# What would you do if SDMB failed to exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555 "2012-04-12T13:36:37Z")\ **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:** [April 12, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/1 "2012-04-12T13:36:37Z")
The hiccup yesterday, which managed to get resolved rather quickly and painlessly from my point of view, as well as other events in recent months, left me for a few hours with thoughts I’d rather not have to deal with. What if _ **Straight Dope Message Board** _ just vanished without a trace? How would I function as a human being? I suspect the average day for me includes at least two hours browsing and posting here. There’s no other website that gets that much of my time and thought. Where would I go for all that SDMB offers? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/2 "2012-04-12T13:38:09Z")
Go into withdrawal? I recently saw an article mentioning a similar Spanish-language board, but I wasn’t able to copy the name down… ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/3 "2012-04-12T13:44:51Z")
Probably get some more work done. Nava, I’d love to go to Indian message boards, and I keep looking, but they are horribly shallow and annoying. No discussion whatsoever, just “howz my peeps” and shit like that. Grr. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/4 "2012-04-12T13:45:51Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Go into withdrawal? Yes. At least. There have been times in the past when I voluntarily stayed away for an extended period. During those times I was able to find other amusements, some of which were not involved with the internet. But I always had the idea that the SDMB was still there if I wanted to go back to it. With talk of a change of hands in ownership and what that might lead to, I just wonder what my life will be like after SDMB goes away. It’s been a part of my life for almost nine years. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/5 "2012-04-12T14:03:04Z")
BTDT. Since the _second_ place I check every morning is the Giraffe board, I don’t think I’d be lacking ways to avoid work. But I would be sad. I like this place. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/6 "2012-04-12T14:13:03Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Nava, I’d love to go to Indian message boards, and I keep looking, but they are horribly shallow and annoying. No discussion whatsoever, just “howz my peeps” and shit like that. Grr. That’s better spelling than I see at most Spanish-language boards. The article was about how internet has changed language; that board was specifically mentioned as being “on a wide range of subjects” and “requiring proper spelling and grammar, SMS-spellers get straightened real fast or leave”. The description didn’t so much ring a bell as a whole carrillion. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/7 "2012-04-12T14:16:04Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Where would I go for all that SDMB offers? Outside ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/8 "2012-04-12T14:16:37Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > That’s better spelling than I see at most Spanish-language boards. The article was about how internet has changed language; that board was specifically mentioned as being “on a wide range of subjects” and “requiring proper spelling and grammar, SMS-spellers get straightened real fast or leave”. The description didn’t so much ring a bell as a whole carrillion. I wish I had one for Indian message Boards! And that doesn’t even count the Hindu-Muslem fights that invariably break out, which make no sense to me whatsoever, being American. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/9 "2012-04-12T14:27:47Z")
I’d relent and join the Giraffe boards, as I think most people who really cared would. That board would then become SDMB with fewer rules. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/10 "2012-04-12T15:13:07Z")
I’d probably go back to Mellophant, where traffic would hopefully pick up. It does have a great creative section. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/11 "2012-04-12T15:14:04Z")
I would probably cave in and re-open my short-lived Facebook page and allow ONLY SDMB people to be “friends”. ---
**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:** [April 12, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/12 "2012-04-12T15:15:40Z")
If it didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/13 "2012-04-12T15:30:38Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > What if _ **Straight Dope Message Board** _ just vanished without a trace? Notify DHS? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/14 "2012-04-12T15:35:21Z")
I just wouldn’t post to message boards. This is the only one in which I participate. If it goes, I’m done with message boards. I was at Giraffe board for a little while, but I lost interest. Though there were people there who I like very much, **Silenus** and **Cluricaun** come to mind, most of the members were people with whom I don’t interact here. It was like being at a party with people you sort of know, but aren’t really friends with. I was a member of The High Road, which is a gun board, from its earliest days but I quit posting there about a year ago. It is a strictly moderated board and they try to keep politics and religion out of things, but gun boards attract large numbers of righties and fundies. Despite the best efforts of their moderators, it had become too much of a Tea Party site and I left. That, and I got tired of “hearing” the same tired stories from other long term members getting posted for the eleventy-millionth time. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/15 "2012-04-14T15:11:29Z")
I’d probably celebrate. No more reading posts from right wingers who furiously invent scenarios wherein George Zimmerman isn’t a murderer. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/16 "2012-04-14T15:14:53Z")
I post on the Giraffe Board. The main flaw of that board is it has much less traffic than here. But I expect that would change if this board closed. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/17 "2012-04-14T18:28:17Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Outside There’s an “Outside” now? Who knew.. I think we’d end up splintering a bit, and find two or three other ‘homes’. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/18 "2012-04-14T19:42:37Z")
Not answer this question. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/19 "2012-04-14T19:45:10Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > I think we’d … find two or three other ‘homes’. But there _are_ no 2 or 3 other sites that could become home. The only similar place on the entire net is the Giraffe boards, which could become a good home-away-from-home if the traffic there increases to Dope levels. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555/20 "2012-04-14T20:05:15Z")
Not much impact on me nowadays since I don’t visit SDMB much (although I’ve been reading through the Straight Dope archives, does that disappear too?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-if-sdmb-failed-to-exist/618555.md?page=2)