Birthdays and Membership

[hipower]

Lately I've been watching the daily birthday listings. Guess as I get older myself I notice it more. Kinda like how my parents and grandparents always watched to obit section in the papers every day. Morbid? Strange? Just me?

Anyway, it's been on my mind for a few days now. I was just thinking as I looked at the listings about how many of thes guys had made a recent posting. In fact I would say 90% of them haven't even been here in quite a while. Just seems that a very small percentage of the roughly 14000 members actually participate in the forum on a regular basis. From my own experiences, no facts to back it up, but seems like a core, and dare I say hardcore , group of several hundred members account for the bulk of the activity here.

Any thoughts? Or is it just the rambling, disjointed workings of this old farts mind at play?

[Garufa]

You are absolutely correct.

[mikegideon]

_{I think you have a lot of lurkers, and probably a lot that signed up to get one or two questions answered, and then moved on. I've hit Arfcom quite a bit, maybe even a member, but I don't hang out there. I just use it to gather info when I'm messing with my AR's. It's the same for me with several other forums.}

[Mike.357]

No clue what you r talkin about.

Maybe we need a tgo obit

[mikegideon]

I'm not ready to croak yet. But, I could use some prunes right now.

[hipower]

Okay, so I'm a little skewed in my perspective, but that don't change the fact that some of you old farts probably check the obits every morning to see if you're still breathing.

And if you need prunes...you are already on your way out.

Now pardon me while I go take my stool softener.

[Bubba0031]

This is a total guess with nothing to back it up but my guess would be that the small precent of regular folks on here probably reflects the small percent of HCP holders that actually use their permits.

[Bubba0031]

BTW My birthday is Friday if anyone wants to send me a present!!!!

[Verne]

Got you beat mine is today and I am posting.

[tyguy]

Mine's Tuesday. Where does the line form for presents?

I would certainly be classified as a lurker. Low post count but very high view rate. I certainly dont mind posting, but generally I dont have much additional knowlege to add to a topic. Many times my thoughts or questions are already in play. I am an avid gun and shooting enthusiest, but still learning daily. I understand the feelings of participating in this online community, but often feel like lurkers are chastised a bit for not posting. None the less ill continue to lurk and post as I feel appropriate.

[hipower]

Most definitely not chastising "lurkers." I be one myself at times. I just found that even a smartass like me can get more enjoyment(and that brings into play a whole 'nother past thread topic) out of jumping in and participating in online conversations. You say you don't have anything to contribute...bull. Jump in and say something. Does it really look like all of us here are Rhodes Scholars? Although I wouldn't be surprised to find there are a few here. Take a closer look at posts and thread topics. How many of them are truly something about gathering information or learning from someone here? I'm not say it doesn't happen, because it does. I just asked for some AK info myself and found several things to look at in my search. And I really appreciate those who added to my little question. But one of the better, and some might say lesser, functions of this forum and its give and take is sheer pleasure, fun, and looking at the other guy's toys. In one fashion or another, I'll say half of the post here will revolve around the "look what I just got" agenda. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. We spend a lot of time and money on our guns, whether they are for sports and recreation, home defense, cc use, or duty use for the LEO community and military. We enjoy showing them off and talking about them. It's normal. At least as normal as some of us, with myself at the head of that line, get. So don't let a little thing like my question hinder you...JUMP in with both feet and enjoy, or ask and learn. Your choice. It's all up to you.

Edited March 7, 2012 by hipower

[Guest bkelm18]

Of TGO's current 14,416 members, only roughly 4200 have made more than 1 post and only roughly 900 have made more than 100 posts. Yes I was bored.

Edited March 7, 2012 by bkelm18

[Garufa]

Of TGO's current 14,416 members, only roughly 4200 have made more than 1 post and only roughly 900 have made more than 100 posts. Yes I was bored.

I've run the numbers myself before.

[Guest pfries]

_{I think you have a lot of lurkers, and probably a lot that signed up to get one or two questions answered, and then moved on. I've hit Arfcom quite a bit, maybe even a member, but I don't hang out there. I just use it to gather info when I'm messing with my AR's. It's the same for me with several other forums.}

Damnnnnn I just hit a birthday and had to hold my monitor at arms lenghth to read this.... you messin with me Mike...

[mikegideon]

Damnnnnn I just hit a birthday and had to hold my monitor at arms lenghth to read this.... you messin with me Mike...

Damn if I know. I don't dink with the fonts. I must have just done it

[hipower]

Of TGO's current 14,416 members, only roughly 4200 have made more than 1 post and only roughly 900 have made more than 100 posts. Yes I was bored.

Wow. My comments were based on "feelings" as to participation here. That's even lower than I thought. But my thinking was valid at any rate. Not that it really matters though. Just seemed like something that occurred while I was looking at the B-day listings.

[Mechanic_X]

The old software used to show active users. Seems like it was around 2000. There are groups within the group. Just like high school.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I bought two pistols from two TGO members. Each is a fine fellow enjoyable to meet and talk to, apparently active in shooting. But both fellows rarely if ever post except when buying or selling. Dunno if they routinely sign on and lurk, or perhaps they never sign on at all except to buy or sell once in a blue moon? The sample of two is small. Dunno how many members would match that description.

OTOH, the members who don't post very often may be the ones who actually have a life.

I don't list my birthdate out of possibly silly paranoia. A birthdate is valuable info to an identity thief when cross-referenced with other data. Maybe that risk is minor compared to other risks. Dunno.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[FJCrusing]

I'll confess to doing more lurking than posting but am probably on here at least once or twice a day. I try to limit myself to about two different forums.

[hipower]

OTOH, the members who don't post very often may be the ones who actually have a life.

Sadly, I do not fall into that catagory. I spend way, way too much time here. Just ask my wife.

[Bubba0031]

Rather than asking my wife you would have to ask my employeer

[Sidinman]

I usually visit every day,, but I don't post a comment every day. There are a couple other forums that I visit that I post less than here.

[mk19]

I vist a few times a week, not as often as I first joined. I usually like to make helpfull comments, if I can't make a helpfull comment then i wont make a comment at all.