Lurkers

[Jelly]

I've noticed there can be thousands of readers vs a few dozen registered users here at any given time.

So for the unwashed masses, wouldn't it be nice if you introduced yourself and perhaps your pets. Give yourself a cute name and register without prejudice. Then we can all smooze around, talk about stocks and how to make oodles of money, like y'all and us'all want to do, eh?

*This public service announcement is presented free of charge and is guaranteed to make you a better trader, what with unfettered communication being what it is (It's hard to get the answer to your question, if you don't ask it).

[Thierry Martin]

I've noticed there can be thousands of readers vs a few dozen registered users here at any given time.

So for the unwashed masses, wouldn't it be nice if you introduced yourself and perhaps your pets. Give yourself a cute name and register without prejudice. Then we can all smooze around, talk about stocks and how to make oodles of money, like y'all and us'all want to do, eh?

*This public service announcement is presented free of charge and is guaranteed to make you a better trader, what with unfettered communication being what it is (It's hard to get the answer to your question, if you don't ask it).

FYI, about 75% of the "lurkers" are search engine spiders that crawl the site 24 hours a day, indexing posts within minutes. Scroll to the bottom of the main page, click on "currently active users" and then go to the bottom of the page and select "bots" and you can compare that to "guests" to see the proportion. Our guests to registered user ratio is lower than most forums, although it would be nice to have even more users registering and posting. However, the pattern is usually lots of lurking and then when the visitor feels comfortable they won't be ridiculed, they join and post. Actually, less than 10% of newly registered users every post, this is also average for a forum.

[Jelly]

FYI, about 75% of the "lurkers" are search engine spiders that crawl the site 24 hours a day, indexing posts within minutes. Scroll to the bottom of the main page (you have to be registered to see this), click on "currently active users" and then go to the bottom of the page and select "bots" and you can compare that to "guests" to see the proportion. Our guests to registered user ratio is lower than most forums, although it would be nice to have even more users registering and posting. However, the pattern is usually lots of lurking and then when the visitor feels comfortable they won't be ridiculed, they join and post. Actually, less than 10% of newly registered users every post, this is also average for a forum.

So my points are well taken. Just not to the extent I proffered. I totally understand the reluctance to post. Being ridiculed is high on the list but being coddled is equally uncomfortable for those with a working knowledge of internet protocol.

Doing a search for the answer to your question, asking it in the correct folder and entering without attitude is usually a path to acceptance.

It seems to me that vastly divergent opinions on a variety of subjects have been given voice of late and active posters are growing.

Did you ever get some people to help you run this place? You should.

[aiki14]

So my points are well taken. Just not to the extent I proffered. I totally understand the reluctance to post. Being ridiculed is high on the list but being coddled is equally uncomfortable for those with a working knowledge of internet protocol.

Doing a search for the answer to your question, asking it in the correct folder and entering without attitude is usually a path to acceptance.

It seems to me that vastly divergent opinions on a variety of subjects have been given voice of late and active posters are growing.

Did you ever get some people to help you run this place? You should.

I am pretty clueless about these things, but aren't you referring to trolls? Folks who show up to complain, or cause trouble, and never contribute anything. Maybe that's a subset of the group you're talking about.

[Jelly]

I am pretty clueless about these things, but aren't you referring to trolls? Folks who show up to complain, or cause trouble, and never contribute anything. Maybe that's a subset of the group you're talking about.

Actually, I'm not talking about anyone, in particular. Just encouraging more participation in my own obtuse way.

As you know, almost everyone can help build the community in whatever way they chose................IF they chose.

Even trolls are an amusing distraction, since they are outted so quickly.

[kingfisher]

Actually, I'm not talking about anyone, in particular. Just encouraging more participation in my own obtuse way.

As you know, almost everyone can help build the community in whatever way they chose................IF they chose.

Even trolls are an amusing distraction, since they are outted so quickly.

I suspect that many have opted not to post any longer due to the editing and baning from the site for stating their opinion without using foul language!

What I have witnessed in the past myself was, when TM was confronted he used Veto Power. In TMs defense he owns this site and it earns an income from the adds posted here.. Bottom line, Freedom of speech was lost here. This is why many of the best no longer post here. Actually I was very surprised that the Chart Guru came back after such a long absence. I guess time can heal some things.

Just my observation Jelly

[theponi]

I feel that perhaps I should speak up and say something (being one of unspoken masses) and give some reasons, at least in my case, why I do not post.

I consider myself to be young, 25, and a rookie to investing/trading. After getting my first "real" job during college, I was looking for a place to park some extra money. The first thing I did was read, then I read some more, finally I read even more. After several months of learning about the market and stocks, I opened an account and purchased a handful of stocks. 6 months later I was up about 30% on my portfolio (mind you this was in 2002-2003 when just about everything was going up). Anyway I sold these stocks and looked to put my money elsewhere. This is where I made my first big mistake, chat rooms. I cruised a few and heard people saying to buy ABC stock NOW or you would miss out big. Needless to say my 30% gain soon turned into major losses and I bought stocks with no research or understand what they did...

Fast forward to about a year ago. I had been out of college and working for about 2 years and had put a good chunk of change away. The housing market was starting to take a nose dive and I was again looking to earn a better return then the 5.X% on the CDs I had. Again I started reading, a bunch. That is when I came upon this site and realized that after the months of reading I had done on the market I still knew jack. There were many on here that have been investing longer than I have been alive. One of the greatest lessons I have learned so far after being in the real world is that when someone who has been doing something successfully, and for a long time, to shut up, listen and learn. And so that is what I have been doing...

I will say that, although this is only my second post, I have been on this board almost every day for a year reading and learning from the experts. While I still consider myself to be a "newbee" in the world of trading (and will be for several years) my knowledge has increased 10-fold. I am slowly starting to understand the discipline and mindset it takes to invest, the questions I need to ask when looking at a stock, and many other tools of the trade. None of that would have been possible without the several knowledgeable posters on this site who graciously share their years of experience with the silent masses like myself. I only hope that in a few decades that I will be able to share my wisdom to new investors in a forum such as this.

[englishman26]

theponi - it really sounds like there is a lot of intelligence and experience hiding behind your shy posture given the eloquence of that post. I for one look forward to you taking an active part. :beerglass: