What happens to them?

Thread Starter

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
I wonder what happens to the One-time posters?

There are quite a few of them, people who took the time to explain their problem (sometimes quite a lengthy explanation) and then they never show up again. What's the point?

It doesn't look like I-have-nothing-else-to-do-so-I'm-gonna-ask-anything-question but real projects...

Just wondering...
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Usually they their answer and leave. That is pretty much it in a nutshell. The internet is vast, we are but one shore.
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
if you ask ten different people the same question, you'll likely get a number of different answers. The easy answer, or the desired answer is usually the on that one likes to invest thier time in corresponding over. The other concept is the 'mash up', where assembling other peoples works into a cohesive structure (if only momentarily) is fruitfull. I know a high strung, never a dull moment fellow who is constantly evaluating everything around him and puts together some pretty amazing situations out of seemingly nothing. I suspect though, that most one time posters have a project deadline too close for comfort.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
... that most one time posters have a project deadline too close for comfort.
True, but their lack of prior preparation on their part does not constitute an emergency on our part. There are paid sites for those.
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
Some posters could only get one shot on a company computer.
They would not want to leave a foot print for the company I.T.
department.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
Look up "internet culture". There is a 89-10-1 rule, much like Pareto's principle.

I once reported on a small forum, some information about their userbase. One and done's made up a substantial number of their members. I catagorized the users as Registered users (zero posts) One post and Done, lost interest, lurkers, casual posters, active posters, and hyperactive posters.

I basically looked considered lost interest was someone who hasn't visited the forum in a period of time (90 days). I only looked at one year's worth of members ... based on their last visit date. It was an eye opening exercise.

You know the Active and hyperactive posters here by name. There would be no suprises there. I'm sure the percentages here would be lower if those who haven't been here in over a year wasn't dropped from the analysis.
 

Attachments

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
The only reason the registered only exist is that is the only way to see schematics and other graphics. If you aren't registered you can't see them.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
The only reason the registered only exist is that is the only way to see schematics and other graphics. If you aren't registered you can't see them.
That's pretty common amoung forums these days.

The forum that generated the graph is now you can't even read the forums without registering. I hope to remember, and of course be on the right side of the dirt, to gather that info again on the 1 year anniversary of the first study ... to see how the changes affected the membership.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
I'm more curious to know what happens to the time I wasted trying to help them.

... Does it get added on to the end of my life?
Only if your fishing when you were helping. After all, time fishing is not counted in the lifespan. :)
 

thatoneguy

Joined Feb 19, 2009
6,359
I'm more curious to know what happens to the time I wasted trying to help them.

... Does it get added on to the end of my life?
I like to think that the answer gets into the google search engine, and somebody else with the same question finds it, and uses it without problems, and we will never hear about it.
 

Thread Starter

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
and somebody else with the same question finds it, and uses it without problems, and we will never hear about it.
THAT doesn't happen, unfortunately. I see the same questions again and again...;) A library for the most common problems would be nice... if only someone had the time to create it.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
I like to think that the answer gets into the google search engine, and somebody else with the same question finds it, and uses it without problems, and we will never hear about it.
That probably happens the majority of the time ... however ... the few that "fail to search the forums" prior to asking the question will always be amoung us.

As the eternal optimist, I share that view.
 

zzz_tired

Joined Nov 12, 2011
6
Most one liners are just spammers putting out spam on any forum they can. About 10% ask real questions, and about 1% become active members.
going to be in dat 1%...and if I do become that 1% I'll eventually become a hyper poster (as I do on most forums)

I spend my free time on forums, and it's nice to finally find one that I can get real life value out of...(relates to my future career)

anyways...to relate to what op said, a bet some of them forget the websight or log in info, some solve the problem on their own, lost interest (I believe this was already stated), etc.
 
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