# Would the SDMB be informed of your unfortunate demise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790 "2018-07-30T03:31:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/1 "2018-07-30T03:31:54Z")
We’ve lost two valued members of the SDMB recently, and their families have been kind enough to inform us of their passing. I’m wondering how many Dopers have made such arrangements or would do so if the situation warranted. I haven’t and wouldn’t because–and I say this as a matter of fact and with zero self-pity–few would notice my absence. I haven’t been around as long as most, and frankly, there’s nothing particularly notable about me. But there are many Dopers I’d miss if they stopped posting, so I hope I’m the exception. What about you? ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/2 "2018-07-30T03:36:22Z")
I think very few would notice my absence. My husband and a couple of friends know that I post here, but I don’t think they would think to notify the board. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/3 "2018-07-30T03:41:14Z")
No, but I’m connected to a few of you on Facebook. Maybe someone would figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/4 "2018-07-30T04:03:39Z")
There’s no one who would notify. I don’t have a significant other, siblings, or children. None of my friends posts here, and I don’t personally know any Dopers. Not on Facebook. I guess I’ll just have to come back from the dead and do it myself. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/5 "2018-07-30T04:07:05Z")
I’m expecting to (long) outlive the SDMB and everyone on it… _Evil crackling laugh_ ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/6 "2018-07-30T04:11:30Z")
In the event of me moving on, my daughter would have the SD password. She may or may not post to the board. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/7 "2018-07-30T04:22:55Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > There’s no one who would notify. I don’t have a significant other, siblings, or children. None of my friends posts here, and I don’t personally know any Dopers. Not on Facebook. I guess I’ll just have to come back from the dead and do it myself. Same here, except that I am on Facebook but I haven’t “liked” the Dope. Maybe whoever cleaned out my apartment would find my list of passwords, go to those websites, and inform them of my death. There are several posters who just stopped posting all of a sudden, and I’m not the only person who has wondered if this is what happened to them. OTOH, there are others who for whatever reason just don’t post here, or at another favorite website, any more, for any number of reasons. I’ve done that myself. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/8 "2018-07-30T04:27:02Z")
Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/9 "2018-07-30T04:31:32Z")
Very doubtful, but given my posting history I don’t think you’ll find it any great loss 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/10 "2018-07-30T04:33:19Z")
I’d say that the chances are less than 10% that anybody would think to let The Dope know I had left. **Zoe** has already left. To my knowledge none of my regular email folks know about SDMB. I had the wild idea that I could start posting on a daily basis “I’m still here!” but that would be a bit boastful, right? So “Not likely” is the right answer to the question. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/11 "2018-07-30T04:37:46Z")
A very small possibility that somebody would figure it out. It would likely be via Twitter, though. So if anyone here follows me there too, and I think a couple do, they would potentially relay the info here. But most likely, as others have said, nobody close to me would know to tell you guys, and if you even noticed my absence, it would remain mysterious. Unless it was in the news when I finally snap and die via “suicide by cop”. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/12 "2018-07-30T04:56:44Z")
No. I see Active Members: 3,449 (is this a lot lower than it used to be?) We have had some threads showing the age distribution of Straight Dope members. If anyone here understands basic probability/statistics perhaps they could do the numbers and find the predicted number of Straight Dope deaths per year. For example if it is 1% overall then that would be 34 deaths per year. And what: are there 4 to 5 deaths per year listed in the In Memorium thread? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/13 "2018-07-30T04:57:41Z")
Nope, no-one knows I post here. I don’t want them reading my posts and figuring out my personal stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/14 "2018-07-30T05:29:03Z")
Y’all gonna know when I die. I am gonna build me a Bot-da-wrek, and keep posting about the Lil’wrekker and my Siamese cats and the stoooopid shit that happens to me until the end of time. Cause I am just evil that way;) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/15 "2018-07-30T05:45:59Z")
I know a couple of local Dopers ( **Cat Whisperer** and **Dread Pirate Jimbo** ), and I’d hope that they’d step in and let the SDMB know. Maybe they could also let my sister know–Sis is my only living relative, but we don’t stay in touch very much. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/16 "2018-07-30T05:50:18Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I see Active Members: 3,449 (is this a lot lower than it used to be?) Does anyone know how “active member” is defined? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/17 "2018-07-30T05:55:22Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Does anyone know how “active member” is defined? It’s the number of accounts that we logged in over the last 60 days. It could be a lurker, a spammer, someone who made one post and left or a regular like yourself. To answer the OP, you’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/18 "2018-07-30T06:16:03Z")
I suspect that “the other board” would notice first, when I stopped showing up for mafia games. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/19 "2018-07-30T06:42:45Z")
I’m approaching 20 years membership; as if I’d like a little thing like death stop me posting. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2018, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790/20 "2018-07-30T09:28:18Z")
Nope. No one would post the info. My wife and I really don’t think of online acquaintances as “real”, so it wouldn’t occur to us to announce it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-sdmb-be-informed-of-your-unfortunate-demise/818790.md?page=2)