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Lurkers and Other Threads

(52 Posts)
Callistemon Fri 13-Mar-20 20:08:40

What is happening?

Is GNHQ trying to recruit a lot of new members and why?
Revenue?

We have had a very large number of 'Lurkers' Threads which have been started by GNHQ, threads begun with leading questions possibly with a view to a journalistic piece for the MSM by GNHQ personnel and now a 6 year old thread, asking for surrogate grannies, resurrected by someone from GNHQ.

Does anyone know what is going on and do GNHQ have any answers please?

I find it all rather odd, or is it just me?

NanaandGrampy Sat 14-Mar-20 10:34:43

Ps ...when IS Lurkers week over?

Will we then have other niche options ...... Mean girls week? Over 90’S week? People whose names start with Q week ???

MerylStreep Sat 14-Mar-20 10:44:36

Nanaandgrampy
You've got it!! Only, we are the senior version of Stepford wives ?

merlotgran Sat 14-Mar-20 12:31:22

Can we please have a 'Let's leave 'em alone and not interfere' week?

sodapop Sat 14-Mar-20 12:42:56

Best idea yet merlotgran

MerylStreep Sat 14-Mar-20 12:45:06

Merlotgran ???
Has anyone looked at the amount of posts on these (that word) threads. They're pitiful.
Strangely enough the highest contribution is the competition thread ? funny that.

NatashaGransnet (GNHQ) Sat 14-Mar-20 13:04:40

Hi everyone, smile

The purpose of Lurkers' week was to encourage people who use Gransnet but haven't posted on the forums yet to get involved and join in the conversation. Please remember, it can often be daunting to jump in and make your first post on Gransnet, especially when it feels like everybody already knows each other.

Rest assured, there were absolutely no journalistic intentions behind the Lurkers' week questions, and the light-hearted threads were chosen so everyone could join in.

We're not quite sure what thread you mean by the surrogate grannies thread - please can you report this so we can take a look? flowers

POGS Sat 14-Mar-20 13:38:33

Natasha

Two points.

You overdosed on the Lurker Threads and possibly put off anybody who may have looked at the Active List to be inspired by joining Gransnet.

There have been repeated requests for the ability to ' HIDE' Forums or threads ' On BLOCK ' but GNHQ has never really taken this repeated request on board.

Is it the case the technical team at GNHQ have no capabilities to give us the opportunity both now and in the future?

Thank you.

Callistemon Sat 14-Mar-20 14:02:21

It was this one, Natasha
www.gransnet.com/forums/ask_a_gran/1204895-Wanted-surrogate-granny

SadafGransnet hoped that the OP would soon respond, but as Riverwalk said, she hadn't been back in six years I doubt that was going to happen.
Bluebelle's response was very funny.

Just a couple of points:
Lurker is a very unpleasant term, conjuring up visions of someone lurking with evil intent.

There were just so many of these threads, I think that I, for one, felt bombarded.

Callistemon Sat 14-Mar-20 14:03:35

Can we have a week where banned posters are allowed back?

Only the funny ones though!!

trisher Sat 14-Mar-20 15:10:07

I wouldn't mind the Lurkers' threads if only the questions they asked weren't so trite and predictable. It says something about how Grans are regarded when we are asked questions about what we had for lunch and other inanities. Surely the team at GNHQ could think up something more interesting. Maybe we could have a cocktail (or mocktail) recipe thread.

sodapop Sat 14-Mar-20 15:21:03

Oooh trisher now you're talking. Not sure if us poor old gals ( and guys ) can stand the pace though.

NatashaGransnet (GNHQ) Sat 14-Mar-20 16:15:48

Thanks for the link to the thread, we'll take a look.

We don't currently have the ability to add a 'block' function on threads, but if this changes we will let you know. smile

merlotgran Sat 14-Mar-20 16:21:34

Any chance of answering Callistemon's question, Natasha?

Please. smile

merlotgran Sat 14-Mar-20 16:21:59

A coronavirus amnesty perhaps? grin

trisher Sat 14-Mar-20 16:35:28

Yeah Let's have an Amnesty week. All banned posters welcomed back.

Calendargirl Sat 14-Mar-20 16:36:08

Am I the only one to ponder what the Gransnet HQ girls look like? You know, Natasha, Sarah, Cari, Lara et all?
I imagine they are the sort of deb type girls who work for Country Life magazine, girls in pearls with Alice bands and who ride horses on their weekends off.

This is not meant as a dig or a criticism, just how I picture them in my mind’s eye. Probably totally wrong!

Fran3669 Sat 14-Mar-20 16:40:13

I think the word ‘lurker’ is singularly unpleasant; some of us are ‘readers’ who don’t find it essential to comment on everything we see.

Like many so-called lurkers I read the threads, from the beginning to the most recent comment, and realise that the answer I would’ve given has already been supplied several times over and I would simply be regurgitating the same reply.

I’ve thought about posting in some of the friendlier threads but fear that telling people what I’m up to (work, work, gym and more work) would bore everyone pretty quickly.

I don’t want to get involved in games or politics and have no experience of some of the other issues posted about.

I have occasionally posted when I’ve had something to say which hasn’t already been said or if I feel concerned that incorrect information is being given on financial or legal threads as this is what I do for a living.

Callistemon Sat 14-Mar-20 17:04:59

Lurker - what we used to call 'the dirty mac brigade' in my youth.
Probably not PC now to say that.

shandi6570 Sat 14-Mar-20 17:28:36

I also dislike the word lurker and searched in three different dictionaries to try and find a better replacement word to suggest to GNHQ and not one of them gave me a more suitable word sad.

Hopefully one of our more erudite GNs may be able to come up with a suggestion so that us 'lurkers' can hold our heads up again and be proud of what we are. grin

Callistemon Sat 14-Mar-20 17:42:02

shandi hello

You sound to me like a bubbly blonde and not a bit as I imagine a lurker to look like!

You may not be a bubbly blonde either smile

Calendargirl Sat 14-Mar-20 18:10:45

I started a thread on 9th March saying I disliked the title Lurker and asking for alternatives,

Readers, browsers, pop-ins were suggested.

varian Sat 14-Mar-20 18:15:44

Why should anyone who has something to say about (any thread) have to lurk?

We all post anonymously, using pseudonyms (usernames) so what's the problem?

grannyactivist Sat 14-Mar-20 18:22:08

The Urban Dictionary has it thus:
Lurk
To read without commenting or contributing, therefore effectively invisible to the rest of the group or community. Generally recommended for joining any forum so that you can observe rules, attitudes and prominent personalities without jumping in and breaking a rule, making an ass of yourself, or asking a question about something obvious that you would have learned for yourself if you’d paid attention in the first place.

CherryCezzy Sat 14-Mar-20 18:22:22

Calistemon , it makes me think of 'dirty m... too, and sinister shadowy figures, hence, to some extent, my earlier posts. I think Calendergirl is right it does come across as something rather unpleasant. I like Reader, especially in regard to people how haven't joined but read the posts online before joining.

shandi6570 Sat 14-Mar-20 20:43:26

Callistemon, thank you, I wish I could live up to your image. More grey and bubbly as I have always had short curly hair. As I am posting more these days maybe I will get promoted. ?

Sorry I missed your post Calendargirl and duplicated your suggestion.