# Your opinion on lurkers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392 "2006-07-06T16:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/1 "2006-07-06T16:54:22Z")
Hello all, I’ve been lurking around this message board since around 2003, and have been hooked ever since. Since then, I’ve been fascinated about the variety of topics that seem to come up around here, and have finally decided to plunk over the bucks to contribute to the discussions around here. That said, especially since this place is pay to post, I’m sure there must be many more people like me out there, following what everyone says, but you never see them. Are you ever really aware that you are performing on a stage in front of an invisible audience? Does it seem strage to you that there are people out there who know an incredible number of details about you, and you don’t even know who they are? Or do you just not think about them? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/2 "2006-07-06T17:07:19Z")
I just hope they’re no one I know. Apparently they’re not, since no one’s attacked me yet, or burst into unexplained fits of laughter. Welcome, **Mithrander**! ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/3 "2006-07-06T17:37:42Z")
I guess the question is, what you made join, after all these years? To be honest, I never think much about the lurkers at all. Out of sight, out of mind. Oh, except for that one guy, you know who you are. You can take your sardines and get lost. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/4 "2006-07-06T17:42:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] I guess the question is, what you made join, after all these years? [/QUOTE] Fair enough. I don’t get much computer time around the home these days due to having three kids under the age of three. However, I’ve started a new job that has about 20-30 hours of work each week, but they want me here for 40. This leaves me with enough time to make it worth my 15 USD. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/5 "2006-07-06T17:43:38Z")
Ah, work, the great enabler. Without it there would be no SDMB. And I’m not talking about the 15 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/6 "2006-07-06T19:09:58Z")
[QUOTE=Mithrander] Are you ever really aware that you are performing on a stage in front of an invisible audience? [/QUOTE] Ahem, is this thing on? Greetings lurkers! Yes you! The cheapskates. The shy. The meek. The grammatically inept! You are the lifeblood of the SDMB. It is you who chew up huge amount of bandwidth, incessantly refreshing and reloading pages. Constantly searching and sorting. Never contributing anything. I know you thought you could just lurk around out there, ready to CTRL+TAB when your boss looks over your shoulder. But NO! Finally I see you, lurking about in the shadows. Step forward! Contribute! Be a member of the snarkiest, most learned, ignorancicidal community on the net! Or don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/7 "2006-07-06T19:35:20Z")
Where’d you get the handle, **Mithrander**? It’s almost like a Sindarin name I know, but not quite. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/8 "2006-07-06T19:40:51Z")
Is “ignorancicidal” a word? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/9 "2006-07-06T20:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Where’d you get the handle, **Mithrander**? It’s almost like a Sindarin name I know, but not quite. 😉 [/QUOTE] It’s one of Gandalf’s elven names, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/10 "2006-07-06T21:14:41Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] It’s one of Gandalf’s elven names, IIRC. [/QUOTE] I’m willing to bet my blood, my head, the lives of my two brothers, my mother and my estranged uncle, the first car I buy, my dignity and my very soul that that was exactly what **Qadgop** was referring to. The name in question is Mithrand_i_r. **Mithrander** : No, I never think of the lurkers. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/11 "2006-07-06T21:16:47Z")
I was a lurker for a while, then my inability to keep my mouth shut made me join up. I’ve lurked on many places and ultimately, it is a thread that I can contribute to if I was a member that ultimately makes me join. I mention the SDMB pretty regularly in conversation so I am constantly aware that someone I know may stumble across my posts. That being said, boards that overtly punish you (i.e. no pics, a single post on a page) or are poorly moderated or not moderated at all, tend to drive me away before I plunk out the cash. I have noticed that my sister in law has toned down her posts quite a bit since she knows I am aware of her on myspace. Welcome Lurkers. I hope you like it here enough to join up. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/12 "2006-07-06T21:46:32Z")
Welcome to the boards, Dope brother. As for the lurkers, I know that there’s an invisible audience out there. I’ve even received emails from the invisible audience. I know. ME. Emails. Positive ones! From lurkers! ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/13 "2006-07-06T22:06:17Z")
I lurked for 7 or so years myownself. Welcome! Free boards tend to be worth what you pay, in my experience. I feel kind of bad that it took me this long to join. I don’t really believe _paying_ members are interested in what I’m saying, much less lurkers, but I payed my money and I’m going to post, dagnabbit! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/14 "2006-07-06T22:19:05Z")
[QUOTE=Mithrander] Are you ever really aware that you are performing on a stage in front of an invisible audience? [/QUOTE] Of course. _Especially_ when I’m pumping the treadle. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/15 "2006-07-06T22:24:40Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] Is “ignorancicidal” a word? [/QUOTE] It is now. Welcome to the board, **Mithrander**. Or should I say, welcome to _official_ Doperdom. May it bring you much further enlightenment. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/16 "2006-07-06T23:11:23Z")
I lurked for several years (grumble grumble coulda been a '99er), but rarely think about 'em now. Like **Sal** said – out of sight, out of mind. And welcome aboard, **Mithrander**! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/17 "2006-07-06T23:13:17Z")
I think of the lurkers often, especially in the last year or so - I was shown what a mistake it was not to think of them. Still, I always welcome the nice ones, and love the username! Welcome to the boards! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/18 "2006-07-06T23:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] I’m willing to bet my blood, my head, the lives of my two brothers, my mother and my estranged uncle, the first car I buy, my dignity and my very soul that that was exactly what **Qadgop** was referring to. The name in question is Mithrand_i_r. [/QUOTE] That **Priceguy** , he’s sharp. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/19 "2006-07-07T00:27:30Z")
I only lurked for like seven months. Wow. And this thread makes me wish I’d signed up with the username Lurker. ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392/20 "2006-07-07T01:18:47Z")
I’m still a semi-lurker. Even though I’m a paid up member (shoulda been a Charter Member but that’s another story) but I read way more than I post. Quite often it’s because I’m out of my depth in a thread. Often, though, it’s because what I would have said has already been posted by the time I get to read the thread. The tyranny of distance and all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-on-lurkers/363392.md?page=2)