A Question About The "Lurkers"

Hey diggers,

I am just wondering why the vast majority of members on this site do not post or even comment on posts?

We have over 2,600 members and yet it's the same 25 or so people making all the posts and all the comments! Am I to believe that over 2,600 members do not own metal detectors, cameras, or never make any finds?

A quick review of the monthly award voting polls shows an average of 22 people voting on best coin, best relic, and best jewelry. That's 22 out of 2,600+ members! Why so much apathy?

I look forward to everyone's comments. HH, Dave.

I have noticed the same thing. The answer is probably a complex one tho. I don't always vote for monthly finds altho I have. Some I am sure join for a season and then put the detector away. I haven't seen people posting specifics to locations, maybe pictures at the site, but that doesn't help trollers looking for places. Idk, were you looking for someone who doesn't post to give you an answer or expecting someone that does post to put a guess?

I suspect that most folks on this forum are also members of several other MDing forums. I used to post all the time on 3 other forums. Just don't have the time anymore. I like AD the best, so that's where I spend my time. I'll pop in now and then on the other forums just to see what's been coming out of the ground, but I guess I would be considered a lurker on those other forums now.

I agree with you Dave. It's always the same people participating. There have been a few new members in the last few months that have been posting their finds.
I for one, enjoy seeing and reading them. I'm sure there have been people have joined on a whim and never returned, but not 2000 !!
I have been on the forum for over a year and I can honestly say I check in everyday. I look forward to seeing what people have posted.
I will say this however, I have visited other forums with ton of members and even though growth is good, I like the fact that AD is smaller and more Friendly.

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Originally Posted by Digger Don

I agree with you Dave. It's always the same people participating. There have been a few new members in the last few months that have been posting their finds.
I for one, enjoy seeing and reading them. I'm sure there have been people have joined on a whim and never returned, but not 2000 !!
I have been on the forum for over a year and I can honestly say I check in everyday. I look forward to seeing what people have posted.
I will say this however, I have visited other forums with ton of members and even though growth is good, I like the fact that AD is smaller and more Friendly.

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I have to agree with you Don I like the fact we have a nice small group of Detectorist I feel like I know everyone here but I've never met any of you guys :grin:

"I like the fact that AD is smaller and more Friendly." Absolutely agree there Don.
I hope many people are gleaning information from our site...but I have to say I think many of these "lurkers" are ourselves leaving cell phones and tablets hooked up to AD. I know my friends sometimes leave a device set to AD and it shows them connected with the green dot when they have been sleeping for hours. :dontknow:

Dave , unfortunately this is common on all forums . The bigger ones have huge numbers of membership but only a fraction of them participate on a regular basis , I think our percentage of participants as a whole ranks right up there or even better than the larger forums. AD seems more close nit as a group and posts don't seem to get as lost as they do on the bigger boards.


You Lurkers are more then welcome to "come out of the shadows";) and join a great group of people .:yes:

I used to be on another forum years ago,had a lot to say there, wore my fingers down to a frazzle asking dumb questions, I just look at the finds of other people now.

I have been a Lurker lately I have to admit. I check in from tome to time but for the most part I have been busy with work and travel. I do look forward to getting the chance to see what everyone has found. I also enjoy being part of a forum that feels so much like a bunch of close friends.
One of my real thoughts about limited number of people who respond is that these are people that are thoughtful enough to encourage others and often chime in with a word of praise and a welcome to the Newbs. those things take time and commitment to a great hobby.
Thanks to all the Non-Lurkers who make the forum a great place.

Ron

I understand "lurkers". I usually check to see what members are on-line, and there are usually many who don't really post much. That's okay with me. Each has his/her niche in a nice forum like this one... some like to post a lot and others don't.

There's room for everyone here.:)

HH

i have to admit i do not post any more but it is because i am not able to hunt a lot i know some that worry about others finding out where they go and things like that so they are reluctant to post i myself find myself only answering a few from mostly the older members that i have talked to and replied to their post it is not because i dont read them i do i just feel more comfortable with the ones i have known personal quirk i hope to get out next year if i can a little more another reason is me and my group that i hunt with find that we have to travel a lot farther from home our area has had a lot of detectorits in the past and it has gotten quite a bit harder to make good finds

I am a new member and love reading posts. I have posted a few things but have not been out in 2 weeks to have anything to report.
My detector went back to whites for repairs and have not detected for two weeks. Will post any news when I get a chance to hunt.
This hobby is no fun if there is nobody to share our achievements of finds with. Sometimes we hunt alone and find something and there
is nobody with me to "hi five" with. Online forums give md folk a place to not brag but get a "hi five" from people that share the same
interest. I am not afraid somebody will steal my area. It is like finding gold now. The easy gold is gone and it takes more research and
skill, and better equipment to find the items that are deep and out of the way. Thus for me it is the hunt and the find that makes it exciting.

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Originally Posted by Lodge Scent

I suspect that most folks on this forum are also members of several other MDing forums. I used to post all the time on 3 other forums. Just don't have the time anymore. I like AD the best, so that's where I spend my time. I'll pop in now and then on the other forums just to see what's been coming out of the ground, but I guess I would be considered a lurker on those other forums now.

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Exactly my situation ! I am also registered on French forums (I am moderator for one of them), I am also a member of the French National Council for Metal Detecting and I created a Facebook Page that has now over a 1,000 fans. (And which is also linked to a Twitter account that has over 200 followers). I try to pop in as often as I can on every forum. Also being very busy at work these days (and with my children, 3yo and almost 5yo !), I cannot post as often as I would like to. These past weeks, I have mostly been reading the forums. Even though it is not a very active participation, it is still very much enjoyable to be able to read what the others are sharing. 99% of the time, I am so glad to see what they find... Last 1% is just me being a little jealous of all the great finds !! but nicely jealous ;) LOL

Lately, I also spent a few hours translating subtitles in French for every episode of the first season of "Detectorists". I then shared that with my fellow French detectorists ;)

The only reason this account is kind of a lurker, with an occasional post here and there, is because me and my dad hunt together, so most of my finds and such are posted on there, so I'm not very active on this account.

I haven't gotten much detecting time this year. Most of the stuff is average clad and not many surprises this year, unlike last year. I am also computer challenged so if I do find something to brag about, I have to try to get a decent picture, and then get my wife to post it for me. I do read most of the posts made by others.

I am guilty of lurking. I just don't have much to say. But was just thinking the other day that I need to be more active on here. Have not found much lately worth posting a photo. I do appreciate everyone's effort to keep this a good forum. Happy hunting and Happy New Year.

As someone who has participated in many, many forums from motorcycle to musician, guns and shooting to historical, you're issue is common. Not much different than a club where only a small percentage of the members attend meetings or participate.

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Originally Posted by Lodge Scent

I suspect that most folks on this forum are also members of several other MDing forums. I used to post all the time on 3 other forums. Just don't have the time anymore. I like AD the best, so that's where I spend my time. I'll pop in now and then on the other forums just to see what's been coming out of the ground, but I guess I would be considered a lurker on those other forums now.

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mee too, what he said

I also view three other Mding forums but a good amount of time is spent on the Pontiac forum I am a member of. I stay logged in on all the sites so it may appear that I am here when I am not! Come to think of it, some people have said the same thing about me in real life!:lol: