POLL: Are you a lurker? If so that's fine. But why not post?

Rebecca R wrote:.....that being said, this forum is what it is. In most systems/communities/families etc. the dynamics are often predictable, especially cyber-cultures....Lurkers are part of the community.

r

I'd have to say, I agree with Rebecca R...and jnk, you know I love you...but why the concern about lurkers? It seems a reflection of how people are in everyday life. Some are outspoken, some are shy and timid...some are arrogant...some never say much...they just observe. Different personalities. I don't think our forum prevents anyone from posting. If folks feel intimidated about chiming in...I tend to think it's more about them than us. My 2 cents! You know I never hesitate to say what I think!

ozij wrote:

Rebecca R wrote:
JNK, did you lose a bet with CarbonMan? Why do you owe him a new keyboard and have to clean his desk?

r

On this forum, with some members, it's better not to have coffee tea or any other liquid in your mouth when you read. carbonman must have been thinking he's on his bike, and forgotten that basic safety rule for cpaptalk members....

Another way of describing the splutter of surpised, overwhelming, uncotrollable laughter.

Correction: I can't make heads or tails out of what is going on in this forum either. Thanks Ozij for explaining. Oh oh, I am drinking coffee.

secret agent girl wrote:

Lurkers are part of the community.

I disagree. Community requires contribution and interaction in more than one direction.

We can agree to disagree. I think I know what you mean though. For groups/families/systems etc. maintaining healthy dynamics and relationships, ideally at least, require at least some contribution and interaction in more than one direction.

In my opinion it isn't a question of how the community should be. It is just how it is in a virtual community. Not everyone in a f2f community contributes in the same way, but they contribute in some way and are a part of it, just by existing. Sometimes we contribute in order that others may benefit and know we will never hear back: ie donating to causes, people in need etc.

I am not sure lurkers are interacting in only one direction though. They aren't interacting directly at this time perhaps. Some are getting ready to interact in the future and some never will. Some might be researching for family and friends and passing the info along. Some are buying from cpap.com (they couldn't continue to host this forum if no one purchased) after reading member comments about products. Cpaptalk is good advertising for a good company. So lurkers do active members a service too. Thank you lurkers.

I think it is great that for every active member between 10 and 100 people silently learn from this forum. It is likely higher since that site was old. Many people benefit from the the advice and interactions that take place here: just as we read and learn from threads we don't necessarily post in. Something someone says here could save or improve someone's life out there....like ripples...

IMO we should be welcoming to lurkers, so they feel comfortable posting. But we can't make them and we shouldn't stop them from lurking and learning.

r

SleepyT wrote:
I'd have to say, I agree with Rebecca R...and jnk, you know I love you...but why the concern about lurkers? It seems a reflection of how people are in everyday life. Some are outspoken, some are shy and timid...some are arrogant...some never say much...they just observe. Different personalities. I don't think our forum prevents anyone from posting. If folks feel intimidated about chiming in...I tend to think it's more about them than us. My 2 cents! You know I never hesitate to say what I think!

Thanks SleepyT. Maybe we should start a cybersister group. But what would we do if we disagreed with each other??

Lately I've been lurking more than posting, therapy is going well for now, so mostly to keep educating myself with any new information. I also like to welcome newcomers and answer any questions I feel qualified to respond to, as well as enjoying myself when some of our "comedians" get going! At those times I'm hoping that newbies are reading those posts and recognizing what a great forum this is on serious threads as well as the "kooky" ones. I've always been treated with respect and kindness here. Jeff, I don't care what anyone says, I love your polls!

SleepyT wrote: . . . and jnk, you know I love you...but why the concern about lurkers? . . .

Yes, I know that, and I love you too, SleepyT. My concern was based partly on a post in another thread. A relatively new contributer to this forum (one with the potential to be particularly valuable here, in my opinion) seemed concerned about some exchanges that took place between two people having a, well, um, "public personality conflict" that stretched across a few threads. The relatively new contributer said she had concerns that lurkers would, based on the attitudes seen by a very few in this forum, stop lurking and might choose not to make a post asking for help here if they needed help with a problem. So I thought it might be good to acknowledge the lurkers by discussing them in a poll in case it increased the comfort level of some of them as far as sticking around and maybe even posting one day.

I agree that lurkers are fine if they prefer just to lurk. My wife is a very shy person and doesn't say much in public in most circumstances, and I love her just the way she is. She still lights up a room for me just by being there.

