Looks like in the flurry of message postings today, we skipped past the 12,000 message count! Plus a few dozen more in closed Forums.

I saw a tweak once that you could add to the various threads. It added a 'view counter' to each thread. It might be interesting to see how many times a specific thread is viewed.

But if you check back to the same thread several times to see the new added message, you'd increment the counter each time.

It might help give us some idea of the number of "lurkers" - unregistered viewers who read, but don't write yet.

Thoughts?

thread specific 'view counter' - nice touch - I vote 'yes'.

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/im

I vote 'Yes', too.

Go for it. It's a good idea. Let's get those "lurkers" over to our side, show them the light, and have them join the forum.

Keep The Light Burning

The Flame

The counter can't really give us an idea about the number of lurkers unless we already have an idea of how many hits-per-day-per-regular poster there are to subtract from the overall number. Can't solve a single equation with two unknowns. But it will provide for us yet another statistic to abuse and enjoy in the various fora. It would still be interesting (to me) to see which of the fora win the "popularity contest" though. Go for it.

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-Art

Art - of course the 'old threads' will have their counters start at zero so direct comparisons can't be made until we're down the road 90-180 days or so.

And don't you suspect that every forum visitor reads EVERY thread that's new each time they visit?

What? You think some people are SELECTIVE about their Forum reading?

John

I read every new post in every forum as I visit rather more than once each day.

I read somewhere there is a counter available which counts hits by unique user as well as multiple hits by the same user. I'd be glad to do the research on this if it would be helpful St. John.

Absurd, ain't it?

I must confess though, after reading 12,000+ postings, I myself have been tempted on occasion to skip one or two fora. I actually did skip a few one dark day. Then guilt overcame me and I went back to catch up. Playing catch-up just once is sufficiently punishing to prevent a repeat of such folly. Haven't fallen off (on?) the wagon since.

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-Art

Looks Like being 'selective' in forum reading has finally arrived -- I DO NOT look at all those 'Lightning Rod' messages every day! In fact, some I've not looked at at all.

I will though - sometime in 2001. LOL

Message #13,000 was posted sometime today - Aug 16, 1999.

Hey John

Count me in with your counter. Although I confess that I do not visit every day and I do not read every forum. Now before everyone posts a "Shame on you message" I have already slapped myself on the hand for not being here every day and reading every posted message.

From a poor eyesighted, trifocal eyeglass wearing collector -
Jim.

My favorite stats to keep an eye on are:
 1) the number of threads per forum, and
 2) the number of messages per thread.

Survey threads, (apparently quite popular - folks love to vote) tend to skew my reading of these numbers.

Rgds,
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/im

With Arts survey on lightning rods, we surved past 13,000 in the last day or so. 13,159 as of 8/28/99 6 pm ET

John,
Did you maybe mean 14,159? You noted 13,000 passed on 8/16.
To quote a certain forum personality.. "Inquiring minds want to know"

Dave
(Might explain why you keep running out of disk space! Also shows what a great job you are doing getting everyone involved.)

You guys have WAY to much time on your hands!! I don't even have enough time to read these forums every day much less every entry!!!! But I sure wish I did. What I do get to read I learn a little more (most of the time)I can't even begin to think of all the great stuff I'm missing!!!!!!!!!

As long as I make it to the play room, I'm happy.

The Ancient Mariner

If I had a nickel for every post...
Oh nevermind, I probably do?