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POLL: Logged in or Lurking?

Discussion in 'Sorcerous Sundries' started by Splunge, Nov 15, 2003.

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  1. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Remove all ads!
    For some reason, I’ve come across a number of comments (mostly with negative, but non-specific, overtones) on the web lately about “lurkers” – people who visit forums such as these and look at the posts without logging in, either because they aren’t registered, or just because they can’t be bothered. This got me wondering about the BoM.

    Me, I guess I fall into the lurker category. During the week, I’ll visit the forums every couple of hours to see what’s happening. I could be here for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on what interests me. It seems kind of silly to log in and, 5 minutes later, log out, and I assume that people don’t really care whether I’m logged in if I have nothing to say (and even then…). But if I post something, I will stay logged in until I leave. However, based on the comments I’ve read, I’m a bit concerned that I might be violating some unwritten etiquette that I’m not aware of.

    At the other end of the spectrum, it seems that every time I visit this site, there are a few members who are almost always logged in. I know they work, and I assume that they log in when they get into the office in the morning, and don’t log out until they go home at the end of the day; I also assume that this does not mean that they are actually always checking out the Boards, or they would never get any work done.

    And then I’m sure there are those in the middle – log in when you visit, log out when you leave, regardless of whether you post anything.

    So, which group do you fall into? And why? Please vote, but I’m especially interested in the comments.

    (On a side note, if you don’t log out, does this site log you out automatically after a certain period of time if you are inactive? Just curious.)

    Poll Information
    This poll contains 1 question(s). 37 user(s) have voted.
    You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

    Poll Results: Logged in or Lurking? (37 votes.)

    Logged in or Lurking? (Choose 1)
    * Log in only if I have something to post - 8% (3)
    * Log in when I visit, log out when I leave - 22% (8)
    * If I'm near a computer, I'm probably logged in - 70% (26)
     
    Splunge, Nov 15, 2003
    #1
  2. Hacken Slash

    Hacken Slash OK... can you see me now?

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    I voted log in when visit, log out when leave...but there are times that I've left myself logged on and forgotten...and also times that I've been on the board for some time, went to post and found that I wasn't logged on.

    I don't know if there is any hard and fast etiquette, but SP is supposed to be a community and these boards sort of a meeting hall, and it shows good manners to announce your coming and going to fellow members of the community.

    Just my take on it...but then again I lurked here for many months before ever registering.
     
    Hacken Slash, Nov 15, 2003
    #2
  3. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    [​IMG] I stay logged in all the time :spin:

    even at school
     
    8people, Nov 15, 2003
    #3

  4. Mystra's Chosen Gems: 22/31
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    I have dial-up, so I don't log out, I just turn off the internet.

    About the etiquette, who cares. Besides, they'll never even know you were lurking.
     
    Mystra's Chosen, Nov 15, 2003
    #4

  5. Uytuun Gems: 25/31
    Latest gem: Moonbar

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    Logged in all the time. :cool:
     
    Uytuun, Nov 15, 2003
    #5
  6. Hacken Slash

    Hacken Slash OK... can you see me now?

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    Mystra, your IP is the same whether you log on or not...I think that someone can always tell if you are here, even if it isn't obvious to the other members at large.
     
    Hacken Slash, Nov 15, 2003
    #6

  7. Rallymama Gems: 31/31
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    I'm one of those people whose productivity Splunge wonders about. ;) I login at the office and check the BoM sporadically throughout the day. My presence drops considerably when I'm at home.
     
    Rallymama, Nov 15, 2003
    #7

  8. a soubriquet Gems: 5/31
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    I voted for the "log-on only when I have something to post" option. I do not always feel my opinion is needed in certain topics, or the answer that I was going to provide was already provided before I posted, so I figure it is best not to log-in just to post something that was already posted. That and I am just lazy :p
     
    a soubriquet, Nov 15, 2003
    #8

  9. Faragon Gems: 25/31
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    I'm always logged in. I usually browse from my homecomputer. It's set so that I never have to log in to post. So I'm always logged in when on SP.
     
    Faragon, Nov 15, 2003
    #9
  10. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    [​IMG] I think this poll is worded a bit awkwardly, as there are some technical details people don't seem to understand completely...

    Once you log in, you stay logged in for a year, provided you have cookies enabled. This means that whenever in a year you come to the boards using the same computer you used to log in initially, you will not need to log in first to be able to post, but will automatically be logged in for the whole session. Once you leave the boards (i.e. close every browser window that has a page of BoM on it), you will be removed from the list of Recent Visitors in 30 minutes, effectively logging yourself out.

    Whether you show up on the Recent Visitors list at all, however, can be toggled on/off in your board profile, just in case you are paranoid.

    So, in short, there is no need whatsoever to manually log in and out every time if you are always accessing the boards from the same computer. You are only making more work for yourself. If you want not to be noticed while you are logged in, you can simply turn off showing in the Recent Visitors list.
     
    Taluntain, Nov 15, 2003
    #10
  11. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Tal, thanks for the clarification; I never knew about the automatic login. Problem is, when I first joined SP and logged in, I used my home computer. But now, I do most of my visits from work, so I still have to log in manually. (Plus, at home, I have cookies disabled, so I even have log in manually from there.) So I have three questions:

    1. Can I change it so that my work computer is the one SP recognises automatically?
    2. If the answer to the above is "yes", our network is configured such that an IP address is aquired automatically. Does this matter?
    3. Again, if 1 is a "yes", would getting a new computer affect anything?

