Mysterious lurkers on the SS forum

[~gd]

I'm not really crazy about the layout, or color scheme of the forum if you will. And really hate not having a quick reply feature... Other than that I find a lot of info on here for different ideas/learning purposes so don't find a need to comment that much, and not a whole lot of interesting topics are sparked to comment on..... But mainly not having the quick reply feature. Just my opinion.

i'LL BITE just what is a quick reply feature. I see something like this and I reply what could be faster?

 

[moolie]

I'm not really crazy about the layout, or color scheme of the forum if you will. And really hate not having a quick reply feature... Other than that I find a lot of info on here for different ideas/learning purposes so don't find a need to comment that much, and not a whole lot of interesting topics are sparked to comment on..... But mainly not having the quick reply feature. Just my opinion.

i'LL BITE just what is a quick reply feature. I see something like this and I reply what could be faster?

Some forums have a reply box already there under the last post, you just type in it and click "submit", rather than having to click "reply" to get a box to type in first.

 

[so lucky]

Well, that's just it: some forums seem to be friendlier to newbies speaking up. Some are positively unfriendly. Some forums have a lot of good info, but the tone is so absolute, a person would have to be numb or really brave to risk being ridiculed by asking a "stupid question."

So Lucky, I know you to be a pretty frequent poster here. How did you feel about this forum when you first came here? Did you feel it was inviting, friendly? Or...??

Joel, I found most of the members to be moderately friendly. Not necessarily inviting, but I didn't get snubbed. A few of those are gone now, and a couple of the rather outspoken members are gone (outspoken in an antagonistic way). But if my first few posts had been ridiculed or raised a general kerfuffle, I would not have posted again.
But, again, the forum is full of information that I wanted to read, so I would have kept reading the old threads, whether I ever posted again or not.


Oh, and I guess I misspoke about the e-mails of PM-ers being available. It may have been on another forum. Sorry to have cause confusion.

 

[Joel_BC]

Well, that's just it: some forums seem to be friendlier to newbies speaking up. Some are positively unfriendly. Some forums have a lot of good info, but the tone is so absolute, a person would have to be numb or really brave to risk being ridiculed by asking a "stupid question."

So Lucky, I know you to be a pretty frequent poster here. How did you feel about this forum when you first came here? Did you feel it was inviting, friendly? Or...??

Joel, I found most of the members to be moderately friendly. Not necessarily inviting, but I didn't get snubbed. A few of those are gone now, and a couple of the rather outspoken members are gone (outspoken in an antagonistic way). But if my first few posts had been ridiculed or raised a general kerfuffle, I would not have posted again.
But, again, the forum is full of information that I wanted to read, so I would have kept reading the old threads, whether I ever posted again or not.

Hmm... "moderately friendly. Not necessarily inviting." Well, could be worse. heh, heh

I had a look at your posting history, and I think you started posting something like nine or ten months before I did. So I don't know what the group, in general, was like when you first got on here.

I felt the group was friendly when I came here.

 

[so lucky]

It has changed some. Seems like the regulars here now are a little friendlier than a few of the regulars were when I first started. Like my son says, "It's all good."

 

[Plantress]

ok moolie, here goes. I have followed these forums regularly for the past 3 years without posting because I immediately forgot my password and have never been able to figure out which one I used. I just went through the laborious process of updating and getting a new password because these forums are so dear to my heart. I love to read the journals-the hauling steel, the pallets of tomatoes being processed, the adventures buying and selling fowl. Canning info here has inspired me several years ago to start freezing and canning again. The regulars here can't be beat. I am happy to be a looky lou but now I will join in.

mary/plantress

 

[Denim Deb]

OK, now you need to tell us more about yourself!

 

[moolie]

Hope you share more about your getting back into canning and freezing!

 

[KnightMare]

It seems that some topics get attention and others just die out. I assume that is a natural phenomenon. I am not on very often for a number of reasons, of which work tops the list.
I do notice that when you look at some strings, the same people are the last to post; as if whatever they said, killed the string. Correct me if I am mistaken here but that is what I have noticed. I'm not sure why that is, but after reading this entire string, I see a trend elsewhere.

Much of what I have read here is the usual stuff you see in any forum. There are some who contribute and make the conversation lively and then there are those whose "sensitivity" is challenged by those who have deeply passionate views on some (IMHO)pretty important topics.
The issue of lurkers is one every forum I have ever looked at sees. If you don't join right away, you are considered a "lurker" and as such the pejorative title seems to drive folks who would otherwise be friendly and contributing members, away.

I also notice that some folks attempt to participate and as soon as they do, the string ends...i.e. they "kill the topic". Could this be because no one likes their opinion or is there just some prejudice toward new folks with strong opinion.

There was a journal here for quite some time and I can't seem to find it now. I see posts from that individual from time to time but no journal any more. I used to like reading that journal because the poster was a very strong advocate of our country and its principles. Not many folks seem to carry that as out in the open as that one. I miss that. Maybe they'll start a new journal. I also notice that some folks tend to like to "smack down" the knowledge or opinions of others in an attempt to make themselves feel superior in some way. Maybe that is why folks lurk rather than contribute. Who wants to get smacked by someone who "knows it all" for simply having an opinion?

I don't get on here much. My job is keeping me tied to the grindstone. But this particular string, appears to be a bit more introspective and perhaps that is a good thing so that "lurkers" feel more willing to contribute rather than just read. It is also important to realize that everything we write on the Internet is permanent. It is being stored for reasons only those storing it know but it is my opinion that they are up to no good. It is illegal to let a pastor know who is in the hospital but it is OK for Big Brother to see everything done on the Internet. If that doesn't concern any of you then we may as well "Fiddle while Rome burns"

 

[Britesea]

and if you don't think posting on this forum gets you on a "list" somewhere... you are dreaming