My opinion is that lurkers are valuable just lurking. A play is made better when the actors are aware there is an audience. Perhaps we don't hear the lurkers clapping when a thread goes well. My larger point is that we also cannot hear them boo and hiss when some posters, who might be more valuable as lurkers, choose to turn a thread into a kingergarten hissy fit for no apparent reason. Not that I have any particular posters in mind, or anything. Not me. I don't think like that. But I would like to believe that any lurker who needed specific help would make an exception and post a question if he or she could not find a post anywhere on this board that addressed the problem he or she was having. That's all.

jeff

DoriC wrote:Lately I've been lurking more than posting, therapy is going well for now, so mostly to keep educating myself with any new information. I also like to welcome newcomers and answer any questions I feel qualified to respond to, as well as enjoying myself when some of our "comedians" get going! At those times I'm hoping that newbies are reading those posts and recognizing what a great forum this is on serious threads as well as the "kooky" ones. I've always been treated with respect and kindness here. Jeff, I don't care what anyone says, I love your polls!

Speaking of lighting up a room . . .!

I look forward to your every post, DoriC. A few of your recent ones have made me laugh out loud. And one made me fall on the floor laughing. I had to show it to my wife, since she thought I had lost my mind in front of the laptop again.

Rebecca R wrote:. . . Correction: I can't make heads or tails out of what is going on in this forum either. . . .

File that under "Proof of Sanity." Once it all starts making sense, you are a hopeless case, Rebecca R. So--Embrace the confusion!

jeff

MOohoo HA HA! It's me SuperGeeky, the 'TOPIC KILLER'!! My powers are unlimited!! No one can stop me from KILLING a Topic.

Not the wisdom of Wulfman, the Southern serene Rested Gal, the surliness of Rooster or CarbonMan, who leaps into REM with a single rebound. No one can stop me from killing a TOPIC. No matter how interesting!!

All I need is to reply with a single word, death comes quickly.... Within moments the topic slips down page one, hours later on page two and then never to be seen again. Not even the Search Engine will find the topic. My powers have no boundaries...

My comments could be insightful, witty, pithy, entertaining and life saving. The TOPIC suffers a violent pitiful death and lost into the oblivion of the internet. Ah yes, only my 'other life' of Lurker will save the TOPICS from such a horrible ending.

MOohoo HA HA! (wicked laugh).. Time to put an end to this TOPIC. Put a fork in me, I'm done!!! Mooohoo HA HA! (evil laugh)

'Submit'

.....................................................................................
.......'hear the silence'...................................................gasp.....death

SuperGeeky wrote:MOohoo HA HA! It's me SuperGeeky, the 'TOPIC KILLER'!! My powers are unlimited!! No one can stop me from KILLING a Topic.

Not the wisdom of Wulfman, the Southern serene Rested Gal, the surliness of Rooster or CarbonMan, who leaps into REM with a single rebound. No one can stop me from killing a TOPIC. No matter how interesting!!

All I need is to reply with a single word, death comes quickly.... Within moments the topic slips down page one, hours later on page two and then never to be seen again. Not even the Search Engine will find the topic. My powers have no boundaries...

My comments could be insightful, witty, pithy, entertaining and life saving. The TOPIC suffers a violent pitiful death and lost into the oblivion of the internet. Ah yes, only my 'other life' of Lurker will save the TOPICS from such a horrible ending.

MOohoo HA HA! (wicked laugh).. Time to put an end to this TOPIC. Put a fork in me, I'm done!!! Mooohoo HA HA! (evil laugh)

'Submit'

.....................................................................................
.......'hear the silence'...................................................gasp.....death

Well....... SOMEBODY has to have the "last word" on every topic. I guess that makes you the "designated last commentor"......


Den

jnk wrote:.....I agree that lurkers are fine if they prefer just to lurk. My wife is a very shy person and doesn't say much in public in most circumstances, and I love her just the way she is. She still lights up a room for me just by being there.....jeff

AAAAHHHHhhhh, bonus points for YOU this Valentine's Day! You big sweetie!

Rebecca R wrote:

SleepyT wrote:
I'd have to say, I agree with Rebecca R...and jnk, you know I love you...but why the concern about lurkers? It seems a reflection of how people are in everyday life. Some are outspoken, some are shy and timid...some are arrogant...some never say much...they just observe. Different personalities. I don't think our forum prevents anyone from posting. If folks feel intimidated about chiming in...I tend to think it's more about them than us. My 2 cents! You know I never hesitate to say what I think!

Thanks SleepyT. Maybe we should start a cybersister group. But what would we do if we disagreed with each other??

We just might! But it's all good! We're just one big happy family! Or is that a famn damily?

SuperGeeky wrote:MOohoo HA HA! It's me SuperGeeky, the 'TOPIC KILLER'!! My powers are unlimited!! No one can stop me from KILLING a Topic.

Not the wisdom of Wulfman, the Southern serene Rested Gal, the surliness of Rooster or CarbonMan, who leaps into REM with a single rebound. No one can stop me from killing a TOPIC. No matter how interesting!!

All I need is to reply with a single word, death comes quickly.... Within moments the topic slips down page one, hours later on page two and then never to be seen again. Not even the Search Engine will find the topic. My powers have no boundaries...

