Questions about what certain signifiers (strikethrough etc) mean?

[Snarf Zagyg]

I was looking at the past Iron DM threads to prepare for my inevitable victory, and I noticed a few oddities, which caused me to to do a further search ... and I wanted to check in and see if I can understand a few things about what certain comments mean?

I've seen the following, and I'm not sure what each of these mean. I'm going to omit reference to any particular user(s) as I'm not sure it is appropriate:

1. The Strikethrough. Sometimes, I see that the user has a strikethrough in their name; I'm pretty sure that means they've been banned from Enworld?

2. The de-link. Sometimes, I see a user name that has been "de-linked." In other words, the user name is still there, but it is not longer an active link and the aren't a searchable user anymore? Sometimes their comments have been deleted, sometimes not?

3. The Guest/Ghost user. Sometimes, I see users that have been de-linked, AND have had their user name replaced with "Guest {seven digit number}".

4. The Phantom Menace. Then there's the occasions when I see someone listed as having posted, but do not see them in the body of the comment when I click to it.


I'm fairly certain that (4) is from the ignore function.

1 is from being banned by the mods, right?
And what is 2 and 3? Are those from moderation as well?

 

[Deset Gled]

2. The de-link. Sometimes, I see a user name that has been "de-linked." In other words, the user name is still there, but it is not longer an active link and the aren't a searchable user anymore? Sometimes their comments have been deleted, sometimes not?

3. The Guest/Ghost user. Sometimes, I see users that have been de-linked, AND have had their user name replaced with "Guest {seven digit number}".

I believe this is the result of different software being used to run the board through the years. If someone is banned today, they get a strike though. If someone was banned in a previous iteration of the board, it could sometimes result in the de-linking or ghosting you describe. Also, there were previous versions of the board that allowed users to delete their own accounts, so some missing users may not be the result of moderation action.

 

[Eltab]

1. Not necessarily banned but maybe the user asked for the account to be closed. I have seen one individual who asked for his account to be closed and locked. And (I think) all posts removed; at any rate they are empty shells now.