The board is so slow, I thought it might liven things us a bit to speculate about our statistics. Can anybody think of a way of getting a rough idea of how many of the almost three thousand registered members even lurk during a given weeK?
Can you make a reasonable approximation of the number who at least read posts regularly?
Of those, how many make initial posts.?
And how many wait until someone else starts a thread, and then change the topic?
This is very interesting, Dr Bill, and I have no idea if it's possible or not to approximate these things. We'll have to count on our technical advisors.
One thing Faldage has noticed and pointed out to me is that the newcomers who stay are usually ones whose first post is a contribution to a discussion already in progress. Those who post a question in Q&A are as often as not one-time apparitions (Faldage, correct me if I'm wrong and I know you will!).
newcomers who stay are usually ones whose first post is a contribution to a discussion already in progress. Those who post a question in Q&A are as often as not one-time apparitions
That was an early observation based on a small sample. I have since seen a significant number of exceptions; I'm not sure if there is still a good statistical correlation.
One of the things I like best about AWADtalk is the speed with which inquiries are answered. In many of the word sites you are lucky if you get a reply within a week, which discourages me from participating there.
I tried asking a question in Take Our Word For It, and after several days got reply their mail box had been full, try again some time.
I guess that goes to show you what a special place we have here, Dr. Bill. I remember that my first post was to open a thread in Miscellany asking for help in naming a jewelry store. If I remember correctly, I lurked for a while before signing in and posting. What I would like to see happen in the next few weeks would be that all who are registered and lurking speak up and introduce themselves. I suggest this thread would be the proper place for it. How about it, people? I ,for one, would love to make your acquaintance.
I can understand the members who are not fluent in English hesitating to post, even though they ought not fear being ridiculed. But it surprises me to have some obviously bright people PM me because they were timid about posting. I would welcome many more posts from the timid ones.
I have wondered why some of our Asiatic members no longer post.
Lurking??? How do we know people are lurking? I always thought that the total members was only the total number who have registered to date - which has really nothing to do with how many actually participate.
As I said, a few have PM'd me, a few have said so in subsequent posts. I just can't understand why so many people would have gone to the trouble to register, and never post. We have had many, many dropouts, who never gave us a clue why they left. It would be a lot more fun if we had more people participating. New ideas, that's what we need.
I really like this site,although it took a year for me to post after registering! that was because i forgot that i had registered , forgot about the site , -the lot ! but now i have re-discovered it i enjoy it a lot but at times it can be a little intellectually intimidating , there are a lot of very intelligent ,professional people on this site , and at times i feel a little bit dumb,so i just read, iam pretty new to the world of computers , i dont know how to do links or anything at all really. I came to this site because i love words , books and language- i've not been disappointed,it is a charming place and not being techno-minded i am filled with wonder at the ability to have a world wide conversation on the nature of chip butties!. Also amazed to discover that Rhubarb Commando is less than 20 miles away , small world eh?
I dont really see what you could change, anyway , i'm off to neck some scran i'm lee marvin'
cheers
the Duncster
i enjoy it a lot but at times it can be a little intellectually intimidating , there are a lot of very intelligent ,professional people on this site , and at times i feel a little bit dumb,I can speak for myself only ... if I'd let feeling "dumb" keep me from posting, or the odd remark ruffle my sensitivities I never would have gotten past "Stranger" designation!
It took me awhile to catch on to link posting and using the little emoticons ...
... but Private Messages to long-timers on the board got me sorted out in no time which is miraculous considering I am pretty much cyber-impared!
Sooo, to you Duncan, and all the folks who are timid about posting ... just start running down that wharf and LEAP IN!
The water's fine!
And, do not hesitate to send a PM to me and I'll help with any (basics) that I can, and try to refer you to the more savvy if I do not have an answer for you.
C'mon, You are only a Stranger once, regardless of the title you're sporting.
Aloha
wow
Thanks WOW I appreciate your kind words
As you can see I am a stranger no more...........wahey!!!!!
the Duncster
If'n you-all want statistics, I'm sure that suitable grovelling to Anu would produce them - eventually. The software must record hits. It makes, shall we say, generous use of cookies and I bet it records the different comings and goings. A small matter, then, to filter out the hits by members to give the stats on the non-members who lurk.
Anyone up for it?
Dear CK: I am constantly amazed that Wordsmith is willing to go to so much trouble for such a small number of participants in AWADtalk. Unless he knows that there is a large number of viewers we know nothing about. If somehow the number of thread initiators could be doubled, we'd all have a lot more fun. I also enjoy the tangents created by talented interlopers. I try to be brave about getting shot down so often.
Bill, I suspect that the Board is a happy by-product of the rest of it.
I am surprised at the number of people whose names appear in Newsletter but never on the Board.
I'm wondering now about Ann Curry (sp?) of the Today show. After reporting on the Lewis/Tyson melee that left the Comissioner of Boxing unconscious, her comment was...ready for this?
Harrumph®
Harrumph®
And do I get any royalties?
The yahoo's chopped liver is the connoisseur's paté.