I didn’t lurk at all!
What the hell, jump in.
You just nailed my feelings exactly, Lobot, and far more eloquently than I could.
I started lurking just before 9/11. Reading some of the threads that came out of that is my first strong memory of this board. I registered about a year later - I think my first post came two months after registering.
Reading what others have posted, I guess that makes me about an average-length lurker.
I didn’t lurk at all!
What the hell, jump in.
I had been reading the columns for a time before I noticed there were boards, but when I saw them I signed up right away. At first I was sort of overwhelmed by all the threads. There was so much to choose from!
I’d classify myself as an active lurker … I read much more than I post. But I’ve been around a while. Thanks for reminding me of the evil nazi groundhog thread, LtningBug! That was a hoot!
I’d post more often, but am trying to find my bizarro twin first.
'til then it’s lurk-o-rama.
A while. On some AOL boards Straight Dope articles were like the Word of God given to the heathens by the enlightened. I once spent half an hour finding and organising article links in response to a fundy’s post about the different races, I sent some 2 dozen articles. Discovered the board and two weeks later I joined. I eventually reached my thousandth post. Lurk around in MPSIMS for it and post, whydoncha.
Still lurking and proud of it!
This was the first board I had found with intelligent people, having intelligent conversations.
I lurked as long as it took me to sign up. About 2 minutes.
I haven’t regretted it since.
I am sort of amazed at people who say they lurk for days, months, and even years.
Why?
What are you afraid of?
Jump in…the water’s fine!
Read the columns (honestly! I read it for the articles :)) for something over a year, then found the boards. Less than two weeks later, signed on up. And I’d say that of my posts, solidly half a dozen have had some useful information!
Lurked for about a year. Found the board through Threadspotting (have been a fan of Cecil’s for about, what, 20 years or so now). I’d never joined a message board, but reading Threadspotting, I thought, “these people are smart and funny and cool. The kind of people I’d like to hang out with”. I wouldn’t have lurked so long, but my youngest at the time had just passed her second birthday and every time I sat down at the computer she thought it was time to play on Nickjr.com! So I waited til she was old enough to not need my constant attention (although she has required something of me at least three times in the time it’s taken me to read this thread), and here I am. Never been sorry.
I was a fan of Cecil Adam for a long time, since the time I found the first collection of his columns in book form. This must have been in the early 1990’s.
When I got my first internet account about the same time (this was BEFORE the web, the first browser, Mosaic, hadn’t been invented or released yet), I participated in the alt-fan-cecil-adams usenet newsgroup.
I never had AOL, so I never saw that board. But as soon as this one was created, I jumed aboard.
As for why some of us lurk, my reason is that, in general, if I don’t think I have something to say more than what has already been stated, I don’t say anything. Apparently this happens quite a lot for me :).
Got a computer Christmas of '99, hooked it up February of 2000 (I know, I’m pathetic), went straight to zug.com (highly recommended by a friend), where I learned of Cecil’s existence. I lurked until December 2002. I’d still be lurking, but a Doper I had come to know and respect needed a little help.
“Tell me grey seal, how does it feel to be so wise…”
I think I’ve been registered here a year. I also believe this is my first post.
I registered and posted within about two minutes. I immediately gaffed, was politely pointed in the right direction, and have since decided that my Dopiness Factor is no better or worse than anyone else’s. Now I post wherever and whenever I feel like posting.
About 2 days, as I recall.
My scenario exactly. I actually spent months in the Archives, and most attempts to access the SDMB were thwarted since it took 30 minutes to load a page.
I was linked to this site from my normal forum and was so impressed by all the erudite posters here that I was intimidated not to join. So I lurked for about 5 months. Then I saw a request for some information - I knew the answer so I joined. I’m still very wary though in case I make a faux pas.
V
I have been lurking for about a year or so. I eventually signed up about a week ago and posted my first post to a thread about (bowing head in embarrasment) celebrity crushes. I finally overcame my fear of “actually posting”, and I have to say it wasn’t that bad. Now look at me, I’m on my second post. Is there no stopping me?
Well, I first stumbled on the board when it was on AOL…I started reading regularly maybe a year to six months ago. And, considering this is about my fourth post, I’m still lurking.