# Why was Seven banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610 "2009-07-28T22:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/221 "2009-07-29T15:54:58Z")
> [@Myrnalene](#): > > **Is it against the rules to post private correspondence from a mod?** No, I meant that I don’t know of a rule against being jerkish in a PM if it is not stalking. I don’t think there was a rule against making part of a PM part of a sig. I am not here to defend or condemn. I was just pointing out that I don’t think Tuba actually posted her comment to **Seven**. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/222 "2009-07-29T15:58:13Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Don’t quote me on this, but I’m willing to bet that there are a ton of other posters who have 100+ posts involving complaining about or pitting **Liberal**. No doubt. I’m probably one of them. However, it’s one thing to have 100+ posts about **Lib** _en toto_, and quite another to have 100 of them in a row. > [@AllWalker](#): > > Whether or not these threads are self selecting, there often is a feeling of “good riddance to bad rubbish” when trolls are kicked out. At least amongst a decent minority. That is so, but **Seven** wasn’t a troll. He was, however, a useless douche. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/223 "2009-07-29T16:00:02Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Shit, if I could get Cecil Adams to post that I was a worthless sack of crap I’d tattoo it on my arm. That’s almost a sig line in and of itself. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/224 "2009-07-29T16:02:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > No doubt. I’m probably one of them. However, it’s one thing to have 100+ posts about **Lib** _en toto_, and quite another to have 100 of them in a row. Maybe. But maybe not. I recall a certain pit thread in which I had something like 200 posts (at least half of my post count at the time) in a row on that same subject. Does that make me a troll? Ought I to be banned as well? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/225 "2009-07-29T16:02:58Z")
Thanks, Marley… I’m glad I now know that I can get banned for complaining about screwed up this board is. It’s a good thing that I haven’t posted much here or I’d be banned too. In other words, it took this long to come up with that steaming pile of crap? ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/226 "2009-07-29T16:06:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > In looking at **Seven** ’s posts over the last few months, two activities show up: snark about **Liberal** , complain about the board, snark about **Liberal** , complain about the board. You have to go back to March to find a significant number of posts from **Seven** about anything else. > > We welcome feedback and complaints about the moderating here and we sure as hell don’t expect everyone to like everyone else. If most of what you are doing here is complaining or attack other posters, that’s not so welcome. > > We give people a lot of chances here, including high numbers of warnings and even multiple suspensions in some cases. If somebody wants to participate here but can’t control his temper, for example, we remain optimistic they can learn. A suspension is a (usually last) warning that you need to keep the rules in mind. When you are dealing with someone who knows the rules and has made clear he doesn’t care, there’s no point in sending this message. **Seven** ’s activities over the weekend and the sig were one more signal he was just here to be antagonistic and play games with the rules. [**Seven** sometimes pretended he didn’t know what the rules were](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11109877#post11109877), or for that matter how to turn on signature when he runs a vBulletin system himself, but we’re not required to accept those explanations when they’re not credible. And I don’t think his excuses were believable at all. > > On a related note, [Someone asked earlier about the idea of recreational complaining, and here’s a thread on the topic.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=506847) (I note that the direct link to the rule does not work, but it’s one we’ve enforced recently and over the years.) So, just to be on the safe side. I have few interests, like movies and comics. If I don’t post about one or two more diverse subjects, should I expect to be banned? Also, that ting I just did, when I pretended not to see that the banning would only happen if my interest was complaining about the board, in order to make a point. Could that pretense get me banned? ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/227 "2009-07-29T16:10:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Just for the record, of his last 100 posts, 97 were either whinging about the board and/or its moderation, or whinging about **Liberal**. And? I could not care less about the guy personally one way or another, but to see this kind of banning says bad things, whether one likes him or not. But then mere personal dislikes seem to be a reason enough now. ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/228 "2009-07-29T16:11:13Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That is so, but **Seven** wasn’t a troll. He was, however, a useless douche. Clearly a reason to ban. Yes indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/229 "2009-07-29T16:11:33Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Well, to be fair, it’s based partly on his posts on another messageboard, to which I won’t link. \ Let’s not let this get lost in the noise - I would like to hear from someone in authority on this. Was Seven banned in part because of his participation on other messageboards? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/230 "2009-07-29T16:12:08Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He was, however, a useless douche. An opinion any number of posters hold on any number of other posters, both of us included! **featherlou** , you’ll never get such an admission. That would mean that they admit to start, aiding and abetting Board Wars, which would show TPTB to be the hypocrites they are. ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/231 "2009-07-29T16:15:57Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > When you are dealing with someone who knows the rules and has made clear he doesn’t care, there’s no point in sending this message. **Seven** ’s activities over the weekend and the sig were one more signal he was just here to be antagonistic and play games with the rules. Rather hard to read this in any real meaning except that it was an angry whim of a certian Admin now followed by an ad hoc justification. Ah well, no Khruschevs are expected. In short then, a tired old ‘ruling party’ (said with irony) is getting more and more cranky and tired in its declining years, as it becomes more and more ossified. Probably the natural evolution of things. ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/232 "2009-07-29T16:17:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > In looking at **Seven** ’s posts over the last few months, two activities show up: snark about **Liberal** , complain about the board, snark about **Liberal** , complain about the board. You have to go back to March to find a significant number of posts from **Seven** about anything else. > > We welcome feedback and complaints about the moderating here and we sure as hell don’t expect everyone to like everyone else. If most of what you are doing here is complaining or attack other posters, that’s not so welcome. > > We give people a lot of chances here, including high numbers of warnings and even multiple suspensions in some cases. If somebody wants to participate here but can’t control his temper, for example, we remain optimistic they can learn. A suspension is a (usually last) warning that you need to keep the rules in mind. When you are dealing with someone who knows the rules and has made clear he doesn’t care, there’s no point in sending this message. **Seven** ’s activities over the weekend and the sig were one more signal he was just here to be antagonistic and play games with the rules. [**Seven** sometimes pretended he didn’t know what the rules were](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=11109877#post11109877), or for that matter how to turn on signature when he runs a vBulletin system himself, but we’re not required to accept those explanations when they’re not credible. And I don’t think his excuses were believable at all. > > (snip) I do genuinely appreciate you taking the time to respond to the request and give a reply but I’m not sure I really know where to start with this. This reads like you were itching to ban him for something, couldn’t find anything and in the end your tempers got the better of you and you did it anyway. And that it furthermore comes across like you are scrabbling around looking for after the fact justifications for your actions, justifications which are so meagre as to be acutely embarrassing for you. ‘Lying’ about the signatures not showing up? is that really your smoking gun? Finally, that the administration prides itself on being open to criticism is somewhat undermined by the response to the majority of posters here telling you now in no uncertain terms ‘you were wrong’. Also, like many, many other posters here, I’d welcome clarity about what rules were broken (if any) by Seven AND TubaDiva in the signature quoting incident. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/233 "2009-07-29T16:18:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That is so, but **Seven** wasn’t a troll. He was, however, a useless douche. Ok, even if I am willing to agree with you that Seven was nothing but a useless douche\*, are we really going to start using that as a reason to ban people? \*I don’t, but that isn’t the point ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/234 "2009-07-29T16:20:06Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Was Seven banned in part because of his participation on other messageboards? There is no way they will admit to it but clearly the fact is that they are butthurt that he admins at Giraffe Boards, which has been pretty successful since the split. [sup]And just to even things out - Vote Dumbo![/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/235 "2009-07-29T16:20:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > An opinion any number of posters hold on any number of other posters, both of us included! > > **featherlou** , you’ll never get such an admission. That would mean that they admit to start, aiding and abetting Board Wars, which would show TPTB to be the hypocrites they are. I don’t disagree with you. I would really like to hear a mod or admin weigh in on how much weight they give people’s participation in other boards (which to me seems like complete bullshit - if it didn’t happen here, it shouldn’t be considered at all), but I’m not holding my breath to hear back from them. ---
**Author:** ![Dreamy\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dreamy\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreamy_B)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/236 "2009-07-29T16:22:07Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That is so, but **Seven** wasn’t a troll. He was, however, a useless douche. Isn’t it against the rules to insult another poster outside of the pit, particularly one who is not around to defend themselves? ---
**Author:** ![ming\_the\_merciless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@ming\_the\_merciless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ming_the_merciless)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/237 "2009-07-29T16:22:51Z")
Count me amongst those who think this banning was a bad decision, ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/238 "2009-07-29T16:23:13Z")
> [@Dreamy\_B](#): > > Isn’t it against the rules to insult another poster outside of the pit, particularly one who is not around to defend themselves? Not if TPTB agree with the insult. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/239 "2009-07-29T16:23:26Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Ok, even if I am willing to agree with you that Seven was nothing but a useless douche\*, are we really going to start using that as a reason to ban people? Generally, no. However, if hypothetical poster X’s _raison d’etre_ is to whinge about board policy, why not? If **Seven** had contributed something meaningful in GQ or GD, or anywhere, for that matter, that didn’t involve the admins and/or Lib, I would be totally on board with the “bring him back!” crowd. However, since his only reason for being here was to complain about being here, it seems almost a kindness to ensure that he doesn’t have to complain anymore. > [@](#): > > Isn’t it against the rules to insult another poster outside of the pit, particularly one who is not around to defend themselves? Yes to the first question. I presume it’s not against the rules to insult **Seven** , though, since he’s no longer a poster. ETA: If it is against the rules, I apologise, and I’ll accept my warning or whatever. Re-ETA: I agree absolutely with anyone who thinks it’s a bad thing if this banning was motivated by stuff he posted elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610/240 "2009-07-29T16:24:05Z")
> [@Dreamy\_B](#): > > Isn’t it against the rules to insult another poster outside of the pit, particularly one who is not around to defend themselves? Sure is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-seven-banned/504610.md?page=13)