards, the banned member gets a You’ve been banned screen when they log in. When they sign out or clear their cookies, they may or may not be able to read some or all of the board’s forums, depending on what the admin allows non-members to read.
Being banned by IP works similarly, except it usually has a If this is an error… note with the admin’s email address.
When someone is banned or suspended, they can’t really log in. When they “log in” all they get is a screen saying that they are banned or suspended, along with the reason and the date that the ban/suspension will be lifted. If they are permanently banned, the date that it will be lifted is “never”.
You can’t completely log in, so if I recall correctly, you can’t sign out. You can however clear your cookies, and then you can read the board.
You cannot send messages. You cannot vote in polls. You cannot change anything on your profile. You cannot make friend requests. You cannot view profiles.
If you log in and see the “banned” message, then that counts as a login as far as the “last activity” date is concerned.
If you are IP banned, then you will not be able to read the board, even after clearing your cookies.
Has anyone ever been banned by being nuked from orbit?
I’ve heard it’s the only way to be sure.
With some we’ve sure tried.
I’d WAG, that you can technically still log in, but once logged in, the ‘you’ve been banned’ screen is the only one they can see. Since they’re actually logged in, the date of their most recent activity would be that day.
If that’s the case, the dot next to their name would probably also turn green.
Yeah, nuking from orbit can have unintended consequences. Like the time Marley23, on his first day as an Administrator, managed to ban the entire board.
For forty minutes. [POST=21980413]According to the administrator[/POST] that’s how long a session stays active.
~Max
Yeah. Good times. 
“Nuked from orbit”? What does that mean? 
It’s a reference from the movie Aliens. It’s become kind of a meme (all over the internet, not just here).
Original Aliens reference:
As e_c_g says, it’s from Aliens. It refers to a menace so toxic and dangerous you want to take the most extreme measures to destroy it without risking getting close to it. Like some trolls.
No, they’re wished into the cornfield.
It’s a good thing [del]Anthony[/del] the mods did.
Given that Starving Artist was not given a suspension before before being banned, I believe the ban should be lifted.
They don’t need to suspend anybody. You can be arbitrarily and capriciously banned.
https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=864546