Why Create an account if you won't post?

When I look at the statistics for the site I see that the situation is this:

Total member accounts: 105,001
Members who have posted: 52,648
Percentage of members who have posted: 50 %

So the question is, why have 50,000 people created accounts but not ever posted? And surely that takes up a considerable amount of space on the server, and increases the server strain?

Perhaps they'd like access to advanced features, but don't wish to actively participate. Not everyone is a social creature.

I'm not going to blast anyone for registering here and not posting. The more, the merrier, even if half are lurkers.

This "problem" seems to be a recurrect one on most discussion boards. People register and then never post. Or, if they do post, it is very minimal. I have often wondered the same as you,Apex. Why even waste your time registering if you are not going to post?

[edit on 17-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Registered members aren't shown as many ads as are the visitors. Perhaps that benefit alone is sufficient incentive for registration, even though they may never actually post.

???



 

[edit on 17-4-2007 by 12m8keall2c]

Even then though, why haven't they posted? They've got the means to do so, but yet they don't do so. considering that they are interested enough to get an account.

And does it become a problem for the server with a large number of users?

[edit on 17-4-2007 by apex]

I've been guilty of doing that in other places, but obviously (and unfortunately for you all) not here.

It would be interesting to see how many register and then never log in at all within 6 months or so. I can see the "lurk mode" as viable, but why register then never even log in?

Alien napped? MK ULTRA HAARPed? Distracted by a shiny object?

My guess is that some people who read the conspiracies on this site are paranoid that someone will recognize their grammar or be able to trace their IP back to a location, although then they would have been paranoid of signing up in the first place.

Some people may just be too lazy to post, but still want to read what other people have to say. Plenty of people listen to radio shows, but I imagine the majority of them never actually call in.

Sometimes people register and then forget about their accounts. I made mine, posted a few posts then forgot about ATS ( I know. Forget about ATS? ) then came back a few months later and started posting regularly.


Might be a possibility.

Originally posted by yeahright
I've been guilty of doing that in other places, but obviously (and unfortunately for you all) not here.

It would be interesting to see how many register and then never log in at all within 6 months or so. I can see the "lurk mode" as viable, but why register then never even log in?

I will admit that I am registered on some boards where I don't post often, but I have never registered anywhere and posted nothing.

I had a different username, when I first joined.
But changed my mind about the name, after only 2 or 3 posts.
I've used this one ever since.
Maybe some of the accounts are due to second thoughts, like I had.

Spacedoubt, that is certainly a possibility. I mean, it doesn't really matter I guess, it is just something I have often wondered about. One of the perplexities of "netsociety" I suppose.

Originally posted by enjoies05
forgot about ATS (

I know. Forget about ATS?

)

I did that once, before registering, but since then the longest between visits is probably on the order of a week. I can't imagine forgetting about ATS though

I enjoy this site immensely but it is a huge website with a lot of quality contributors and due to the generally good efforts put in by some members I feel it can look a little daunting to your average board hopper. I know I find it a bit intimidating sometimes and am reluctant to post and it does have a high level of US members who come across as very confident in their posts ( not a criticism btw) which can make it far more entertaining to just read and evaluate. I would rather read a few good posts than a lot of bickering and oneupmanship stuff from the masses

Avro, that's true. I suppose that it may be a good thing that some don't reply. I don't know. Like I said, it's realy not that big of a deal, I just have wondered about it from time to time. It doesn't only happen here at ATS, most other discussionboards also encounter this issue.

When I first joined I was having difficulty with it (different requirements back then) so some of my previous user names are listed as member accounts even though I never activated them, posted or even knew they were active...
But I suppose it's a combination of things, events like mine, people losing interest and forgetting and others who just want to read and research...

My SIL's (Bibliophile) account wouldn't be inactive except that she can no longer access it for some reason.

As I stated above, more or less, I don't think we should be judgmental about why some people don't post.

Some surf during vacation times only, I saw one member recently registered in 2003 with only 76 posts. Those are REAL people, they have lives.

Now, don't stress it, I'm picking up the slack for them.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
When I first joined I was having difficulty with it (different requirements back then) so some of my previous user names are listed as member accounts even though I never activated them, posted or even knew they were active...

Same thing here. I read ATS for close to 2 years before I got to be an active poster.
I have to say though, that after 6 months I was actively TRYING to join ATS. I was never sent anything that told me my sign up was accepted and OK........until about a year after I was trying to join, I got a letter accepting my membership under this nickname.
since being a member, I have seen severell nicks on the members list that were nicks I was attempting to join with. At the time one needed to apply as a member and wait for them to send you a password and acceptance....... I swear though if I had known I had been accepted in membership I would have posted under one of those nicks instead of this one.
I think I am responsible for at least 10 of the nicks that are unused and I have no idea how to access them at all.............so I never meant for that to happen at all.


[edit on 17-4-2007 by theRiverGoddess]

Originally posted by intrepid
Some surf during vacation times only, I saw one member recently registered in 2003 with only 76 posts. Those are REAL people, they have lives.

True, not everyone can afford the luxury of sitting and typing words on a computer all day, everyday. God,I feel like a loser.

[edit on 17-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

OK, so I'm one of the 50%. I wanted to post and tried many times but I had no reply button and when I signed in still no REPLY button. Tried to reregister in same name, didn't work. Register under different name (moniker), now I can post. Problem solved, just don't have my old favorite moniker. Bummer. Tried to get ATS staff to respond to my problem, no response.