# Where have all you Charter Members been? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235 "2008-09-05T20:40:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/1 "2008-09-05T20:40:58Z")
So in the past few days I have of course seen a huge number of user names I haven’t seen before, which is awesome. The guests, I understand…they didn’t want to pay, so couldn’t post. But am I crazy, or are there a bunch of Charter Members posting in the last few days who I’ve never seen before, as well? And if you’ve been paying to keep up your CM status, where the heck have you been? And what made you decide to come back? Any which way, glad to see you all…this is fun! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/2 "2008-09-05T21:02:40Z")
Where have the Charter Members been? DOWNGRADED!! :mad: **Flander** - Charter Member whose subscription lapsed during the server move and is unable to renew. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/3 "2008-09-05T21:26:08Z")
Huh…I let my subscription lapse in April of this year…and mine still says Charter Member. I’m sure they’ll take that away from me now that I’ve 'fessed up, though. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/4 "2008-09-05T22:04:29Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > Where have the Charter Members been? DOWNGRADED!! :mad: > > **Flander** - Charter Member whose subscription lapsed during the server move and is unable to renew. Have you checked with TubaDiva? This happened to someone else also (IIRC). She may have pity on you and fix it. Good luck! Re: the OP - I’ve noticed this too. My theory: more people = more threads = more things which might pique one’s interest. Therefore, more charter members posting. I hadn’t realized how small the actual everyday-posting-pool had gotten. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/5 "2008-09-05T22:43:25Z")
It’s connected to all the other changes that have gone on. Basically I believe the Charter Member, Member and Guest setting we were using had some customizations that got lost when the upgrades were made. It’ll be dealt with in due course, and once some higher-priority items are taken care of the system will be revised a little, so we’ll have Charter Members, Subscribers and Members. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/6 "2008-09-05T22:57:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s connected to all the other changes that have gone on. Basically I believe the Charter Member, Member and Guest setting we were using had some customizations that got lost when the upgrades were made. It’ll be dealt with in due course, and once some higher-priority items are taken care of the system will be revised a little, so we’ll have Charter Members, Subscribers and Members. I’m confused…I know that some Charter Members have their status showing as Member, but are you saying that some of the Charter Member titles are wrong, too? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/7 "2008-09-05T23:09:19Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I’m confused…I know that some Charter Members have their status showing as Member, but are you saying that some of the Charter Member titles are wrong, too? I’m not keeping track personally or anything, but I think so. It looks like there are some people who haven’t subscribed in a couple of years who are still Charter Members. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/8 "2008-09-05T23:21:14Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m not keeping track personally or anything, but I think so. It looks like there are some people who haven’t subscribed in a couple of years who are still Charter Members. Ah, I gotcha now. Either which way, it’s great to see so many people come back! ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/9 "2008-09-05T23:33:58Z")
Related question for the returnees- How did you know to come back? Have you been steadily lurking? or were you notified by friends of the free posting? It does look odd to see Charter Members with no post counts. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/10 "2008-09-06T00:23:04Z")
I’ve been out back on the porch. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/11 "2008-09-06T01:50:04Z")
Maybe it has to do with how recently you last had paid status? I dunno, but my paid sub expired this April and I’m still a CM, while my husband stopped paying a couple years ago, and he’s a Guest. I think a lot of folks have been lurking while unable to post; I was reading the boards a couple times a week, so I saw the threads when a lot of people discovered they could post again. ---
**Author:** ![arjee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@arjee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arjee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/12 "2008-09-06T02:05:16Z")
Could be that we’re just posting to make sure that “Charter Member” title still shows up, as promised! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/13 "2008-09-06T02:05:54Z")
Work, school, relationship/marriage, LJ, looking for work (six months), moving, settling in, work, Daily Kos, work. My brother and the SDMB LJ community told me to expect this to be here in April. When April came and went, I figured it’d be quite a bit later than August, so that’s a pleasant surprise. (Note to MAD dopers: Don’t expect me at a MAD fest any time soon:)) ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/14 "2008-09-06T02:25:29Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > Related question for the returnees- How did you know to come back? Have you been steadily lurking? or were you notified by friends of the free posting? > > It does look odd to see Charter Members with no post counts. I skim daily. Sometimes a half-dozen times or more. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/15 "2008-09-06T02:34:13Z")
I’ve paid faithfully, but I have lost my Charter. I understand it’s on the list to be fixed. No big - I know I’m a Charter Member. That’s all that matters. But I want it back. Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/16 "2008-09-06T03:16:37Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > I’ve been out back on the porch. Isn’t it time for you to get cleaned off and stored for the winter? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/17 "2008-09-06T14:43:15Z")
I’m not really concerned with losing CM status. If there was something that noted me as a 99er, that would be fun but nothing to lose sleep over. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/18 "2008-09-06T15:14:36Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > I’m not really concerned with losing CM status. If there was something that noted me as a 99er, that would be fun but nothing to lose sleep over. Well, there is the little spot that says: “Join Date: Jul 1999” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/19 "2008-09-06T15:16:43Z")
> [@arjee](#): > > Could be that we’re just posting to make sure that “Charter Member” title still shows up, as promised! > > 😉 Well, wadda ya know, still not Charter. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235/20 "2008-09-06T16:32:58Z")
> [@wheelie](#): > > Well, wadda ya know, still not Charter. 😕 It’ll be back sometime after **Jerry** finishes fixing the board performance stuff. For mysterious reasons, some Charter Members show up as Charter, some don’t… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-all-you-charter-members-been/462235.md?page=2)