# Why is this user a Charter Member?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [September 7, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759 "2006-09-07T06:23:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/1 "2006-09-07T06:23:04Z")
No, I don’t really care about the “Member” vs. “Charter Member” titles. But I _am_ curious about how the OP of [thread=387001]this thread[/thread] was able to get a Charter Member title, seeing how his join date is August 2006.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/2 "2006-09-07T11:23:45Z")
Because I have a mouse with a scroll wheel and an overbusy finger, that’s how. Teach me to be more careful when I’m helping someone.
My bad. I have corrected the title, which was all that changed.
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### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/3 "2006-09-07T14:41:41Z")
I bet the user concerned would like to give you a great big thank you, **severus**! 🙂
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/4 "2006-09-07T15:56:58Z")
It’s just a title; didn’t change anything for them one way or the other except get them some questions.
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### Author:  [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/5 "2006-09-07T18:20:38Z")
I still liked “asshat” for a title. 😃
Happy times.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/6 "2006-09-07T20:41:32Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#):
>
> Because I have a mouse with a scroll wheel and an overbusy finger, that’s how. Teach me to be more careful when I’m helping someone.
>
> My bad. I have corrected the title, which was all that changed.
Wait, I thought it required a team of hundreds all working on separate servers to change a user’s title. Now all it takes is a little scroll-wheel action? Not to defend Dewey Cheatham Undhow, but does this mean changing titles has been made into a simple matter?
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/7 "2006-09-07T20:45:48Z")
> [@Excalibre](#):
>
> Wait, I thought it required a team of hundreds all working on separate servers to change a user’s title. Now all it takes is a little scroll-wheel action? Not to defend Dewey Cheatham Undhow, but does this mean changing titles has been made into a simple matter?
My guess is that there is a difference between the person’s _status_ (charter member, memeber etc) and what _title_ is actually printed under their name.
Status- complicated to changed (billing structure etc)
Printed title- easy to fix
My WAG.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/8 "2006-09-07T20:55:08Z")
You are exactly correct, Ivory Tower Denizen.
The User Title is a separate function that can be changed by anyone with administrative rights here on the board. We tell them not to, though, even when sorely vexed, no matter how deserving the asshat, it’s not a good idea.
The subscription/user category part of it is not within our control. That’s the part that takes tech department intervention, which is rare.
As long as someone with a Charter Membership remembers to keep current on their subscription, there’s no problem. Once that subscription lapses it goes to the full amount and there’s nothing any of us working on the board can do about it.
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### Author:  [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/9 "2006-09-09T18:31:49Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#):
>
> I bet the user concerned would like to give you a great big thank you, **severus**! 🙂
I live to give. 😛
Seriously, thanks for the answer, **Tuba**. I didn’t care either way, I was just curious.
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### Author:  [@SweetHomeColorado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SweetHomeColorado)
#### Post date: [September 10, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-this-user-a-charter-member/371759/10 "2006-09-10T05:17:10Z")
Yeah, great. Thanks, **severus** since you blew the whistle on the mistake, now I can’t use my charter membership card to get discounts on buffets or additional miles on my frequent flier reward miles with my credit card. Gosh! (sarcasm)
But seriously, I didn’t even notice it until you brought it up.
Mistakes happen. I pay the SDMB fee just like the rest of the members. Although I probably wouldn’t be happy with the title of ‘asshat’ I’m happy with just about anything. It was just the title under my name.
TubaDiva made a mistake. AFAIK, she isn’t a robot and we all make mistakes.