# WTF? Otto was just banned by Ed. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971 "2008-09-10T18:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/281 "2008-09-10T23:10:28Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > ffs > > It was a stupid fucking question > > What kind of an answer did he expect? “Yes”? Why SHOULD mods and admins be allowed to be deliberately rude to members and guests outside the Pit? They’re not better than us. They just have different responsibilities. They essentially “work” for the Reader, which means they should have some degree of professionalism when wearing the mod hat. Double standards suck. And I’d just like to note that not only am I subscribed, and therefore not seeing the big ads, I’m using Adblock, so I’m not seeing the stupid Google ads, either. Suck it, Creative Loathing… ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/282 "2008-09-10T23:11:39Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I die, die, die, die, die. Once for each friend, I suppose. That’s big of you.😉 ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/283 "2008-09-10T23:11:48Z")
I want to reiterate one point, because I’m worried **Ed** is going to look at this and just think “Man, more whiners bitching about how the board is moderated.” Let me make as clear as possible that this is not the case. My criticism of this banning doesn’t reflect a negative view towards the job done by the board staff as a whole. I think the mods, admins, and **Jerry** all do an amazingly good job. In fact, I can only assume that the complainers have never been on any other message boards, because the vast majority of them are administered _far_ more poorly than this one. This is a great board with a great staff, and in the 4.5 years I’ve been here I can really only think of one action by the board staff that I found truly objectionable. **Ed** ’s banning of **Otto** for asking a slightly snarky question is that action. Maybe there are mitigating circumstances that I don’t know about. Maybe **Otto** was being an ass to **Ed** all week, and had been privately warned about it. If so, I’d gladly retract this criticism. But from where I’m standing, it seems totally capricious and arbitrary. Do you really want this to be a board where posters are banned because their _tone_ rubs a mod the wrong way? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/284 "2008-09-10T23:11:54Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > I dunno; with a little more work, it could’ve been better. “banning” is ok, but “vanish” is closer, for example. > > Well, when I get it into perfection, I’ll let the boards know… Tough crowd. Then I’m glad I didn’t go with my first impulse: That must be 1920s style Ed rays. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/285 "2008-09-10T23:11:55Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > My understanding is that they really don’t want you to pay. Paying customers don’t see ads, and ad revenue is projected to be the major source of income. Yeah, but if all their customers stop coming here because they’ve taken Ed up on his oh-so-courteous invitation to go the fuck elsewhere if they’re unhappy with this latest turn of events… well, then they won’t get ANY revenue at all then, will they? Sounds like a fabulous business philosophy, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/286 "2008-09-10T23:12:38Z")
Frylock, You answer your own question: > [@](#): > > Of course there is board rule number one (or something like that) which says “Don’t be a jerk” > [@](#): > > There is indeed a sense in which Otto was creeping right up to the line and poking a toe over it. Jerk. Ban. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/287 "2008-09-10T23:12:44Z")
Guys, I’m willing to give **Ed** the benefit of the doubt for right now. I’ve read several of his posts in locked ATMB threads and I think there’s more going on than we know right now. It’s possible **Otto** got on \*\*Ed’\*\*s last nerve. It’s possible **Ed** just snapped. But this is not the **Ed** we know, and there’s something strange going on. I’m hoping in a few days, when everyone’s had a chance to calm down, we’ll figure out what’s going on and **Otto** can come back. [Link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10180038&postcount=4) [Another link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10179858&postcount=4) [Link, especially the last sentence.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10179237&postcount=25) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/288 "2008-09-10T23:13:30Z")
I look forward to the Good Old Days when Mr. Ed left this board pretty much alone. We didn’t know how great we had it. And I’m still getting annoyingly slow performance sometimes, so do I get banned for pointing that out? If so, I say the end is near, and it’s time to get out. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/289 "2008-09-10T23:14:05Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > That must be 1920s style Ed rays. Boy, if only it had been **OpalCat** who’d been made an example of. Then… we could all wish her goodbye. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/290 "2008-09-10T23:14:37Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > Yeah, but if all their customers stop coming here because they’ve taken Ed up on his oh-so-courteous invitation to go the fuck elsewhere if they’re unhappy with this latest turn of events… well, then they won’t get ANY revenue at all then, will they? No. I was just correcting what I thought to be a misunderstanding; i.e, that TPTB wanted people to subscribe. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/291 "2008-09-10T23:17:07Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Jerk. Ban. That was not the stated reason for the banning. He was clearly banned for violating the newly minted “Don’t be snarky to mods and admins” rule. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/292 "2008-09-10T23:17:10Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Frylock, > > You answer your own question: > > Jerk. Ban. You cut my comment about board rule number one right out of context. Allow me to resupply that context. I said I admire the sentiment expressed by the “rule” but I would expect it never to be used for actual administrative purposes as it is far too open to interpretation. By cutting my comment out of context, you were being a jerk. Should you be banned? By suggesting that you were being a jerk and pointedly asking if you should be banned, I was being kind of a jerk as well. Should I be banned? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/293 "2008-09-10T23:20:14Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Guys, I’m willing to give **Ed** the benefit of the doubt for right now. I’ve read several of his posts in locked ATMB threads and I think there’s more going on than we know right now. > > It’s possible **Otto** got on \*\*Ed’\*\*s last nerve. It’s possible **Ed** just snapped. But this is not the **Ed** we know, and there’s something strange going on. Alien abduction? I hope **Otto** doesn’t mind a bit of probing. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/294 "2008-09-10T23:21:14Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Guys, I’m willing to give **Ed** the benefit of the doubt for right now. I’ve read several of his posts in locked ATMB threads and I think there’s more going on than we know right now. That reminds me of Don Altobello when he leaves the room saying he’s going to go talk to Zaza. If Ivylass leaves the room, run like hell before the helicopters get here. ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/295 "2008-09-10T23:24:29Z")
He asked a question that has an obvious answer. No, moderators are not going to be fired for rudeness. Incidentally, can anyone cite an example of a moderator being rude to someone? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. It was a stupid fucking question. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/296 "2008-09-10T23:25:13Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Incidentally, can anyone cite an example of a moderator being rude to someone? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. You’re kidding, right? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/297 "2008-09-10T23:26:39Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Incidentally, can anyone cite an example of a moderator being rude to someone? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. That is absolutely hysterical. > [@](#): > > It was a stupid fucking question. So you’d be OK with an “Ask a stupid question, get banned” rule? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/298 "2008-09-10T23:26:59Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > That was not the stated reason for the banning. He was clearly banned for violating the newly minted “Don’t be snarky to mods and admins” rule. You mean the “don’t make rude remarks about the mods and admins” rule? Because those two things are not really the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/299 "2008-09-10T23:27:16Z")
No. I’ve seen them vaguely irritated and sometimes comedically offensive but not rude. ---
**Author:** ![frankzafka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@frankzafka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frankzafka)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971/300 "2008-09-10T23:29:17Z")
I would take this as an opening salvo on the administration’s crackdown on boorish behavior. Unfortunately Otto was the first victim. Sort of a “kill a chicken to scare the monkeys” message. I would expect more to follow unfortunately. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-otto-was-just-banned-by-ed/462971.md?page=16)