# Why were these people banned? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 22, 2002, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985 "2002-04-22T14:35:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SkyKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@SkyKing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyKing)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/21 "2002-04-22T22:44:36Z")
> [@](#): > > When I was posting over at the Exite message boards (where they actually encouraged multiple screen names for a single poster) I did this once. I started a thread, and nobody responded, so I changed screen names and posted again, disagreeing with myself, quite vociferously I might add. I continued to argue with myself for about a dozen posts, when some outsider intruded, taking the side of my second identity. I joined her in arguing with the other me for several days, until the first me admitted defeat and quit in a huff. Some people have too much time on their hands!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/22 "2002-04-23T02:14:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beastal \* > \*\*Due to the massive constraints placed on the SDMB server due to the overwhelming number of posters on this board, each week four Dopers are randomly selected by computer for an automactic banning. \*\* :eek: Oh, my! It might relieve a tiny bit of the constraints, but what about the number of people who register every week here? Surely, that’s enough to more than cancel out the four poor people who are randomly computer-selected every week for an automatic banning! :eek: :rolleyes: 😛 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*The Raoul name was such a dead giveaway of a sock that I didn’t even bother to read the thread where I saw the name. Anatherwan = “Another One.” Sheesh. \*\* Sheesh, indeed. :rolleyes: Now I feel like such a :wally: for welcoming that dude to the boards… the evidence was right there on the screen! Aiya… how could I have missed that? (I did think it sounded a little suspicious, but apparently not suspicious enough for my inner radar, which I swear needs a checkup one of these days) _goes off to bang head on wall in frustration_ :mad: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cheezit \* > \*\*Suppose that a family of 4 all use the same computer and the same ISP. And also suppose that all 4 members of that family are registered at Straightdope. Now, suppose that family member #1 asks a question, then logs off and goes to bed. During the next few hours, family members 2, 3,and 4 all log in at various times and answer the question. Since they all come from the **same** ISP, then who will be _ **wrongfully banned** _? How is the decision made to ban one or more of them or do you just ban **all** of them to get rid of the problem? That is, **if** there really is a problem. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnT \* > \*\*In such a case, I would think the logical thing to do is to send an email to the appropriate mods explaining that your family, all being brilliant Straight Dope enthusiasts of course, will post from the same computer. Tell them the screenames that y’all will use and I think there should be no problem after that. \*\* I was going to post a question about this up in ATMB, but I see it’s already been answered. Not that I think that my brother and sister would get into the SDMB, or that they even ask what the grey screens are on their computer when I use it. However, on the off-chance that they will, of course I’d email the mods and tell them what’s going on! 🙂 [ul] [li]I, of course, would be \*\*[Flamsterette\_X/b][/li][li]my brother would probably be **SPACE LORD** [/li][li]and my sister would probably be either **madcow** , **satine** , or **sparkling diamond** (she has a thing for _Moulin Rouge_)[/li][/ul] Not that I think the above scenario would happen, but if it does, I’ll warn them to log the previous user out first! (and I’d have to remind myself to do it too, should it ever happen) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/23 "2002-04-23T04:04:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Now I feel like such a : for welcoming that dude to the boards… Now you see why some of us take a while to warm up to newbies–dismayingly often, they turn out to be socks. So, I guess you’re not. Hey, welcome to the SDMB! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/24 "2002-04-23T04:09:51Z")
So does anyone know why **RAWisSYDNEY** was banned, while this thread is still open? I noticed his banning sometime last week, shortly after it happened and did a search of his threads and couldn’t find anything that sounded deserving of banning. ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/25 "2002-04-23T04:12:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by throatshot \* > \*\*So does anyone know why **RAWisSYDNEY** was banned, while this thread is still open? I noticed his banning sometime last week, shortly after it happened and did a search of his threads and couldn’t find anything that sounded deserving of banning. \*\* It was explained in ABTM - he was an already banned poster who found a way back in. ---
**Author:** ![apotheosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@apotheosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apotheosis)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/26 "2002-04-23T04:55:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Drastic \* > \*\*You know your number’s up when that light in your palm starts blinking. \*\* Niiiiiiiiice. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/27 "2002-04-23T05:16:11Z")
I was actually wondering what happened to **igotit** , while we’re on the subject… ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/28 "2002-04-23T05:53:02Z")
I hate to speculate on these train wrecks, but it happened in a thread which I was following: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=109666](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=109666) **Parameter** responds to a post by **Raoul** (the OP) and instead of saying **Raoul** ’s name, he says **Tyrrell McAllister**. **Tyrrell** comes by with puzzlement because he was not at all involved in the thread. **Sea Sorbust** , in the last post in the thread (right now), comes along to apologize and explain for the misquote. This could easily be someone sharing the same computer, but without evidence of that, the mods (I assume) are left to the default explanation – sockpupppetry. I think it was the default explanation on a number of reasons. **Sea Sorbust** ’s and **Parameter** ’s posting styles (lots of coding, lots of bolding and smileys) were very similar. They tended to both post on kooky subjects with dogmatic perseverance (albeit nonoverlapping as far as I can tell except for that one thread). Namely aforementioned asteroid defense and crackpot biology. Where **Raoul** fits into this is a little more cagey. Perhaps similarity of usernames coupled with matching IPs and the now-suspected propensity to puppetry led to putting 1 and 1 and 1 together to make 3. I trust in the mods. That is, until the light in my palm turns red and blinks. Then I run. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/29 "2002-04-23T08:00:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\* > Now you see why some of us take a while to warm up to newbies–dismayingly often, they turn out to be socks. > > So, I guess you’re not. Hey, welcome to the SDMB! 😃 \*\* I would certainly hope I’m not a sock, what with more than 600 posts to my credit! 😛 But I guess I still sorta feel :o (nothing to really do about it, though)! Thanks for the welcome, **Duck Duck Goose**! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Magickly Delicious \* > \*\*I was actually wondering what happened to **igotit** , while we’re on the subject… \*\* [This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=107765&highlight=igotit) is what happened to her. Surprisingly, the search function worked really quickly, even when I left everything “as is”; you know, the most broad search parameters. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985/30 "2002-04-23T20:35:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reprise \*\*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by throatshot \* > > So does anyone know why RAWisSYDNEY was banned, while this thread is still open? I noticed his banning sometime last week, shortly after it happened and did a search of his threads and couldn’t find anything that sounded deserving of banning. > > It was explained in ABTM - he was an already banned poster who found a way back in. \*\* Isn’t he the one whose brother also posted here, “insides\_torn\_out” or somesuch? If so, the original banning was mainly due to a pit thread which had been lost in the update and also resulted in the banning of **ito**. I’ll bet that this is the only instance of banning by ISP, due in part to **ito** ’s behavior in that post and the potential of letting his brother post using his name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-these-people-banned/104985.md?page=1)