# Why does it say "guest" under my username? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 12, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515 "2009-06-12T02:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/21 "2009-06-13T15:33:20Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > This isn’t true across the piece. > > I see a subscription expiry date when I take the _CP \> Paid Subscription_ route. It displays if you are currently a subscribing Member, apparently it goes away when the subscription expires. Not sure if this is true for expired Member subscriptions – could someone who was a Member and is now a Guest inform me, please? – but since Member subscriptions can be renewed even when expired I would not be surprised if the expired subscription stayed visible. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/22 "2009-06-13T17:17:24Z")
OK, I’ve just read your post #17 concerning **lieu** and the SDSAB appellation. This might explain why he can’t see a subscription expiry date but, apropos of this, why doesn’t that title appear under his username? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/23 "2009-06-13T19:44:13Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > It displays if you are currently a subscribing Member, apparently it goes away when the subscription expires. Not sure if this is true for expired Member subscriptions – could someone who was a Member and is now a Guest inform me, please? – but since Member subscriptions can be renewed even when expired I would not be surprised if the expired subscription stayed visible. I was a regular Member; not Charter. I can see no expiration information under User CP\>Paid Subscriptions. All there is is the information to re-subscribe. The expiry information was definitely there when I was a member. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/24 "2009-06-14T01:47:47Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > OK, I’ve just read your post #17 concerning **lieu** and the SDSAB appellation. > > This might explain why he can’t see a subscription expiry date but, apropos of this, why doesn’t that title appear under his username? I suspect when his subscription expired the script that the system runs changed that for him. I need to change it back, thanks for reminding me. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/25 "2009-06-14T01:48:46Z")
Actually I need to talk to lieu, I don’t remember him being SDSAB before . . . glitch in the system all the way around. (No reflection on him one way or the other, just system wackyness here.) ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/26 "2009-06-14T01:54:14Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > I was a regular Member; not Charter. I can see no expiration information under User CP\>Paid Subscriptions. All there is is the information to re-subscribe. The expiry information was definitely there when I was a member. Thank you for confirming that for me. So when a subscription expires it simply vanishes off the list and you don’t see anything on it anymore unless you resubscribe. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/27 "2009-06-14T12:41:30Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Actually I need to talk to lieu, I don’t remember him being SDSAB before . . . glitch in the system all the way around. (No reflection on him one way or the other, just system wackyness here.) I come to praise lieu, not to bury him. He should have been appointed SDSAB all of six years ago. Between 2001 and 2003 he demonstrated such expertise in his chosen sphere that people would puff out their cheeks and simultaneously clench their buttocks in admiration of it. If you don’t believe me I have 8 cites available as backup. Of course, this opinion depends on my interpretation of SDSAB as “Straight Dope Scatology Advisory Board”, so if that is not the case then please ignore this post. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/28 "2009-06-14T21:58:44Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > 1. click on “User CP” up in the top left corner of the page. > > 2. The list on the left hand side of you control panel has a link “paid subscriptions” just click on that, you will see your current expiry date. No, it doesn’t. I see no such link. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/29 "2009-06-14T22:09:11Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, it doesn’t. I see no such link. **fachverwiirt** ’s reply just above explains it better, confirming that there IS no expiry info in the user CP, but there IS info as to how to subscribe evidently. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/30 "2009-06-14T23:10:37Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, it doesn’t. I see no such link. When you click on “UserCP” in the blue band at the top of most every SDMB page you should see a new page with the following list on the left hand side: Your profile Edit Your Details Edit Profile Picture Networking Contacts & Friends Settings & Options Edit Signature Edit Email & Password Edit Options Edit Ignore List Private Messages List Messages Send New Message Track Messages Edit Folders Subscribed Threads List Subscriptions Edit Folders Miscellaneous Event Reminders **Paid Subscriptions** Attachments Deleted Items Threads Posts Moderated Items Threads Posts Please tell me if your list differs from the one above and how so. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/31 "2009-06-15T13:28:12Z")
Okay, while we’re on this subject. It’s my understanding that all Charter Member subscriptions were set to expire on 5/27. I renewed a bit before that and now mine is set to expire on 5/22/2010. Not that the five days is a huge deal, but why didn’t it resubscribe for a full year? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/32 "2009-06-15T14:00:39Z")
