# When does one lose his/her newbie status? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844 "2002-10-18T16:09:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/1 "2002-10-18T16:09:15Z")
I am just a little curious. I have a few hundred posts to my name but am not real sure if I still fall into the newbie status. I see a couple of posters with over 5000 posts and two or three with over 10,000 posts. Will I, and the other posters with a low post count, always be relegated as newbies? ---
**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:** [October 18, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/2 "2002-10-18T16:13:09Z")
\$20 American. In a brown paper envelope. To **Cecil**. After midnight, by the old brown house. Come alone. We’ll send you the secret password in the mail. \ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/3 "2002-10-18T16:19:06Z")
This has already been discussed a number of times. You might want to do a search. And IMHO, if you are concerned about whether you are a newbie or not, you’re a newbie. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/4 "2002-10-18T16:38:37Z")
I’d do a search but everytime I try to search the board freezes up for me. I did let one search complete itself but it took a little over 2 hours. Never again will I try searching here. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/5 "2002-10-18T16:51:22Z")
Oh, don’t mind **Greenie**. She’s always grumpy.😉 FWIW, I recognize your handle (which I quite like, by the way), and I’ve seen you around enough to be relatively familiar. So I’d say you’re more or less a “regular”. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/6 "2002-10-18T18:47:25Z")
When you find out, please let me know. I figure I’m a “perpetual newbie.” ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/7 "2002-10-18T22:51:33Z")
I’ve not seen your name before \*\* Exgineer \*\* - but I’ve been at work for the last 5 weeks (no, seriously) and not lurking so much - perhaps that’s all it is: Familiarity. **Dorkusmalorkusmafia’s** handle came up in a conversation last week (Therefore: I dope too much.) so for me he’s no longer a newbie. Doesn’t mean I’m not though… ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/8 "2002-10-19T00:17:34Z")
If you’re gonna get all scientific about it, I’d say that you would have to factor in the “Registered:” date and not just the post count. In fact, as far as “newbie status” goes, I’d say that the registration date should have more weight than post count. No. I’m not biased! ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Magic8ball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Miss\_Magic8ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Magic8ball)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/9 "2002-10-19T00:20:25Z")
I figure when poeple stop yelling at you, you’re not a newbie. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/10 "2002-10-19T00:33:14Z")
Until you have sacrificed a small farm animal at the altar of Baal in honor of Cecil and His Mighty Hamster Army, you will still be considered a newbie. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/11 "2002-10-19T00:34:54Z")
In the words of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers " If you have to ask, you’ll never know…" 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/12 "2002-10-19T00:48:39Z")
**Exgiineer** , you’re not a newbie - because I said so! Same for you, **dorkusmalorkusmafia**. And we all know the power of _my_ opinion and assertions! [sub]just humor me, ok??[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/13 "2002-10-19T00:51:50Z")
You stop being a newbie when you no longer feel that other users are out to get you personally _and_ you no longer feel compelled to go out to get _them_, personally. Compulsive flame-war participants are newbies by definition. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/14 "2002-10-19T01:20:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > **Oh, don’t mind Greenie. She’s always grumpy.😉** Well, there ya go. When you’ve been around long enough that others make apologies for your rude behavior, then you’re no longer a newbie. 😃 ---
**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:** [October 19, 2002, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/15 "2002-10-19T01:45:33Z")
You are no longer a newbie when more and more people respond directly to things you say in a thread. Also, if you start a new thread and people stay things like, **dorkus** , I’ve noticed in other threads that you …" then you’re not a newbie. Also, what **Bryan** said. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/16 "2002-10-19T02:01:00Z")
Hello, my name is Tupug…and…I’m a Newbie. (wipes brow and wrings hands) I’ve been a Newbie for as long as I can remember. In fact, I was born a Newbie. I’ve tried to delude myself that I can overcome being a Newbie but the truth is…I am not in control. Thanks for listening. I feel so much better now. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/17 "2002-10-19T02:09:09Z")
On my Board, I have received some comments from new Members which are along the lines of “I don’t know if I should post in thread X, since I’m new”, or “I don’t know if I should start a thread since I’m so new…” Bah. Don’t worry! Oddly, I think an off-the-cuff answer here earlier is quite accurate - that is, if you are concerned about your newness and post count, or duration on the Board, then you are still a newbie. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/18 "2002-10-19T13:26:28Z")
Besides, you could also argue that you’re no longer a newbie when you begin to recognize the posting patterns of other people - this means you’ve been on here long enougn and often enough to see different people’s personalities emerge. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/19 "2002-10-19T14:28:21Z")
dorkusmalorkusmafia, try [this](http://www.boardreader.com/) site for your search. Not only does it ease the pain of the hamsters, it is way faster. Make sure to put Straight dope in to this the chaff from the wheat (I’ve always want to say that!) ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844/20 "2002-10-19T15:02:02Z")
When one has more posts than **Cecil**. Currently, he’s at 101. Of course, that doesn’t take into account the differing value of different Dopers’ posts. Cecil’s posts have a value that equals the average value of a non-Cecil post raised to the googolplexth power. Glad I could clear that up for you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-one-lose-his-her-newbie-status/132844.md?page=2)