My comments could be insightful, witty, pithy, entertaining and life saving. The TOPIC suffers a violent pitiful death and lost into the oblivion of the internet. Ah yes, only my 'other life' of Lurker will save the TOPICS from such a horrible ending.

MOohoo HA HA! (wicked laugh).. Time to put an end to this TOPIC. Put a fork in me, I'm done!!! Mooohoo HA HA! (evil laugh)

'Submit'

.....................................................................................
.......'hear the silence'...................................................gasp.....death

See, gorgeous! You DIDN"T kill it!

SuperGeeky wrote:MOohoo HA HA! It's me SuperGeeky, the 'TOPIC KILLER'!! My powers are unlimited!! No one can stop me from KILLING a Topic.

Not the wisdom of Wulfman, the Southern serene Rested Gal, the surliness of Rooster or CarbonMan, who leaps into REM with a single rebound. No one can stop me from killing a TOPIC. No matter how interesting!!

All I need is to reply with a single word, death comes quickly.... Within moments the topic slips down page one, hours later on page two and then never to be seen again. Not even the Search Engine will find the topic. My powers have no boundaries...

My comments could be insightful, witty, pithy, entertaining and life saving. The TOPIC suffers a violent pitiful death and lost into the oblivion of the internet. Ah yes, only my 'other life' of Lurker will save the TOPICS from such a horrible ending.

MOohoo HA HA! (wicked laugh).. Time to put an end to this TOPIC. Put a fork in me, I'm done!!! Mooohoo HA HA! (evil laugh)

'Submit'

.....................................................................................
.......'hear the silence'...................................................gasp.....death

So funny. I always smile a little bit when I see your avatar pic SuperGeeky

I may have to battle you on this one! I'M THE TOPIC KILLER!! I cant tell you how many times I have been the last to comment on a thread and it dies. lol... always makes me feel like I killed it somehow. And I try to make most of my posts on topic and useful..

Over all, I don't think it has anything to do with you or I and our posts. I think that you and I just have an uncanny knack for posting to threads that have already exhausted the responses its going to get.

To jdm5 (if you are reading this): I do have to tell you that you are one of the people on this forum that have really helped me. I am still very grateful for help the help you gave me early on when I was still pretty new here.
There have been several others too. Social Monkey, Rested Gal, Rooster, secret agent girl, sleeping ugly, aavenger, Gerryk, FinceMgr, Babette, Wulfman, cotech, scrapper, DoriC, SuperGeeky, carbonman, Slinky, Sleeprider, several several more. More than I could ever mention. You have all helped me in one way or another. Even if I haven't directly commented on any of your threads or replied to any of your comments, I do read many of them and learn from it all.

The positive encouragement really helps me to keep going and seeing all the people here (over 46 THOUSAND registered users) makes me feel like I'm not the only one that has to deal with the problem we all share. Helps to know that when I experience something with OSA that I dont understand or that I need help with, I can hop on the forum and there will be several people right there, ready and willing to answer questions and offer helpful advice. Collectively, we have more knowledge and experience than just about any other resource on the internet, and its a nice thing to be a part of. So thank you everyone for your kindness, your help, and your patience.

-Blake

SuperGeeky wrote:MOohoo HA HA! It's me SuperGeeky, the 'TOPIC KILLER'!! My powers are unlimited!! No one can stop me from KILLING a Topic.

Not the wisdom of Wulfman, the Southern serene Rested Gal, the surliness of Rooster or CarbonMan, who leaps into REM with a single rebound. No one can stop me from killing a TOPIC. No matter how interesting!!

All I need is to reply with a single word, death comes quickly.... Within moments the topic slips down page one, hours later on page two and then never to be seen again. Not even the Search Engine will find the topic. My powers have no boundaries...

My comments could be insightful, witty, pithy, entertaining and life saving. The TOPIC suffers a violent pitiful death and lost into the oblivion of the internet. Ah yes, only my 'other life' of Lurker will save the TOPICS from such a horrible ending.

MOohoo HA HA! (wicked laugh).. Time to put an end to this TOPIC. Put a fork in me, I'm done!!! Mooohoo HA HA! (evil laugh)

'Submit'

.....................................................................................
.......'hear the silence'...................................................gasp.....death

Personally, I make it a point never to make my points well enough to end a thread. I'm here to foster argument, not actually solve anything. So my suggestion to you would be: Maybe if you tried not being so effective and insightful, then others might feel freer to continue the thread.



jeff

blakepro wrote: . . . To jdm5 (if you are reading this): I do have to tell you that you are one of the people on this forum that have really helped me. I am still very grateful for help the help you gave me early on when I was still pretty new here. . . .

I miss jdm5, too. Where is that rascal?

jeff