# What is a charter member and how do I become one. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 5, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430 "2011-06-05T20:30:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/21 "2011-06-06T04:38:00Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Has it really been that long? I thought we switched to a pay model in 2003 or so? I think you’re correct. I was a member for some time before subscriptions began and I was 2 years late to the party. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/22 "2011-06-06T06:29:38Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > We are the elite. Trust me, you do not want to take even the first step down this path. The Charter Members undergo rigorous testing and training - few survive, even fewer pass. > > I \*still \*have scars that would frighten children. (OK, only that last sentence is true.) I never frightened children until I started on the path to becoming a Charter Member. Now that I am one, they run away screaming when I appear in public. I won’t mention the other things that happen… ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/23 "2011-06-06T10:52:54Z")
The first rule of charter membership is you don’t talk about charter membership. The second rule of charter membership is YOU DON’T TALK ABOUT CHARTER MEMBERSHIP! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/24 "2011-06-06T11:02:31Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > The offer isn’t open to anyone anymore, and CM’s only get to retain their title as long as they continue to subscribe continuously. Over the years a few have let their membership lapse and lost the title, even though they later paid up. Well, last summer we were able to regain the lapsed status/discounted rate if we paid the full rate in advance for two years, though. When I renew next year it’ll be at the discounted rate again. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/25 "2011-06-06T11:22:18Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > The first rule of charter membership is … > > The second rule of charter membership is … And the third rule is that you don’t talk about the rules. And the fourth rule is that you don’t talk about the rule about talking about the rules. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to kill you all now, then kill myself with my last bullet. That’s the fifth rule. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/26 "2011-06-06T12:14:35Z")
… have I really not had anything better to so over the past 12 years? I’m working on pure inertia here. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/27 "2011-06-06T13:43:54Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Has it really been that long? I thought we switched to a pay model in 2003 or so? I think it’s sloppy wording. We have members who have been here over 10 years. Some of them have paid at one time or another. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/28 "2011-06-06T17:10:20Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > A few years ago when the Board was experiencing financial distress, it went to a paid membership model. The first group of people to sign up and pay received the title Charter Member. > > The offer isn’t open to anyone anymore, and CM’s only get to retain their title as long as they continue to subscribe continuously. Over the years a few have let their membership lapse and lost the title, even though they later paid up. That’s me. I used to be a Charter Member, then let it lapse once it wasn’t necessary to pay to post anymore. Now I’m a member again for other reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/29 "2011-06-06T21:09:34Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I never frightened children until I started on the path to becoming a Charter Member. Now that I am one, they run away screaming when I appear in public. Well, put some clothes on when you go out! Just because you have a Charter Member doesn’t mean you have to show it off. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/30 "2011-06-06T23:20:02Z")
That was a slip-up on my part; my earliest memory of the board is lurking and reading it during and after the 9/11 attacks and I misremembered it as pay-to-post already back then. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/31 "2011-06-07T20:32:18Z")
The “Charter Member” tag is a sop for those who didn’t make the '99er cut. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/32 "2011-06-07T20:37:24Z")
Stoopid '99ers. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/33 "2011-06-07T21:47:15Z")
> [@chiefwhitesr](#): > > Why would I want to become a charter member? Because you can’t! 😃 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/34 "2011-06-08T03:51:05Z")
[QUOTE=Pleonast] The “Charter Member” tag is a sop for those who didn’t make the '99er cut. [/QUOTE] We still need a title for the people who helped carry the SDMB server up the stairs when we moved into this place. Oh wait, that would be “gullible sucker.” Servers were HEAVY back then. 😃 I’m a Charter Member, '99er and a Week One-er. ---
**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:** [June 8, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/35 "2011-06-08T04:13:40Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > We still need a title for the people who helped carry the SDMB server up the stairs when we moved into this place. > > Oh wait, that would be “gullible sucker.” Servers were HEAVY back then. 😃 > > I’m a Charter Member, '99er and a **Week One-er**. And if you had waited just a few minutes, _you_ would have been the Answer to Life, The Universe and Everything. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/36 "2011-06-08T13:18:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Stoopid '99ers. :mad: Now, now dear, jealousy doesn’t become you. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/37 "2011-06-08T13:52:12Z")
[QUOTE=runner pat] And if you had waited just a few minutes, _you_ would have been the Answer to Life, The Universe and Everything. [/QUOTE] Yes, and that bugs the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/38 "2011-06-08T17:44:41Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > For a long time, this board required paid membership to post, due to financial hardship. The first adopters were offered a fixed, lower rate by way of recognition and can retain their distinction by way of keeping their membership paid-up continuously. It’s quite distinctive of this board that you’ll find people who have been members - and have _paid_ to be members - for over a decade. > … Not strictly true - paid memberships haven’t been around for 10 years. I know I originally joined in 2003ish, and the pay-to-post was a couple years after that. As a side question: anyone know how many of us CMs are left? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/39 "2011-06-08T18:24:40Z")
I believe we went pay-to-post in March 2004. I’m currently paid up through May 2013, so I don’t have to worry about when to re-up next. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430/40 "2011-06-08T19:10:08Z")
Personally, I wouldn’t trust a Charter Member further than I could throw him. They all have those shifty eyes. > [@Pleonast](#): > > The “Charter Member” tag is a sop for those who didn’t make the '99er cut. I kinda wish I has joined in 99, when I was reading The Dope on the web, but I was an elitist who thought that Message Boards were a cheap substitute for Usenet. > [@mnemosyne](#): > > Has it really been that long? I thought we switched to a pay model in 2003 or so? It was some time after 2003, I joined in [checks post] December 2003, and I thought I had free posting abilities for about a year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member-and-how-do-i-become-one/584430.md?page=3)