Users that never use the forum

[Ace]

When I first registered, I wanted to use the name Barbara (since that is my name). I was told it was in use. So I signed up differently, and that is fine, but I since have discovered that Barbara and a LOT of others have never posted even once on the forum.

Once, on an Artists Way forum I was on, they sent an email to users (including me) that hadn't been active for a long time. It was just a way of cleaning out their files.

I wonder if you should consider such a move? to loosen up names that people might like but can't use because they are already used by someone who is never around.

[Little Baron]

Hi Ace (Barbara)

I don't know the answer to this one, but occasionally when looking through the members lists if I want to PM someone or find a thread, I am amazed by just how many people are registered on here that I have never heard of before. I wondered if maybe they were active in other threads that I don't use; such as the ones about crystals and oracle decks; kind of like a different office in the same building, lol.

As you say, it may be an idea to find out if these people registered a long time ago and have either lost interest in the tarot or have forgotten that they even registered. I suppose there are some that do read what is going on on the boards but just have no desire to post.

Best wishes

Yaboot

[rainstarhorizon]

Hi, I've been registered a few months and finding it hard to get my posting count up on ATF as I really DO READ far more than I post. So I guess I'm putting in my word for those of us like me out there. The answer is that yes I do use the Divination and Oracle Offices LOL out there mostly to post in and learn about the Tarot and other ATF members concerns by reading the other Offices mainly.

If you have any good dreams I'd like to hear from you as that is an area I am very comfortable in. I also believe in Ghosts as I have proof that I've seen some- I was able to see them when they'd died and then confirm the times exactly thru other people and have/ hold them as witnessing to this. Maybe I should start my own door to door witnessing religion called Ye Ghosters Witnesses ROFL.

I do agree w you tho that it'd be a good idea to send a circular to all people to see if they still wish to be considered active. I would however give extra time to reply to anyone that was in the recent Florida spate of hurricanes as several of my/our ATF friends are currently still missing in action and we hope pray and wish them well. Blessed Be..

[Sulis]

Ace, I completely understand what you're saying but I agree with rainstarhorizon;- there are different ways of using a forum, not everyone posts, I'm sure there are many people who get just as much from this forum just from reading.

I'm sure there are absolutely loads of people who register and never come here again but how do you weed them out from the people who just read?

Love

Sulis xx

[CreativeFire]

Also just a thought - as there are also a lot of older threads that do get resurrected from time to time, it would become very confusing when reading back if user names were 'recycled'. Eg. If for example there was a member 'X' a long time ago and then the name became available again after an extended period of non-posting, and then a new member 'X' joined - how would you tell who had posted what?

As you would not want to delete old posts (part of the treasure trove of AT ) when the connected user is removed to free up the name for the future this would make it a bit difficult perhaps to be able to accommodate the recycling of user names.

Just my 2c worth

CreativeFire

[rabble]

There are many many member names with 0 posts. Maybe these should be the only ones considered for deletion if a mailing didn't elicit a response.

[CreativeFire]

That is a good point, rabble. You would want something that could be automated however I would think, as it would have the potential of being quite time consuming maintenance job for Solandia if it had to be done manually.

If there was perhaps a script that ran that checked for user names with 0 posts after a designated length of time (weeks, months, years, whatever), then an email was sent automatically advising them that there user name (and profile) would be deleted (and reissued) after a period of say 30 days if there was still 0 posts. This would then give the user an opportunity to post a least once to keep their user name if they prefer to read the threads rather than post in them.

Then if script then continued on to automatically delete any user names with 0 posts, after the designated length of time +30 days.

Getting too late in the evening to get so technical!

CF

[Rusty Neon]

Originally posted by CreativeFire
Also just a thought - as there are also a lot of older threads that do get resurrected from time to time, it would become very confusing when reading back if user names were 'recycled'. Eg. If for example there was a member 'X' a long time ago and then the name became available again after an extended period of non-posting, and then a new member 'X' joined - how would you tell who had posted what?

(1) A way of dealing with long-inactive users with more than 0 posts (but less than a certain number, e.g. 5 or 10 posts) would be to changet the users' name by adding a bunch of numbers at the end of their name. An inactive 'Smith' (for example) could see her screen name changed to "Smith9999999".

On the other hand, even if the inactive Smith's screen name were not made available, nothing stops a new person from taking a very close variation of the Smith screen name, e.g. Smith_001.

(2) By the way, it's could sometimes already difficult to follow threads sometimes, as a user Smith (for example) could have changed his screen name to Jones, but all references to Smith remain in the conversations. To add to the confusion, I'm sure that the system would allow a new user to take the vacated screen name Smith.

[Ace]

Originally posted by Sulis
Ace, I completely understand what you're saying but I agree with rainstarhorizon;- there are different ways of using a forum, not everyone posts, I'm sure there are many people who get just as much from this forum just from reading.

I'm sure there are absolutely loads of people who register and never come here again but how do you weed them out from the people who just read?

Love

Sulis xx

I would NEVER want to delete someone who lurks but doesn't post. Or isn't as active as I am. I was thinking the forum could send a note to users who haven't even logged in in say, a year (or more) and ask if they are still interested. Some will be, some may be motivated to post! some will have dead e-mail addresses.

If it doesn't cause trouble, then maybe it isn't worth it.

[Shalott]

I can understand light posters, but why bother to sign up for something and get a screen name if one never actually posts, since one doesn't need a screen name to read? Interesting idea...I know I've gone all when I see the birthdays at the bottom and I'm like "Who's that," and their profile is blank! Like completely!