Is this the end of the lurker?

[malyla]

I didn't want to open a new thread so I'm asking the question here.

Is this the end of the lurker?

If I try to look at threads without signing in, a message comes up after a few views of threads telling me that I have reached a limit on viewing the message board and to signin or signup to see more threads.

I don't feel comfortable remaining signin especially at some of my work sites.

Whats behind this change? And can it be changed back?

 

[tsptalk]

Hi Malyla -

It was a way to encourage the large percentage of folks who do lurk to register, contribute, and take advantage of many of the features blocked to folks not logged in. It also discourages "spiders" who crawl the net for posted email addresses, etc.

I get the office thing. It may not help but did you know that there is an "invisible mode" so you can be logged in but not be seen? http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/profile.php?do=editoptions

I am interested in your feedback and I will take the block away for now, but will show the "why not register" message.

For those who don't see it, the "block" had kicked in after 6 page views from non-registered / not logged-in, while the "why not register" message would show after 5 page views.

 

[malyla]

Thanks Tom.

 

[OBGibby]

Let 'em lurk! Every lurker is a potential future contributor. Lock the door on them and they go away...forever. I admit, my first thought when I saw the new policy was that it likely had some connection to 'more registered users, more money via the ads.' Don't know, but that's what I thought.

 

[tsptalk]

Actually, people that are not logged in see more ads as there is an ad inside the first post of every thread only seen by those not logged in.

It's always nice for a site to have more members. It shows longevity and that other folks are interested. The key for us website owners though, is to get members to subscribe to threads so they might request email notifications and become regulars. Out of site out of mind, but email notifications keep people more active.

 

[Boghie]

I lurk.
Therefore I am.

 

[sniper]

Let 'em lurk! Every lurker is a potential future contributor. Lock the door on them and they go away...forever. I admit, my first thought when I saw the new policy was that it likely had some connection to 'more registered users, more money via the ads.' Don't know, but that's what I thought.

I lurked around here for almost 2 years before finally posting. For the most part I followed Intrepid Trader's thread since he was at the top of the autotracker and active on the forum (2010). I didn't really get into trading until a year ago though, thought it'd be useful knowledge

 

[Bquat]

I think lukers should be a welcomed sight but they won't see the site when it was in it's glory. You don't see the daily post of big group of individuals posting there ideas and post market reviews. People that offered free advice and charts have dwindled greatly and news feeder sometimes the biggest poster with just trowing out headlines. We sometimes get too critical on people offering free advice, even though I've haven't got any because I pretty good at saying how wrong I can be.:embarrest: We need to become a community of traders again and help each other. It should be us against the market and lurkers will join as they see the site become more freindly and member oriented.JMHO

 

[RealMoneyIssues]

Us Against the Machine!!!

 

[Bullitt]

Bquat, that might be the best post I've seen on this website in a long time.

Most threads have a shelf life of a couple hours but if you do some searching, there are still many timeless threads buried from 2008-2009. Those were some interesting times.

 

[Bquat]

Bquat, that might be the best post I've seen on this website in a long time.

Most threads have a shelf life of a couple hours but if you do some searching, there are still many timeless threads buried from 2008-2009. Those were some interesting times.

Thanks Bullitt. I was a lurker for years and started posting to try to provide free help to others. Even if it's not the best I am trying my best. Several have made possably thousands using me as a contrary indicator.

Even though my sense of direction is wrong because of news events. My resistance and support lines may help others.

 

[JTH]

I have wondered where all the old posters have gone, many folks don't like change, perhaps the forum has changed too much. This place used to see more action, if it werent for the new folks bringing up the rear, this place would be dead.

 

[tsptalk]

Rumors of the forum's demise are greatly exaggerated.

I'll run the numbers this weekend if I remember, but I am almost certain that we get more posts each day now than we ever have. We also have many more members online each day.

The difference could be that a lot of the posts are done now in the private premium service and politics forums / threads.

Hopefully after the election, the flood of political posts will turn back into the light of the public TSP discussion.

