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Thread: AntiOnline members

  1. #1
    Gonzo District BOFH westin's Avatar
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    AntiOnline members

    under stats, currently it reads: Members: 117,912

    I don't think there are that many members posting regularly by any stretch of the imagination...

    Is there any rule that deactivates a members account after so many months/years of not posting?

    Just curious

    westin
    \"Those of us that had been up all night were in no mood for coffee and donuts, we wanted strong drink.\"

    -HST

  2. #2
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    No, there is no obligation to post. Being a member gives you more options than just logging in as a guest, so people join for that reason.

    I am a member of several forums where I have never posted, just for that reason.

  3. #3
    Ditto. I am a member of several forums just to lurk or to search their data base when I need to find a solution.

  4. #4
    Gonzo District BOFH westin's Avatar
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    Right on... appreciate the replies...
    \"Those of us that had been up all night were in no mood for coffee and donuts, we wanted strong drink.\"

    -HST

  5. #5
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    I realize it's a numbers issue...the more numbers the bigger the prize ...and to some extent it's a lurking issue...

    huge member bases may impress advertisers but they are nevertheless skewed data...

    membership bases should reflect ' actual usage '...

    the way to have ' actual usage ' stats would be to eliminate those members who joined but never posted and do not lurk...

    eg. a person joins...has no posts...then profile data tells you the person hasn't been back in 6 months since joining...delete account

    this way you maintain some truer measure of ' actual usage '

    but...as said...it's a numbers game.

  6. #6
    Senior Member JPnyc's Avatar
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    But I've seen a fair number of instances where a user joins, doesn't post for a yr, and then returns. I've seen that even on this forum.

  7. #7
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    They can always re-join

    I realize that with the membership base you have it would be quite the task to eliminate every account not really active...probably as difficult as upgrading and keeping things the way they were...

    And this being primarily a commercial site numbers are important.

    But...in response to the OP's question...yes...stats very seldom reflect ' actual usage '. In most cases a very small percentage ( usually less than 10% of members ) post infrequently-frequently...maybe another 10-15% lurk, again, infrequently-frequently...and as much as 80% are spam accounts, one-time posters, and people that have moved on or forgotten they even joined.

    So...if I were to evaluate the numbers the OP stated ( Members: 117,912 ) my estimate in this case would be:

    approximately 94,329 are spam accounts, one-time posters, and people that have moved on or forgotten they even joined

    maybe 11,791 lurk infrequently-frequently

    maybe 7860 post very infrequently

    3,780 post occasionally

    and 151 post regularly

    these figures would, in my opinion, be generous estimates.
    Last edited by Egaladeist; December 21st, 2006 at 06:01 PM.

  8. #8
    Senior Member JPnyc's Avatar
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    They could, but we don't like to make them do that. There's always the chance that they would be put off that their account was deleted, and not bother rejoining. I might feel that way myself. Who are we to say how long a period of dormancy is too long? That's how I think I'd feel.

  9. #9
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    Chances are...most people who join ...who don't lurk or post...for more than 6 months after joining ...aren't going to...exceptions apply...but would be a rarity.

    There is obviously a difference between the value of stats of a commercial site vs a non-commercial site...most commercial sites have artificially high stats because that's what attracts advertisers...
    so...I am not in any way recommending the deletion of accounts...because that would be counter-productive in this case.

    But...the OP had two primary questions:

    1. " I don't think there are that many members posting regularly by any stretch of the imagination "

    and

    2. " Is there any rule that deactivates a members account after so many months/years of not posting? "

    and the short answer is:

    1. stats are/can be very deceptive if you don't know how to decipher/evaluate them

    2. on a commercial site there is no motivation to delete accounts that are not active

  10. #10
    Senior Member JPnyc's Avatar
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    I can say right on all counts except the 1st premise. I've seen too many users return after extended hiatus to make that assumption. Yes, they're in the minority, but it's still too large a figure, regardless of the actual % the represent. The rest is dead on.

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