On other vbulletin boards you get a number viewing statistic next to the names of each forum on the main forum page. Would that be a bandwidth hit here, or is it possible?
Why would we need that?
My guess: If the forum page went back to showing the # of viewers, people could navigate away from the site if they saw <90 people - knowing that the server is already overtaxed & probably crashing anyway.
But if you’ve reached the forum page haven’t you already got a good idea how responsive the server is?
So, this would be kinda like an indicator of use/overuse? Sorry to ask thick questions like this, and I’m neither for nor against the idea - but I still don’t see its use. Aside from bein’ another statistic for those who like 'em.
I think Heisenberg had something to say about this, but I’m uncertain…
The forum page is generally a lot more responsive/reliable than the other pages.
The reason for wanting the feature is partly the one already mentioned, and partly to know whether it’s worth bothering to check the forum for new posts.
If no-one is viewing then no-one is posting and you save a hamster a few turns of his wheel by not going in there. It might do the server some good.
Are you sure you’re uncertain?
Was Heisenberg sure?
Have I asked too many questions?
Who’s Heisenberg? 
His blimp exploded back in 1937.
To Thunder: loud raspberries, mate. 
Okay. I get the humour now. Uncertainty principles. There’s my bit o’ ignorance fought … 
‘Ignorance fought’? Is that a fortified place where ignorance is defended from knowledge?
Only in Boston.
Author of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, which said that you can’t observe a process without participating in it; <i>i.e.,</i> all server stat monitoring impacts the performance of the server. Maybe not much, but some.
Cheers, Ethilrist. After Thunder’s reply, I gathered folks wouldn’t clue me in, probably thinking I was having them on and pretending ignorance or something, so I looked it up. Thanks for the explanation, mate.
So, any mod or admin types care to comment?