# What is a "Charter Member"? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 5, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353 "2008-07-05T04:42:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/1 "2008-07-05T04:42:32Z")
I see a lot of posters referd to as “Charter Members”. Are these actually members who have been actively participating since the beginning of the board… or what? FML ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/2 "2008-07-05T04:46:15Z")
They’re people who were members already and subscribed when the board went to pay-to-post. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/3 "2008-07-05T04:47:28Z")
[QUOTE=susan] They’re people who were members already and subscribed when the board went to pay-to-post. [/QUOTE] Almost. Anyone who paid up within some limited time of the board going PTP were given the title, extant member or not. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/4 "2008-07-05T05:44:20Z")
We’re better than you and we have sweeter-tasting kisses. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/5 "2008-07-05T06:44:42Z")
They are gods among men. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/6 "2008-07-05T15:26:06Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] They are gods among men. [/QUOTE] And goddesses among women. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/7 "2008-07-05T15:27:28Z")
We have our own handshake and coffee mugs. We also have our own, limited edition autographed laptop computers signed by the Perfect Master himself. Tripler And my DVD drive opens up and serves as my coffee cup holder as well. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/8 "2008-07-05T17:17:18Z")
Well, yes, but I wasn’t going to reveal all of that to **FML**. At least not before a thousand posts. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/9 "2008-07-05T17:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] They are gods among men. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=twickster] And goddesses among women. [/QUOTE] And so modest, too. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/10 "2008-07-05T18:11:20Z")
[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus] I see a lot of posters referd to as “Charter Members”. Are these actually members who have been actively participating since the beginning of the board.. or what? FML [/QUOTE] Actually quite a few of us have been actively participating since _before_ the beginning of the board. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/11 "2008-07-05T18:12:32Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] We have our own handshake and coffee mugs. We also have our own, limited edition autographed laptop computers signed by the Perfect Master himself. [/QUOTE] You got a coffee mug? Damn! Besides the handshake and the limited edition autographed laptop computer, all I got was an autographed photo of The Perfect Master. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/12 "2008-07-05T19:14:52Z")
Can I be among women, instead? Or goddesses? I like the idea of being the only male surrounded by a bunch of babes. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/13 "2008-07-05T23:57:46Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] They are gods among men. [/QUOTE] And it’s about time you realized that. Now, where are my peeled grapes? ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/14 "2008-07-06T00:11:24Z")
Thank you all I, for one, welcome our Charter Member Masters… Thanks for the info FML ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/15 "2008-07-06T00:30:42Z")
Shhh. Don’t mention the SECRET board “they” can’t see. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/16 "2008-07-06T11:08:25Z")
We can see the fnords. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/17 "2008-07-06T12:17:59Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] We have our own handshake and coffee mugs. We also have our own, limited edition autographed laptop computers signed by the Perfect Master himself. [/quote] And the goats and squid are at our disposal and do our bidding. Who could ask for anything more? > [@Full Metal Lotus](#): > > Thank you all > > I, for one, welcome our Charter Member Masters… > > Thanks for the info > > FML Wait! Don’t go away, we’re not done – there’s more! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/18 "2008-07-06T12:25:29Z")
> [@](#): > > What is a “Charter Member”? He/She is a godlike being, loved & adored by all, my child. Exceeded only by a 99er. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/19 "2008-07-06T13:46:37Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] And goddesses among women. [/QUOTE] And, to be fair, some of the are goddesses among men, too. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353/20 "2008-07-06T15:07:18Z")
:rolleyes: At least the first two responses were useful. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-charter-member/455353.md?page=2)