An Observation... And A Sad One At That
few posters but many, many more lurkers... too many, in fact
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 by starkers | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I spent a while away from the site to deal with various things, but on my return I notice the same few posters putting up various threads, and hundreds of lurkers, people who read those posts and benefit from the information provided, or get a laugh from them, but rarely or never contribute anything towards them.
So when I say it's sad, given how slow the forums can be some days, that's exactly what it is, S....A....D, SAD! It reminds me of the old commuter trains we used to have here in SE Queensland [Aus], where each carriage had around 10 rows of 2 bench seat compartments and a door either side. We used to call them cattle trains because of how people were so crowded in...and when all the bench seats were occupied another half dozen or so would cram into the small compartment and have to stand on what little floor space was left after the seated passengers had placed their feet and brief cases, etc.
Anyway, to cut a long story a bit shorter, there were these hundreds and hundreds of daily commuters, many travelling in the same compartment next the same people every day five days a week, all hidden behind the Courier Mail, which back in the day was a full sized newspaper, and none ever spoke to each other, not ever... and when those trains, of which there were dozens, and therefore the scene was repeatedly repeated, reached the city, all those people dispersed to their respective jobs, and still not speaking to each other, for any feching reason, until the journey home. The same scene was repeated on dozens and dozens of commuter trains carrying 1000's and 1000's of people, all of them with their heads stuck in the Telegraph, Brisbane's afternoon paper.
So, the purpose of this sad commuter story, which hasn't changed a great deal since the 1970's, apart from the diesel drawn cattle trains becoming electrically powered cattle trains carrying yet another generation of equally 'miserably inclined' people, is to draw its striking resemblance to the oft desolate forums here at WC, where a handful of people post and the majority has its head stuck in a feching newspaper.
Okay, maybe not a newspaper, but there is no participation from these lurkers to validate their existence here, no contributions to say: "Hey, I like this place and benefit greatly from it, so here's something in return." No, it's too much feching trouble. Well for mine, if you can take the time to read a thread/post, then you've enough time to post something... something so that regular contributors can acknowledge you, as a person and not some 'page view statistic', has truly joined the WC family and is a part of the human race.
Since my return a couple of months ago I have tried to visit more threads to contribute and participate, with a bit of information, with a bit of humour... something to say I'm a member and I've been here, but don't leave it all up to me all you lurkers, get your heads out of whatever and please join the rest of us.
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Reply #42 Thursday, February 27, 2014 7:44 AM
better lurkers than no one visiting the site at all. why is this such a big deal, does it matter?, does it affect you in any way?, is your life less than it could be because of this? probably no, no and no. Lurkers lurk. Millions of people read newspapers but only a minority write letters to the editor or letters page, are they doing the wrong thing to. I just dont get the issue here. Oh well off i lurk
To be honest, there really isn't an issue here at all. I was just bored, needed something to occupy myself with while feeling unwell, and saw an opportunity to create something out of nothing when comparing the page views with the responses... and by presenting it the provocative way I did, I hoped to evoke a number of responses with which I could have fun. Let's just say I'm not disappointed... it has been fun.
Reply #43 Thursday, February 27, 2014 7:59 AM
Reply #44 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:03 AM
I understand that people have different priorities and interests, and that not everybody has a need to be heard in the forums, so while I hoped to attract a few responders with the provocative writing style, it was never to make anyone feel obliged to participate if they didn't have time or would rather not.
Thing is, whether anybody else joined in or not, I knew that various regulars would participate, and I thank them for that.
Reply #45 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:07 AM
Quoting starkers, reply 42To be honest, there really isn't an issue here at all. I was just bored, needed something to occupy myself with while feeling unwell, and saw an opportunity to create something out of nothing when comparing the page views with the responses... and by presenting it the provocative way I did, I hoped to evoke a number of responses with which I could have fun. Let's just say I'm not disappointed... it has been fun.
You are the sly one, aren't you Captain!!
Absolutely, Barb.... 50% mischievous and 50% sly. 
Reply #46 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:19 AM
Ans what about the other 50%? Forgot sbout that one......didn't ya. 
Reply #47 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:23 AM
that would be 150%....over 100% is flim flam! 
Reply #48 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:55 AM
Quoting Uvah, reply 46Ans what about the other 50%? Forgot sbout that one.. mmm... by my calculations that would be 150%....over 100% is flim flam!
Well I'm plenty capable of 100% flim flam. 50% Sly + 50% Mischief = 100% Flim flam.
Reply #50 Thursday, February 27, 2014 11:14 AM
Reply #54 Thursday, February 27, 2014 2:46 PM
One important thing for a lurker is to make sure you always have enough popcorn and a cold drink handy.
Reply #57 Thursday, February 27, 2014 6:31 PM
I 'lurked' back in the early days of Skinning ....so that when I finally 'emerged' I wouldn't say something that made me look like a dork.....
It didn't work....
Reply #58 Thursday, February 27, 2014 9:52 PM
Please respect tha hidden training, discipline and self control of advanced core lurking. Honoring oneself, tha true warrior's empowerment can feel transformed and really inspire others with silence.. now, where do i post all of my passwords?
Reply #59 Friday, February 28, 2014 6:10 AM
Just as I expected, post 50 and the thread has just about died in the arse... bloody lurkers.
Now I must thank the regular contributors who helped make this thread more fun and helped get it to 50 posts. You people are bloody legends and I thank you from the bottom of my black heart for the great memories I'll derive from here.
As for the rest of you, lurkers and backroom feeders... SOD OFF! Didn't want you in my frickin' thread anyhow, so sod off. Me and the gang of 6 will cover it just nicely, thank you. we will manage it more than adequately on our own. And if you're thinking about being a Johnny-come-lately, forget it. You blew your chance and now it's gone!
Come in now and yer gonna get heckled by the Heckle and Jeckle of WC. Don't know who they are? Dare to venture in and you'll discover that they are the penultimate insult throwers of the internet and will make you wanna cry. Thing is, they are each paid per insult so just don't bother testing the waters, orright... still sod off.
Oh, and Smedley, we aren't done! tThat defamatory pic you posted of me will come back to bite you... and don't forget, I have friends who have friends, who have friends who know people who have friends in high places, so be warned. One of those people in high places, I'm told, is Halle Berry, and she knows Dr House personally.... so you're in the sheiiiite now, buddy.... up to yer frickin' neck in it.
Reply #60 Friday, February 28, 2014 6:23 AM
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Reply #41 Thursday, February 27, 2014 7:28 AM
Where you been?