    @ H.S.:
    Good point about the "good manners" thing - something I am frequently lacking in. :D But what did you mean about the IP thing?

    @ Rally - yup, you're one of 'em :p
     
    Splunge, Nov 15, 2003
    #11
  12. Hacken Slash

    Hacken Slash OK... can you see me now?

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    Yeah, I have the same problem, too splunge...I usually log on from work...hardly ever at home...and I always have to log back in everytime I access the site from my work computer. I even joined from my work computer (hear that all you students...see what you have to look forward to when you graduate and enter the workforce :D ).I think that is because of the multiple levels of servers, firewalls and proxies that I get to the internet through. I never have the same IP address.

    The issue about the IP address is really a moot point since Tal informed us that a log-in lasts a year, but what I meant by that is the site Admins, like Tal, don't identify your presence on the site by your log in, they do it by IP. That's how they are able to ban people, or see if someone tries to create two accounts. I was thinking that even if you didn't log in, an admin could tell if you were here by your IP

    Long explaination, hope it makes sense.

    btw, I never claimed that I had good manners...knowing what to do and doing are a far stretch! :p

    EDIT: I have a question Tal...when it says that there are "XX number of guests", is that members who hide from the recent visitors list or unregistered visitors? Or both?
     
    Hacken Slash, Nov 15, 2003
    #12
  13. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    I'm with Rally, I sporadically check the Boards during the work day and maybe do it once or twice at night or on the weekends. My productivity hasn't really been affected, but give me time. . .
     
    dmc, Nov 16, 2003
    #13

  14. Blog Gems: 23/31
    Latest gem: Black Opal

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    I noticed that auto log in. Just accept all the cookies and SP should recognize you Splunge. I think it's a great feature too btw. Just think of all the time that the regulars save for not having to bother with logging in every couple hours.

    So my version of logging out would be changing websites or closing IE, while logging in would be clicking the bookmark to the site... which I guess would naturally put me in the second category of the poll.
     
    Blog, Nov 16, 2003
    #14
  15. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Splunge, any computer set to properly accept cookies can be set up to hold your login for a year. It doesn't have to be limited to one computer.

    The IP is completely irrelevant, it doesn't even come into play. The automatic login is acquired from the cookie stored on the computer's hard drive.

    Getting a new computer would require you to simply accept the cookie again on the new computer, and that's it, you're done for another year.

    And:

    That is incorrect. In theory every IP that accesses the server could be looked up, but since several dozen thousand hit SP every day, singling out one would be virtually impossible. Bans are made on the basis of IPs which are logged with every post a user makes. Otherwise, IPs are not stored in any shape or form. What you see in Recent Visitors is just a diversion, it doesn't have the function of collecting IPs, as that would be pointless.

    Both.
     
    Taluntain, Nov 16, 2003
    #15
  16. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    [​IMG] Ya know, I'm such an idiot (as if that's news to anyone). I just realised that the reason I have to keep logging on manually is that I kept logging out. I just did a test - logged in, did not log out, closed SP, and actually did some work for about an hour. Came back to SP, and was still logged in. It just took a minute or so for my name to show up in the Recent Visitors list.

    Because I'm so dense, just one last bit of clarification please, Tal (or BTA, or whoever). When you say "it doesn't have to be limited to one computer", does that mean I could stay logged on at work, and also be able to log on at home? Of course, I could just as easily test this tonight.
     
    Splunge, Nov 17, 2003
    #16
  17. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Yes. I stay logged on both at home and at work. Though I don't have a browser up displaying the boards at both places at the same time :)
     
    Blackthorne TA, Nov 17, 2003
    #17

  18. Mathetais Gems: 28/31
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    Logged in most of the time.

    I started off as a lurker, mostly because I was looking for gaming tips and felt that I didn't have much to add.

    I still don't have much gaming advice ... I only post in the Misc. Forums.

    For awhile my productivity took a serious hit. Between the chat room, PM's and the forum I was "actively engaged in SP" 50%+ of the work day.

    New work blocks the chat, new discipline limits posting ... and I'm back on track.
     
    Mathetais, Nov 18, 2003
    #18

  19. Wordplay Gems: 29/31
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    Unfortunately, Mozilla doesn't allow to select which cookies to keep when flushing the cache, so the automatic log-in doesn't work for me -every cookie being alive just during the session (privacy).

    I don't lurk. ;) It's just a small thing to press "Log-in" and 'enter.' :cool:
     
    Wordplay, Nov 20, 2003
    #19
  20. Gothmog

    Gothmog Man, a curious beast indeed! ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    [​IMG] @Virne
    I'm using MozillaFirebird SLO (SLO = just our language ;) ).
    And i'm logged in all the time. Dont have to login each time i enter BoM. Have those cookies baked.
    I guess your mozilla is just hungry (cookies do taste nice) ;) :shake:


    On the topic... I'm logged in at home all the time. So i just open my browser, take a look at the new posts, perhaps post and close the browser. Repeating when i have the time.
    I really dont use any other comp anyway.
     
    Gothmog, Nov 20, 2003
    #20
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