Members Online vs Lurking

[mau1]

One of the interesting new features of this site is that you can see the number of people actually viewing PipesMagazine at any given time. Go to the Forums tab and scroll half ways down to the Members Online section. The numbers are broken down into members online and visitors. I wonder if the numbers are accurate? Are there members who don't bother to log in and therefore are counted as a visitor? So my question is, what do you do? I just found the ratio to be highly in favour of visitors.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Members Online section

Not seeing it.

 

[lawdawg]

Posts on this forum are often at the top of detailed pipe-related google searches. That's how I found this forum and joined in the first place. I suspect there are quite a few visitors getting here in the same manner that I did.

 

[mau1]

Here...at the bottom of the Members Online section it shows 124 people viewing the site.

 

[jojoc]

I often lurk as a visitor and only log in if I am posting something. However, with the new forum I no longer have to log in every day, whereas on the old one I had to log back in every day.

 

[sablebrush52]

Must be a preference setting. I don't see those windows, just another big ad for smoking pipes.
May also be a system related thing. Those indows are always visible on other sites. Don't know why they aren't as a default here.
Lots of lurkers from Chinese IPs in general.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Here...at the bottom of the Members Online section it shows 124 people viewing the site.

Not seeing it here.

 

[sablebrush52]

It would appear to be a bug with the software, or some sort of glitch with some display settings vs operating systems. Perhaps some kind of incompatibility with Mac OS.

 

[mau1]

I tend to agree with you sable. Both my systems are Windows.

 

[olkofri]

Might not be people at all, but Poogle search spiders.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Might not be people at all, but Poogle search spiders.

We have always had a large number of watchers. This is why I have said over and over, do not post a link to a pipe that you want to buy, and want to ask us a question about... because one of the hundreds of folks watching will snag it. It has happened many times on here.

Also, don't post a link to a great deal on tobacco, thinking you are only telling your forum friends... because you are really telling hundreds of nameless strangers that will eat it up before anyone else here can have a chance.

When I have brought it up, people get all butthurt and stomp off with "I was only trying to help my friends" so, now I just let the idiots learn for themself. puf

 

[jaytex1969]

I'm looking at the site both on my Windows laptop and my Android phone.

The whole column to the left on the computer is not visible on my phone, so that's part of the divide.

Duane, you are strictly a phone user. Have you encountered the site sponsor list anywhere since the switch? (one of the "left column" items) I didn't find it on my phone.

 

[prndl]

Fwiw, I'm on a plain jane laptop and it's visible to me.

 

[mso489]

Visiting Forums without posting seems similar to alcohol-free beer? Why do that?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Have you encountered the site sponsor list anywhere since the switch? (one of the "left column" items) I didn't find it on my phone.

Yep

 

[brian64]

Visiting Forums without posting seems similar to alcohol-free beer? Why do that?

Not getting drunk is why they have sense enough not to post.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Not getting drunk is why they have sense enough not to post.

Don't make MSO feel bad, because he can't control himself. puf

 

[ophiuchus]

We have always had a large number of watchers. This is why I have said over and over, do not post a link to a pipe that you want to buy, and want to ask us a question about... because one of the hundreds of folks watching will snag it. It has happened many times on here.

Also, don't post a link to a great deal on tobacco, thinking you are only telling your forum friends... because you are really telling hundreds of nameless strangers that will eat it up before anyone else here can have a chance.

When I have brought it up, people get all butthurt and stomp off with "I was only trying to help my friends" so, now I just let the idiots learn for themself. puf

I really hope members here read this post carefully.

 

[brian64]

Don't make MSO feel bad, because he can't control himself.

There are exceptions to every rule, and in MSO's case sobriety may be the problem.

 

[jaytex1969]

Visiting Forums without posting seems similar to alcohol-free beer? Why do that?

I do way more reading than posting online.

Cap'n, how did you get to that screen and does it include the other things found in the left hand column that can't be seen on the phone. (similar to "pre-transition" left hand column, "Categories: Ask GL Pease, etc, recent posts, Members online, forum statistics)