# Am I a lurker? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285 "2005-03-19T06:18:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/1 "2005-03-19T06:18:35Z")
Four hundred sixty-nine posts since September 2003. I only post when I’m absolutely sure I won’t say anything dumb. What counts as a “lurker”? Adam ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/2 "2005-03-19T06:31:17Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > … I only post when I’m absolutely sure I won’t say anything dumb… > > Adam Aw, come on in. Join the rest of us who frolic in our stupidity with pride! There are no dumb questions only…wait, yes there are dumb questions. Just don’t ask what rhymes with orange, or words that end with “gry” and you’ll be fine. BTW…is it true that lurkers wear trench coats when reading SDMB? ---
**Author:** ![RitzyRae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@RitzyRae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitzyRae)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/3 "2005-03-19T06:37:45Z")
You have me beat! Only 292 (I think this is 293) since November 2003! I like to post, but I don’t enjoy conflict. I think those that don’t mind arguing extensively post a heck of a lot more. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorgonzola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@Gorgonzola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgonzola)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/4 "2005-03-19T06:40:35Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > Four hundred sixty-nine posts since September 2003. I only post when I’m absolutely sure I won’t say anything dumb. What counts as a “lurker”? > > Adam No. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/5 "2005-03-19T06:43:02Z")
What is this “lurking” of which you speak? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/6 "2005-03-19T07:16:09Z")
> [@Quixotic](#): > > What is this “lurking” of which you speak? Assuming this isn’t a “whoosh”…lurking is only reading, and not posting, on these threads. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/7 "2005-03-19T08:07:49Z")
Well you started a thread… so no, you’re not a lurker. (somebody had to say it) On the flip side of the coin I wish I had some restraint in posting new threads from time to time… I’ve started some pretty damn pointless threads… even for MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/8 "2005-03-19T13:47:47Z")
I recognize your name – so, no. ---
**Author:** ![snorlax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@snorlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snorlax)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/9 "2005-03-19T14:20:19Z")
I’ve found a metric which I think is a reliable indicator of lurkerhood. If you click on a user’s name and go into their profile you can see the number of posts per day. For you it’s .85, meaning that you post almost once a day. I wouldn’t call that lurker type behaviour. Obviously this doesn’t take any trends into account so if you made all of your posts in the last few weeks then this metric is unreliable. For what it’s worth, mine is .13. Can anybody beat that? Here’s your chance to come out of the shadows! (retreats back into shadows) ---
**Author:** ![tirial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@tirial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tirial)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/10 "2005-03-19T15:39:40Z")
Sorry snorlax: I’m on 0.06 posts per day. I just don’t have anything interesting to say. (resumes lurking) ---
**Author:** ![Wallflower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Wallflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallflower)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/11 "2005-03-19T15:41:54Z")
I think I come a little closer to being a lurker than anyone else in this thread so far. (0.04 posts per day) ---
**Author:** ![sweetfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sweetfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweetfreak)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/12 "2005-03-19T15:46:43Z")
And I thought I was a lurker. Now I don’t feel so bad. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![constantpeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@constantpeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constantpeace)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/13 "2005-03-19T16:07:07Z")
Hey, I think I’m in the running too. I love reading the board, but since I really enjoy GD and the Pit there’s no way I’m going to stick my toes in those waters. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/14 "2005-03-19T16:27:16Z")
Wow, **constantpeace** , 0.01!! Kudos! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/15 "2005-03-19T16:50:18Z")
I’ve been lurking (without an account) for a couple of years. Beat that! ---
**Author:** ![MeepersC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meepersc/32/12088_2.png) [@MeepersC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeepersC)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/16 "2005-03-19T18:10:18Z")
0.03–almost as bad as **constant peace** , especially since I visit 2-3 times a day. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/17 "2005-03-19T18:31:14Z")
If you’re a lurker, you’re not alone. In the first year and a half of my membership here, I made only two posts. Lately I’ve been rather active, but it took a while for me to venture out of my cave. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/18 "2005-03-19T18:39:17Z")
No, it’s just that some people feel the need to post any random thought that pops into their mind. I mostly lurk as well. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/19 "2005-03-19T18:40:21Z")
P.S. Although I like the quick reply feature, I think post counts will now skyrocket because it is so darn _easy_ now! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285/20 "2005-03-19T19:21:15Z")
> [@Teelo](#): > > No, it’s just that some people feel the need to post any random thought that pops into their mind. You talkin’ to me? You talking to ME? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-a-lurker/295285.md?page=2)