To add, I think some of the old members, who had a lot to offer, but were learning themselves, eventually outgrow the info here since we try to keep things simple. They move onto more hard core technical forums outside of the TSP. Just conjecture.

 

[Bullitt]

I see less of the deeper conversations and more of the "I made an IFT to 100%C for a one day move, did I do the right thing" kind of posts. Yeah some probably went on to bigger things and some would rather get all worked up over politics. (And if they are making political posts on a gov computer, it will come back to bite them). 350 was into currency trading, rokid was into indexing, and I unfortunately haven't heard from robo in many months.

The question I asked myself a few years ago was, "Do I want to spend the rest of my life running to a computer to make an IFT before noon?". Not only that, but priorities in life change fast. My strategy is more long term and balanced now and I'm extremely confident that I'll do better with this strategy than that of a boom/bust trading strategy. But hey, that's just me and as I've said before on here- traders, indexers, buy/holders, etc.... they are what makes a market.

I guess it's something we see in all walks of life. We live in a world of entitlement where people feel they deserve the world in the palm of their hands. Most people just want to have the holy grail handed to them in a few posts without any work. This trading/investing thing, it's much more complicated than today's IFT of the day.

--
I didn't mean to derail the topic, so here's my response to the lurker: I think one should have to sign in to view the auto tracker but to view the MB posts people should be allowed to cruise as a guest. What about that 22 year old kid just starting off looking for information on how to save or the 55 year old near retirement looking for some roth rollover options who stumbles upon their answers in a Google search?

 

[BigJohn]

Great points all around...I wonder if the site is a victim of it's own success? It seems that more threads are started than maintained; I know when I have been away for a while I go in to see how the "old time" threads are doing, theses threads are harder to spot due to the volume of newer threads that often are just how Bullitt describes. I know early on I was actually saddened to note that Fundsurfer and Griffin stopped posting regularly, I noticed it immediately because there wasn't so many threads in the "today's posts" section.

i wonder if Tom could set up an "old farts" section on the MB for those of us who have been around for a while and tend to post a little more substantive information (which I freely admit I don't always do). The "old farts" section wouldn't need access restrictions, only "time in grade" qualifications to start (or move a thread over). I must admit that when I log on and don't see any of the familiar threads...I feel like the MB may have passed me by.

i know I tell everyone I talk with about the tsp that they need to check out tsptalk...many come back and say they cruised the MB and found some interesting information; I think these cruisers should be encouraged. Today's cruisers/lurkers could turn out to be the next generation's Birchtree(Lord help us) or even a new and improved (if that is possible) JTH.

Just my thoughts...

BigJohn

 

[JTH]

Great points all around...I wonder if the site is a victim of it's own success? It seems that more threads are started than maintained; I know when I have been away for a while I go in to see how the "old time" threads are doing, theses threads are harder to spot due to the volume of newer threads that often are just how Bullitt describes. I know early on I was actually saddened to note that Fundsurfer and Griffin stopped posting regularly, I noticed it immediately because there wasn't so many threads in the "today's posts" section.

I'd like to see a Forum exclusively for members who have been here a minimum of 5 years, while all can read, only the elders can post. We could keep a sticky in there for those who just want to check in and say hi. We could setup an Elder's council who nominates and votes on the material added to the elder's forum. Perhaps a sticky for "great words of wisdom" with various quotes from the elders.

 

[rcknfrewld]

"it's f*ck your buddy, cheat on your wife, call your mom on Mother's Day...it's all sh*t..." Big John

 

[tsptalk]

I must have missed something? :notrust:

 

[jkeawe0978]

I lurk. There is a wealth of knowledge here. Its like a gold mine. It takes a lot of work. Im patient and i am on this site no less than 50 times a day. I never skip a post from RMI, uptrend, Bquat, sensei (hell too many to list). Yeah, I want to be like birch. Right now im a student. When i can grab that stone from the master, look out. Til then, thank you guys! And I do tell everyone about this site.

 

[BigJohn]

"it's f*ck your buddy, cheat on your wife, call your mom on Mother's Day...it's all sh*t..." Big John

Simply outstanding...I almost missed the "Scent of a Woman" quote.