Lurkers

This rant will be brief and be more curious question than rant, but I've noticed over the course of the past year on this website more and more people who join and in their introduction post they'll talk about how long they've "lurked" around the various forums before joining. And it's usually for an extended period of time that they lurked/creeped the site before actually joining it.

Am I the only one who has noticed this? And am I the only one who finds people who say such a thing in their intro post somewhat suspicious?

I mean when I first joined this website, I joined it about 2 minutes after I stumbled upon it. Why are people creeping the forums for months on end and then joining it. Makes it seem like they are trying to get information on people.

Not at all, I lurked for years, browsing the content and when I finally decided I wanted to participate in certain threads, I joined, simple as that.

reply to post by LazarusTsiyr


It's actually really common.

Many members that are now registered came here in the past just to read and it took a certain topic or event to make them create an account to participate.

I have forums that I've been visiting for 10 years that I don't have a membership to, I just go to read.

~Tenth

Well Di0nysis and tothetenthpower I guess it's just me haha. It just seems weird to lurk/creep a site without joining it.

reply to post by LazarusTsiyr


I lurked for about 4 years before actually joining. Who knows what causes a lurker to finally join...for me, it was finally feeling I had something to say...haven't shut up since.....

Des

reply to post by Destinyone


Yeah but Destiny you are forgiven because you give awesome gifts to newbies haha

Originally posted by LazarusTsiyr
This rant will be brief and be more curious question than rant, but I've noticed over the course of the past year on this website more and more people

Then you to go on and say

I mean when I first joined this website, I joined it about 2 minutes after I stumbled upon it. Why are people creeping the forums for months on end and then joining it. Makes it seem like they are trying to get information on people.

Doesn't make a lot of sense how apparently you only joined yourself 2 days ago

reply to post by freedomSlave


Well that's because you never read my intro post. I was on this site last Summer and then went on hiatus. I since then lost/forgot my login and password so I just made a new account.

I first discovered ATS
many moons ago...

if you had seen it then
you would not even recognize it now
as being the same site...

1st few times I visited
I was extremely apprehensive
after awhile i wanted to add my
2cents and said WTF...

lurking is normal
just as long as its
not your neighbors window

reply to post by LazarusTsiyr


I used this site for research, mostly. ATS was THE BEST site for news regarding the Deep Water Disaster, and still is for breaking news and outside the box reports and opinions.

Then I came upon an active thread that I just HAD TO post my opinion in, so I joined. I remember the first time I posted, my hands were shaking when I actually hit "POST"! HAHA!

Then there's the REFRESH button addiction to get past! LOL

Originally posted by windword

Then there's the REFRESH button addiction to get past! LOL

LOL agreed!

Originally posted by Destinyone
reply to post by LazarusTsiyr

 

I lurked for about 4 years before actually joining. Who knows what causes a lurker to finally join...for me, it was finally feeling I had something to say...haven't shut up since.....

Des

Same here.


Quote from LazurusTsiyr;

you give awesome gifts to newbies

I must admit, I was a little disappointed that Des did not welcome me in my intro thread. It actually gave me a complex for a minute. Every intro I read before mine got a" Des welcome" and every one I read after mine got a "Des welcome". After some therapy I've come to terms with it but it still stings every time I read an intro that Des responds to.

Ahh I see well that sux ..

i joined this site when i discovered it . i couldn't resist with a vault of ideas and theories and i could voice my own opinions . it's my home online.

I'm a member an I rarely sign in
I mostly read the news here
So I'm a member that still lurks
To answer your question
The reason peaple lurk or creep
Is because there's not much to say after you read the thread and then read all the responses usually someone has already said your thoughts
So easiest answer there's not much to say because someone else has said it first

I didn't lurk much, I got a link from a friend showing me the most colorful river in the world:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

After that, I read a few topics for like a year or so then joined. I mainly just added my opinions to threads for awhile, then I took a stab at making topics. I like contributing topics that ATS enjoys. It's nice to be with like minded people. It seems a lot of the lurkers end up joining sooner or later

reply to post by tanda7


Oh My...just dropped off a belated Welcome gift in your intro thread...I can't catch them all...you got the really BIG welcome treat plate.....

I might even play like the Easter Bunney, go to your intro thread every year and drop something off.

Des

I lurked a long time, years, because way back when ATS was far more serious, and the people were perhaps... more intellectually more intimidating. I think more than anything, I feared being able to fit in.

After reading a lot and becoming familiar with some names and personalities, I finally got up the nerve, coupled with having something to say, and joined.

Someone posted a message once a while back about how they thought it was strange when someone wrote an intro saying they lurked a few years before joining. A lot of lurkers must have seen it, though, because ever since, there has been a huge increase in those types of intros.

I lurked for a long time. Then I decided to join, and lurked for quite some time after that thinking I would learn enough not to appear like a total noob once I did join. Yeah right. Noobs stick out like a sore thumb here, no matter how long they've lurked.

We make all the mistakes, cover all the topics that have been argued a 1000 times, post mundo duplicate threads, and it takes a bit too grow thicker skin. In my case, I had something else working against me, and it has taken me even longer than most. I'd like to say I'm an old, experienced member now, but I'm not. When I've got a few more years under my belt maybe.

BTW. Welcome to the jungle.

reply to post by Destinyone

You are so kind.

I really mean that.
Thank you.

reply to post by Destinyone

I never have done an intro, Des. If I ever do, you'll have to stop by.

You are the official hostess, you know.