Lurkers and Other Threads

I find myself hiding the Lurker threads just as I do the Games ones.

No its not just you Callistemon I thought the proliferation of Lurker threads very odd. In fact I am getting bored with the same old threads appearing day in and day out.
Corona, Harry & Meghan, Lurkers. At least BlueBelle has upped the ante a little.

I think it stemmed from a thread about why members read, but didn't post and there were a fair number, who lurked. I dislike that word, it has sleazy connotations.

Callistemon
As I said on the Shocking Article thread it's about the money ( read advertisers)
We all know how slow (and boring) GN has become lately and a lot of the 'regulars' aren't posting, well not so much.
What would you do if you were running a business where you rely on advertising revenue and that revenue relays on posters seeing your adds. You have to bring in new blood.

It might be me, but has anyone seen a 'lurker' posting on the more 'popular' threads?

Yes, you're right, MerylStreep
However, I feel as if I'm being bombarded.

And why resurrect a six year old thread by someone seeking surrogate DGP? As one poster said they'll be off to college now!
Very odd.

If GNHQ didn't ban members who add humour and a bit of fun to the threads there wouldn't be so much boredom.

Yes, what's going on- who has been banned?
Was it Oo Roo?

(Never heard that in Australia)

No, I was thinking of LucyWinter (and her other IDs) a while back.

Someone at HQ takes things a bit too personally I think.

I’ve been hiding the Lurker threads too. I’m not sure what they’re for.

I think they're just to encourage lurkers, as well as everyone else, to post.

They've done the trick, too.

You'd think after all this time HQ would realise Gransnet is at its best when it's lively. What does it matter if a few posts get deleted?

Personal attacks can be dealt with without a taking a cosh to the thread. They fizzle out anyway after a while.

Lurkers lurk because they CBA to post. If they do they often go back to lurkedom before the thread has ended.

Coronavirus is worrying us all. We need light relief of our own making rather than picking our way around threads designed to attract people who would already be posting if they were really interested.

Lots of people are interested in Gransnet and yet lack the confidence, or are hesitant, to join in. Thus, they read the threads (lurk), but don’t post. The deliberate ‘Lurker’ threads started by GNHQ are a simple way of encouraging them to join in. The threads have all been non-contentious and so have provided a gentle introduction for the ‘newbies’.

Although I joined Gransnet right at the beginning I hadn’t been on a forum before and I remember clearly how nervous I was, especially as some of the others had migrated from ‘the other place’ and already seemed to ‘know’ each other.

It’s not that I dislike the “Lurker” threads but there are just so many of them ! And the questions aren’t exactly riveting .

When you add all the Lurker threads ( again a name I really dislike) and the Game threads there’s not much left .

The Lurker threads have often seemed to attract posts from non lurkers.
Gransnet at the moment seems a bit boring, as others have said. I scroll down the Active threads and get to the bottom thinking oh crikey, the same old stuff.
Personally, I honestly don’t notice the adverts.

Can a sinister Lurker join in here? . You have no idea I Lurked in the spooky eerie darkness throughout the descending moonless nights behind a highly disguised screen shielding me from your unsuspecting eyes. There I Lurked, there I let out deep cackling laughs. I brewed my smouldering brews, all unseen and now ... BOO.

I prefer the site as it is now.
People getting along, having a bit of a chinwag, and still a bit of sniping, plus its nice to have winkled some newcomers out of their shells.

le

Callistemon

What is happening indeed!

Between the Games and Lurker Threads the Active list is void of anything interesting to those who do not have an interest in either.

GN has become disjointed and to be honest I think if I was a 'lurker ' or looking at GN via the Active Page with a possible view of joining as a new member I would avoid joining which is counterproductive.

POGS , I've taken up a little perch behind the tree, fear not some of the spooky Lurkers might peep from behind their cloaks and thread their cotton way through to more sane or insane reels. Maybe some of us might remain spooky little ? s. The long eerie boggy moor of CV may become the only beastly little lurker left and the Zombie town that GN has become of late will bristle and bustle, bumble and blow the spooky spiders webs away. BOO

Exactly the way I feel too N&G and POGS hopefully the week is up now.

Nail on head grannyactivist. I’m an ex lurker and I’m probably posting too much now but i know fine why, I’m worried about stuff!

I feel that HQ are between a rock and a hard place. They want granny in the corner where she belongs but granny in the corner doesn't say anything, does she?
Whereas granny at the table can keep the conversation going with all her anecdotes and experiences.

Good point Meryl , it’s like an online Stepford Wives scenario lol . I’d be really interested to see how many of the lurkers who post become more established members and how many just fizzle away .

It’s easy to say what your favourite lunch is or the first single you bought , less easy to get involved in in-depth discussions of things that matter .