# Why is the SDMB membership declining, and what's the best way to add younger members? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 14, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208 "2021-06-14T02:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/605 "2021-07-16T21:35:05Z")
I had no idea about any of this. What is a board war exactly? A bunch of people from a board for the ‘Left Behind’ series came and posted here? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/606 "2021-07-16T21:37:29Z")
The very phrase “board war” sounds so ridiculous. Like we are back in 4th grade. mmm ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/607 "2021-07-16T21:40:03Z")
I actually asked about board wars and linking here: > [@Is linking to an SDMB thread on another message board considered board wars?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-linking-to-an-sdmb-thread-on-another-message-board-considered-board-wars/835137): > > I’m active on a few message boards. I know we’re not supposed to link to other message boards on the SDMB. But, if I’m on another message board, is it considered bad form to provide a link to an SDMB thread? Obviously, we’re searchable via Google. For example: I’m discussing baseball on another message board and there’s a debate if player X should be in the Hall of Fame. Can I link to an SDMB thread that makes a case against player X being in the Hall of Fame? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/608 "2021-07-16T23:05:17Z")
Basically trolling back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/609 "2021-07-16T23:14:02Z")
I wondered the same thing. I just assumed that it would be something like if there was a Curved Dope Message Board (CDMB) and posters here linked to those threads with a title like “Look at what these idiots on the CDMB are saying!!!” And then they start doing to us? Is that right? If so, then why is that so bad? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/610 "2021-07-17T00:35:33Z")
> [@DemonTree](#): > > What is a board war exactly? People on a message board organizing a campaign to enroll in some numbers to engage on another message board. At its very mildest form to engage in debate from an opposite pov (less common), at its more extreme to troll and harass (more common). Sometimes a bit from column A and a bit from column B, depending on the personalities involved. This in turn often leading to some on the targeted board to retaliate in kind, until occasionally it becomes a back and forth series of annoying sorties. > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The very phrase “board war” sounds so ridiculous. Like we are back in 4th grade. Well, yes. A bit like that. But some people never grow up. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/611 "2021-07-17T17:57:30Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > People on a message board organizing a campaign to enroll in some numbers to engage on another message board. At its very mildest form to engage in debate from an opposite pov (less common), at its more extreme to troll and harass (more common). The problem is that we are already in a “board war” , which I think is a stupid concept these days, but the rules in place favor the other board. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/612 "2021-07-17T19:13:57Z")
Stuff like this which frankly has gone on for years doesn’t help with membership: > [@Rescind this warning, please](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rescind-this-warning-please/946668/34): > > Can probably add “bad decision making and endless circling the wagons” over to the “why the Dope is losing members” thread, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/613 "2021-07-17T19:57:23Z")
There is no war between here and the Gweeb. I’m not sure why you keep going on about this nonsense. It exists only in your mind. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/614 "2021-07-17T20:01:28Z")
Sure thing. Why don’t you post a link to the BYB thread and see if the mods think it’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/615 "2021-07-17T20:02:22Z")
Why would I want to do that? I’m not sure what point you think you are making. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/616 "2021-07-17T20:03:06Z")
If there’s no war, no harm linking to it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/617 "2021-07-17T20:05:52Z")
Again, not sure of your point. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/618 "2021-07-17T20:10:55Z")
No, you are sure of it, that’s why you don’t link it. You just know we aren’t allowed to say anything specific about it here. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/619 "2021-07-17T20:40:58Z")
---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/620 "2021-07-17T20:42:19Z")
Since this has devolved into yet another thread to complain about Giraffe, this is closed. If you have a problem with what the Giraffe folks do, go complain on their board. Any further complaints here will result in warnings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208.md?page=30)