[Jack]

How can so many people be viewing the forums with so few new posts? Just thought I'd post. I suppose there are a lot of lurkers.

[Miriamele]

Sure, probably every forum has more lurkers than active posters. Nothing wrong with that. I'd say that there are more than enough new posts here to read every day as it is. Too much and it gets hard to keep up.

Anyway, let me tell you, sffworld is a much busier place than it was a year or two ago. It's really grown in leaps and bounds of late. I joined in early 2002 and for probably two years after that, it said that the most users ever online was 30--now it's 300 and something!

This place is bumpin'. :D

[Evil Agent]

I remember about a year ago, there was more posting in the Fantasy forums... and a few members seem to have dropped out. But it's still going on.

I think a part of the problem is that so many important things have already been discussed, and now if someone new starts a thread asking a question, they usually just get directed to a bunch of older archived threads where the question has already been discussed. Kind of deters new conversations.

[Erfael]

Yeah, there were some very heated discussions about some things about a year ago that were very interesting, but they got a little more feisty than we like around here, so they sort of got shut off over time. (Is there any chance Gabe will EVER be allowed back?) Since then I sometimes have things to say but just go read a book instead. For the most part I keep my nose out of anything that's not a book of the month issue or somewhere where I feel I have suggestions that wouldn't otherwise be put forth. I can join in on recommending the same 4 authors over and over again that other people do (it seems that the majority of threads are recommendation threads in some form or another, really), or I can save my fingers. Someone will get to it. I have been meaning to do better about posting in the "Reading In..." threads but usually don't end up doing it. Given limited time, I would rather spend my time reading books than writing about reading books. If I have a little extra time or don't feel like reading for some reason I'll post something if I'm moved to do so. But I do read almost everything that's new every day.

Speaking of which....I finished Gardens of the Moon a few days ago and haven't been in to report on my final feelings....I'll try to get there tomorrow, EvilA. Off to read for now.

[Jack]

Yeah, come to think...

I'm considering what I post as a newb, and mostly its reccs for books that were recc'd to me not but a month ago. I feel it's the job of newbs to take on that role, suggesting the same four series over and over again. I also enjoy doing comparisons and analyzing an author's writing, though I have noticed my analysis, both mental and in print, tends to become repetitive. Still, I enjoy it. And yes, heated discussions tend to burst into flames, and a board reduced to ad hominem is an unpleasant place to post or lurk.

I also always post what book I'm finishing and what book I'm beginning with some pithy comments in the reading in... threads. It's like when I was in grade school, and everytime a student finished a book they got to put a little star next to their name. And I had like, a thousand geeky little stars, me reading my weis and hickman in 5th grade. Anywho, it's a place to come and say, "Yes! I did indeed finish this book!" Kind of like, "Look at me!! I can read!!!"

EDIT: Also, I like to bash authors I don't like, and read others doing the same. I know how juvenile this is, but when done tastefully, the results can brighten my day. And I would like to say, in defense of the authors whom I bash, I wouldn't have the material to bash them if I hadn't read a bunch of the books they've written. So really the jokes on me. They have my money, and their stories are in my head. I'm the fool who kept buying and reading, buying and reading.

[MrBF1V3]

...Because about half of the 240 guests who are on with us 5 members at this moment are looking for a way to find our e-mail addresses (or other useful information) so they can try to sell us stuff we don't want. (I'm not cynical, I'm a sarcastic pragmatist :) ) Half of the rest aren't real people, they're 'robots'. And about half of the rest of those are touristing through here to bask in the glory of our brilliance, and laugh at our jokes.

The rest...who knows? I have no good theory.

B5

[Eldanuumea]

Plus it's summer and lots of us are off-schedule, being plain lazy.

[Rocket Sheep]

Sometimes search engines send legitimate spiders crawling thru the links to make sure we're an up-to-date site worth listing. Other times it may be spam spiders as MrBF1V3 said, harvesting addys... or general browsers.

[Erfael]

Plus it's summer and lots of us are off-schedule, being plain lazy.

Yeah, this summer has been so off-schedule that I'm about ready to curl up in a little ball and hire someone to kick me to death....it might be more pleasant that way.

[Eldanuumea]

Nah, you don't need to go to all that trouble. Just try watching reruns of Green Acres. (My children caught a few minutes of that the other day and were in utter disbelief that it had been an actual show.)

For my part, I am not posting as much for a number of reasons. But still lurking quietly....... :rolleyes: :cool: