# Your experiences with other message boards

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 29, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980 "2021-03-29T18:19:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/81 "2021-04-02T02:06:33Z")

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Ohhhh, yeah.

A lot of the responses do sound totally made up, to me anyway.

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**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/82 "2021-04-02T02:20:41Z")

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> [@QuickSilver](#):
>
> If you are selective about specific subs, parts of reddit can be very good.

My kid tried to get me to “be a Redditor”. I checked a couple of subreddits out, and told him the people here are smarter and nicer.

I also said I waste so much time here that I have no time for anyplace else.

…

Just checked the message board I hung out at before The Dope, in the 90s. They shut down years ago… (dealmac forum)

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**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/83 "2021-04-02T06:25:18Z")

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I was at Snopes for more than a decade, until the door got suddenly slammed in our faces. There are a few of us who made our way here, but most of that group is lost.

Someone created a snopesmessageboard community, but going from vBulletin to reddit didn’t work well, especially as there was no warning. Not sure if they got something up and running, but I wouldn’t go back now, as I like this place.

> [@jnglmassiv](#):
>
> I consider reddit a message board and have found what I’d call communities in a number of smaller subreddits. They do need to stay small, though. Local neighborhood ones, smaller hobbies & collecting, oddly specific humor, etc. For instance, [r/cannedsardines](https://old.reddit.com/r/CannedSardines/) has been very entertaining lately as folks post details on what we now understand to be a huge diversity of canned seafood.

One of the problems with reddit is not knowing what’s there. I have just joined r/cannedsardines as I love smoked oysters and have problems finding them.

Reddit can be a useful resource, and I really like having the information which is specific to my location. I also use it as a time waster, and for happy thoughts, with lots of pictures of cute creatures and stories of people doing good deeds. I don’t post much, though, so it’s not really interactive.

> [@Toxylon](#):
>
> The truth is, FB Groups are a shitty replacement for message boards.

I am a member of a group for my high school, my home town, my husband’s high school, a band fan group, a whisky fan group and Straight Dope. Plus a group of my mom’s relatives and a group of friends from my husband.

The band fan group is huge, but stays focused because of 3 awesome mods. It is only for band-related stuff, and not for discussing what everyone had for dinner. The whisky group is similarly focused, but the other groups are a mix of memes and reminiscing, not much discussion.

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**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/84 "2021-04-02T09:09:50Z")

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Yeah, I can see the value of FB groups in many of those kinds of instances, especially hometown / community groups, where current matters, message penetration etc. are key. I’m not a member in any of those, though, and within my interests the problems with FB are (too) many.

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**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/85 "2021-04-02T13:31:17Z")

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> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> > [@Roderick\_Femm](#):
> >
> > Mine is a special-interest board, fouintainpennetwork (dot) com…
> 
> > [@Ulfreida](#):
> >
> > …like Fountain Pen Network.
> 
> There are two people in this thread who post to a fountain pen message board? The SDMB remains amazing in its diversity (That’s not sarcastic – you can find experts and enthusiasts of all types here)

There are a number of fountain pen enthusiasts on SDMB (Besides @Roderick_Femm and @Ulfreida and @Green_Bean comes to mind.) I occasionally lurk at FPN, but I don’t post much.

I used to spend a lot of time reading the Nonreligious page at Patheos dot com, until I got a bit of malware that blocks the page with an annoying popup ad that can’t be closed. The comment section was usually fun. I’d occasionally comment on an evangelical blog as well, and actually have had had respectful discussions with evangelicals, including one of the bloggers, who could not seem to grasp the difference between “I believe God doesn’t exist” and “I don’t believe God exists”, and was unable to see that the burden of proof in the divinity of Jesus was on believers, not atheists (and this from a professor of theology at Baylor! But it was a fruitful and interesting discussion).

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**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/86 "2021-04-02T13:48:39Z")

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Back in the late 90’s I somehow got on one of those joke-of-the-day email lists. The person that sent the emails created a message board - MadDog or something like that. Mostly general chit chat, the vast majority of the posters were in Texas, iirc.  
It eventually died out, but I was gone by then, having found the Darwin Award boards, before it blew up. One of the posters created a board for the DAB rejects, and I followed. He eventually disappeared / pursued new interests and one of the main posters created his own board.  
That board is still around, lots of general chit chat based on knowing most people for over 15 years. I check in maybe once a month to see if anything new is going on, who’s still alive, who’s still a twit. It’s a very divided board without any censorship, so threads can get pretty het up.  
I read the Giraffeboards, rarely post.

Mostly, if I’m not here, I’m on reddit. I don’t tend to engage in debate or deep conversations (as seen by my history here), so browsing a bunch of subs there is perfect for me. My favorite subs there deal with needlework, cute animals, r/Natureisfuckinglit, history, and UK TV. I’ve become addicted to more than a few UK programs, which kind redditors upload.

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/87 "2021-04-02T15:14:39Z")

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> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#):
>
> I have just joined r/cannedsardines as I love smoked oysters and have problems finding them.

That’s actually one I was thinking of when I said there are subreddit communities. Brotheslow and mcarlson’s review videos are too funny.

