LURKERS: Why they never join in the postings.

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
For those newbies that are passing through AZ Billiards, a lurker is someone who reads but does not post in newsgroup forums like AZ.

Occasionally a lurker who is registered may post but most of the time prefers to observe rather than participate.

I realize posting on newsgroups can be a little controversial. Apparently Mr. Wilson has developed a way to handle the controversial types and controversial threads.

If a lurker wants to post but doesn't want his identity known it is quite simple: He/she can register under a "screen name" made up by him/herself. Now no one has to know who you are. They can even get an email address from yahoo, google or msn to use when registering so their main email address doesn't get publicized.

Many AZers choose to remain anonymous. Others think being anonymous is for those who have something to hide and post using their real names.
Some believe that it is simply fun to have a unique screen name.

I have noticed that there are ENORMOUS numbers of lurkers everyday on AZ and while they can't post unless they are registered.

I wondered what some of the reasons are that lurkers do not post or register.

These large numbers of lurkers could provide additional insight and variety to this already fun forum by registering and posting.
JoeyA
 
JoeyA said:
For those newbies that are passing through AZ Billiards, a lurker is someone who reads but does not post in newsgroup forums like AZ.

Occasionally a lurker who is registered may post but most of the time prefers to observe rather than participate.

I realize posting on newsgroups can be a little controversial. Apparently Mr. Wilson has developed a way to handle the controversial types and controversial threads.

If a lurker wants to post but doesn't want his identity known it is quite simple: He/she can register under a "screen name" made up by him/herself. Now no one has to know who you are. They can even get an email address from yahoo, google or msn to use when registering so their main email address doesn't get publicized.

Many AZers choose to remain anonymous. Others think being anonymous is for those who have something to hide and post using their real names.
Some believe that it is simply fun to have a unique screen name.

I have noticed that there are ENORMOUS numbers of lurkers everyday on AZ and while they can't post unless they are registered.

I wondered what some of the reasons are that lurkers do not post or register.

These large numbers of lurkers could provide additional insight and variety to this already fun forum by registering and posting.
JoeyA
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If you remember being in school... many people did raise their hand to answer a question for fear of being wrong or not expressing themselves well. In school it didn't matter to those people that the teacher said there was no such thing as a stupid question (or response) they were still afraid of their peers opinion no matter what the teach thought. It is the same with posting many people are afraid they'll be wrong, many more I suspect don't feel as if they express themselves well in written format.
Personally, I've never been afraid to make a fool of myself or to be wrong. Hence the high post count. :)
 
AZBilliards comes up quite often when you search billiards products or subject matter on google or any of the other search engines. Often the hits are because of something mentioned on the forums. I think that could account for some of the "lurkers".

I know a lot of times when I've searched something(pool related or not) and come up on a forum, I'll sometimes read the posts for a while. I when I joined AZ it was because someone at CCB pointed me in this direction. However, when I got here, I recognized the site because it had come up in some of my previous searches.
 
Radiophonicus said:
I rarely post because I don't have enough experience to contribute positively and I learn more by just reading the responses here.
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I think this is the same with me, so many great posters on here, i learn more by just reading.About all i can offer is my opinion and sometimes they are best kept unposted.;)
 
Radiophonicus said:
I rarely post because I don't have enough experience to contribute positively and I learn more by just reading the responses here.
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I think this applies to most of the new people to the board. As said earlier, we are 'afraid' of being wrong and don't want to be looked down upon because of our inexperience. Also, many threads are over our heads and we couldn't provide any input even if we wanted to. I try to add my opinion where I can but for the most part, I just sit back and soak it all in.
 
To me personally, I could care less if a thread has hundreds of views and a handful of responses.

If you don't want to join the conversation, that's your prerogative. If you don't want to post your point of view, I don't want to read about it anyway.

If you do want to put yourself out there, you only make this MB stronger. I'd rather have as many points of view as possible on a particular subject, and look forward to reading views from people who differ from myself geographically, who play in various leagues, skill levels, instructors, manufactures, cue makers, table installers, etc. Everyone sees the table different, so to speak, and I for one respect your point of view.

The wealth of knowledge and experience from other posters here makes my game more fun, fulfilling, and enjoyable. If you don't want to be a part of it, that's fine with me. I won't be twisting your arm.
 
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Lukers on CCB

I just checked over at CCB and found that "6 registered and 76 anonymous users are browsing this forum." Lots of lurkers over there as well.
 
Posting

I enjoy reading and gleaning information from the many knowledgeable posters here. I don't have the knowledge to contribute in that manner, so I can't. However, many of the posters' post counts get inflated by the type of posts such as, "nice cue, good luck on your sale, wish I had the money," etc. To me, while I would expect that for the most part the sentiment expressed is genuine, it, nevertheless, is pointless, much like asking someone, "How are you?" and not waiting for the answer. Window dressing and platitudes which are unnecessary. In addition, if I am interested in purchasing an item, I will do so through the PM process with no need to post that I did so. Such postings again jack up the post counter. I thought one of the purposes of the PM was to eliminate such inane content. However, if a topic of personal interest pisses me off enough I will post my views, which will then place me in the same category of innaneness and baniality that I just derogated.
 
JoeyA said:
....I have noticed that there are ENORMOUS numbers of lurkers everyday on AZ and while they can't post unless they are registered.

I wondered what some of the reasons are that lurkers do not post or register.....
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I visit this forum several times a day. I don't necessarily 'log on' during every visit. I pretty much only 'log on' when I got something worthwhile to contribute, which ain't that often.

I am sure others out there are like me, and this may account for the ENORMOUS number of lurkers, or part of it. :D

And I know, you can have it automatically save you screen name, but clean my cache, so it doesn't stick around for me, and that's OK.

FWIW I kinda think I am a thread killer. Not too many respond to threads after I give my two cents.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
I have been here since I found it last December and have over 700 posts.
You guys were very nice to me when I first joined up. Everyone welcomed me, and I Love the board. In all this time and all these posts I have only had a problem with one poster who did not like the Color of my Jay Flowers case and insulted me. I just ignore him. He most likely was jealous cause I have a Jay Flowers in the first place.:D

So, all you Lurkers join up. If I see a thread that is of interest to me and someone has already posted what I was going to post, I post a +1:D
and give them good rep points.

:)
 
Nice!

AlexB said:
I enjoy reading and gleaning information from the many knowledgeable posters here. I don't have the knowledge to contribute in that manner, so I can't. However, many of the posters' post counts get inflated by the type of posts such as, "nice cue, good luck on your sale, wish I had the money," etc. To me, while I would expect that for the most part the sentiment expressed is genuine, it, nevertheless, is pointless, much like asking someone, "How are you?" and not waiting for the answer. Window dressing and platitudes which are unnecessary. In addition, if I am interested in purchasing an item, I will do so through the PM process with no need to post that I did so. Such postings again jack up the post counter. I thought one of the purposes of the PM was to eliminate such inane content. However, if a topic of personal interest pisses me off enough I will post my views, which will then place me in the same category of innaneness and baniality that I just derogated.
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I have to congratulate you on your insights and self-perception!:p
 
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