Charter Member expiration dates varied depending on the exact date that the subscription was started. The bulk of the Charter Member subscriptions had an expiration date between May 20 and May 30. Resubscriptions are based on the expiration date and run for 365 days, one full year. As we said before, you do not lose any days of that subscription time if you resubscribe early; a year is simply added to the original expiration date. You do not gain any extra days by letting it go until the last minute. This is true for all subscriptions. Once again: You do not lose any time from a current subscription by resubscribing before the expiration date. Another year is simply added to the original expiration date, whatever that date may be. If a former Member (now styled a Guest) resubscribes a new subscription is entered, with the start date being that day and the end date being one year later. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/33 "2009-06-15T19:42:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Why does it say “guest” under my username? [Airplane] That’s where the title goes, under the username, not above it or to the side, but that’s not important now [/Airplane] ---
**Author:** ![Bean\_Counter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Bean\_Counter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bean_Counter)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/34 "2009-06-16T03:53:19Z")
I re-newed my membership (and in time as well) but the CP is showing that to renew it’s the $14.95 which makes me think that it did not take… On edit: no, no it didn’t. Ummm… help? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/35 "2009-06-16T13:50:13Z")
> [@Bean\_Counter](#): > > I re-newed my membership (and in time as well) but the CP is showing that to renew it’s the $14.95 which makes me think that it did not take… > > On edit: no, no it didn’t. Ummm… help? By any chance did you use the PayPal e-check? When you take that option PayPal takes 3-5 business days to process the transaction. Often what has happened is that by the time PayPal processed the transaction the subscription had expired and thus was rejected by the system for insufficient funds, as it were. I’ll ask Jerry to look into this. For those of you that use this option when resubscribing you need to do so like a week or two BEFORE your subscription expires to keep this from happening. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/36 "2009-06-16T20:40:13Z")
As you see, Jerry found the problem and fixed it. Sorry for your inconvenience, Bean Counter. ---
**Author:** ![Bean\_Counter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/db5fbb/32.png) [@Bean\_Counter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bean_Counter)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/37 "2009-06-17T01:25:38Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > As you see, Jerry found the problem and fixed it. Sorry for your inconvenience, Bean Counter. Hi Tuba. It was no inconvenience at all and I greatly appreciate the fix! Thanks Jerry! ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/38 "2009-06-17T07:50:03Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > ::: sigh ::: > > I feel bad for all the people who missed resubscribing, however it happened. > > I feel worse because there’s nothing I can do to fix the situation. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > As you see, Jerry found the problem and fixed it. Sorry for your inconvenience, Bean Counter. Are these two quotes in any way contradictory? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/39 "2009-06-17T13:10:08Z")
Yeah, it’s apples and oranges. In the example cited above the user had been a Charter Member and resubscribed while that Charter Membership was still in force. If they had used a regular credit card the transaction would have been processed immediately and that would have been the end of the story; however, they used the PayPal “e-check” function instead. When e-check is used PayPal holds up the transaction for 3-5 business days or more before it releases the funds. When PayPal processed the payment and released the funds to the Straight Dope the expiration date had passed and the transaction was rejected as being nonsufficient funds, as the Charter Member subscription was no longer in force and now the system was looking for $14.95 from this user and not $7.98. This is something that we have no control over – it’s PayPal’s delay – but when the transaction finally comes over Jerry can return the user to the Charter Member pool and make things right. The user DID subscribe in time; PayPal held them up. (Though everyone should understand this delay in crediting payments and make accommodation for them; ideally the user would have resubscribed a week or two before their expiration date.) None of the other admins or the mods can do this. Only Jerry. I wish everyone who was a Charter Member and wanted to remain one had been able to meet the requirements. And I’m saddened that didn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515/40 "2009-06-17T17:48:14Z")
So, the full truth comes out: Jerry has the capacity to take anyone who has been moved from the “Charter Member” pool to the “Member” pool and put them back in the permanently “Charter Member” pool (speaking of the subscription pool, not the pool that shows what you are in your member field). So, if Jerry wanted to, if the SDMB wanted to do so, they could indeed return the lapsed “Charter Members” back to Charter Member status. But, presumably, the people who make the business decisions about the Board would have to decide that that was how the current situation was to be handled. Which I believe is exactly what some of the agitators have been saying is true, and have been lobbying for, ever since the end of last month. Thus, the refusal to return them to Charter Member status is a business decision, and has nothing to do with the practicalities of the situation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-say-guest-under-my-username/499515.md?page=3)