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**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/88 "2021-04-02T17:58:06Z")

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> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> There are a number of fountain pen enthusiasts on SDMB (Besides @Roderick_Femm and @Ulfreida and @Green_Bean comes to mind.) I occasionally lurk at FPN, but I don’t post much.

Count me in on that list.

Tripler  
I’m gonna be digging into a new message board, now!

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**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/89 "2021-04-02T18:19:13Z")

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I found this board from a similar thread on [early-retirement.org](http://early-retirement.org) so I will return the favor.  
They are the same folks that support [firecalc.com](http://firecalc.com). You don’t have to be rich or retired just aspire to be. Lots of hobby threads and travel stories.  
Also [forum.lowcarber.org](http://forum.lowcarber.org) is a home for low carb dieters. There is an active journal forum where people meet and chat.

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**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/90 "2021-04-02T18:23:16Z")

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> [@Tripler](#):
>
> Count me in on that list.

And me. I love fountain pens. Still have my treasured one from high school-an avocado green Parker. It’s age is creeping up on 55 years now and it still is a joy to write with. Not that I hand write much anymore. I collect pens from garage sales and thrift shops just because I love them. My kids think I’m nuts, but then they can’t write in cursive, so how could they know?

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**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/91 "2021-04-02T19:37:35Z")

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> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#):
>
> > [@Tripler](#):
> >
> > Count me in on that list.
> 
> And me. I love fountain pens. Still have my treasured one from high school-an avocado green Parker. It’s age is creeping up on 55 years now and it still is a joy to write with. Not that I hand write much anymore. I collect pens from garage sales and thrift shops just because I love them My kids think I’m nuts, but then they can’t write in cursive, so how could they know?

I’m still mourning the loss of a leather carrying case that held, among others, a treasured Parker Sonnet. Misplaced at work, and frantically searched for. I’d been carrying it for so long, it had conformed to the curve of my thigh.

Still, I’m a bit of a weirdie for a nib-head - I much prefer modern pens to vintage ones. My EDC, sitting on the desk next to me right now, is a Lamy Studio. Great handfeel, reliable starter - I’d take it over a vintage Vacumatic or 51, any day.

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**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/92 "2021-04-02T19:41:33Z")

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> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> Still, I’m a bit of a weirdie for a nib-head - I much prefer modern pens to vintage ones. My EDC, sitting on the desk next to me right now, is a Lamy Studio. Great handfeel, reliable starter - I’d take it over a vintage Vacumatic or 51, any day.

[Off Topic Declaration]

My EDC’s are Lamy pens as well. At home, I have a Platium (made in Japan) which is “iffy” in writing, but also a Cross fountain pen that glides on paper like a hot knife through butter.

[/OTD]

What were we talking about again? Oh, right, message boards. I just signed up for FPN.

Tripler  
You might recognize a familiar user name.

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**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/93 "2021-04-02T20:33:51Z")

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My Parker used the first cartridges-so not the potentially messy vacumatic. I cheated and refilled cartridges with an old hypodermic syringe because I couldn’t afford cartridges.

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**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/94 "2021-04-02T20:36:44Z")

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I’ve been on Wrestling Classics since 2000 or so. There was someone from SDMB who had a bit of trouble there recently, but I don’t know if it’s anyone who has caused problems here.

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**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/95 "2021-04-02T20:39:02Z")

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> [@Tripler](#):
>
> Oh, right, message boards. I just signed up for FPN.

Now I just did also. And again, a familiar username.

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**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/96 "2021-04-02T21:18:40Z")

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That’s exactly what I do. I call the little pen bag where I carry cartridges, ink, and my syringe my “works”.

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**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/97 "2021-04-03T11:23:59Z")

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> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> There are two people in this thread who post to a fountain pen message board? The SDMB remains amazing in its diversity. (That’s not sarcastic – you can find experts and enthusiasts of all types here)

i remeber back in the day there were pen threads that went for 50 to 60 pages once or twice a year …and i read more tan i needed to know about pens lol

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**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/98 "2021-04-03T11:51:47Z")

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I can’t even use a fountain pen, being left-handed. I just smear as I go.

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**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/99 "2021-04-03T15:23:53Z")

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> [@RitterSport](#):
>
> I can’t even use a fountain pen, being left-handed. I just smear as I go

Not an insurmountable obstacle:

> **[Fountain Pens for Lefties - The Goulet Pen Company](https://www.gouletpens.com/blogs/fountain-pen-blog/fountain-pens-for-lefties)**
>
> Left-handed people can use fountain pens with just as much ease as right-handed writers. Read our tricks, tips and recommendations here.

There are also a good number of models out there specifically designed for southpaws.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-experiences-with-other-message-boards/938980/100 "2021-04-03T16:59:43Z")

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> [@Spoons](#):
>
> C-D actually has a lot of non-city, and general interest (if rather specific) boards. Pets, travel, gardening, history, and more; they’re all there. Its problem (at least the way I see things) is that it has so many forums, sub-forums, and sub-sub-forums, that no sense of community emerges, as it has here.

Yeah, this right here. I posted a auto-repair question where everyone could see it and hopefully give me some help. It got moved to the ‘brand specific’ sub-forum where it sat for months unanswered.

It’s like going into an empty room and shouting at yourself.

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