Invitation (to Lurkers to participate)

[Pete]

There are avid forum readers who are yet to register - hence, yet to start posting. Some have been visiting the forum for years.

I'd encourage all to register and join in the threads. It helps all of us.

Your active participation is welcomed.

Hoping to see lots more new posters soon.

Warm regards,

 

[madmurf]

Hi Pete

As I have only recently started posting I see why we have the hesitation from the general viewers.
You have about a dozen people who dominate the forum in the non specific types of questions. These people all gang up if you dare to say hay I don’t agree with way you are investing.
The specialised areas like accounting are great and tend to be very professional and helpful.
These are my impressions only and I may be wrong.
OK Im ready to be flamed by the dirty dozen

Bring It On

 

[House_Keeper]

I agree with Pete.

I had been reading the forum for a few months before I felt 'brave' enough to make my first post. But I found that forum much is more valuable when you get a chance to contribute, it is much more interactive.

This may sound like a cliche, but life is not a spectator sport. To get the most out of it, you need to go out there in the field and play. It's much more rewarding.

Cheers,

 

[House_Keeper]

Hi Pete

As I have only recently started posting I see why we have the hesitation from the general viewers.
You have about a dozen people who dominate the forum in the non specific types of questions. These people all gang up if you dare to say hay I don’t agree with way you are investing.

Don't let that discourage you.

I have put a few posts where many others didn't agree. This prompted me to reconsider how I was thinking. I a few instances, I have developed a better understanding and refined my strategies from posters who "didn't agree".

It's not about being right, it's about learning.

Cheers,

 

[Sunfish]

I'm not sure if I'm one of MM's "dirty dozen" but I am trying to reduce my posts and had been successful till lately. I am also trying to be nicer, I hope with some success.

As long as they don't sound like high school kids making a nuisance of themselves, newbies are safe with me.

Thommo

 

[willair]

Pete,
i want to know who is in the / dirty dozen/?
good luck
willair..

 

[Sultan of Swing]

Hi All

I'll second Pete's request of more lurkers posting. You may think you have nothing to contribute but personally, I enjoy reading about other people's journeys and how they do things etc. Not all of us are as advanced in our investing lives as other but that's the whole point of the forum as i see it.

I remember my first post well and I was shot down in flames REAL quick however when others have disagreed with me its made me look deeper into how and why I've said what i believe and have grown enormously because of it. It's also helped me in structuring comments and making me think more deeply about what I say and to have a proof, logic or reasons to back things up often giving myself a better understanding of a given subject.

To me I also feel part of a larger family or community. Although I've only briefly met one other forumite in person, I feel that i know so many others by what they've posted. And when I disagree with others or they disagree with me, so what?? Believe it or not, my wife and I don't always agree either but we still love each other.

So come on, give it a go. No guts, no glory!!

Cheers

 

[agent 86]

Good thread you've started Pete.

Can see how Madmurfs "disgusting dozen" could scare some.

After lurking for a year myself, I realized how genuine the "dozen" really were though and decided to post.

As House Keeper & The Sultan have said, by "posting" it makes you "think" a bit more about your direction etc.

Another benefit of posting is that PM's ( private messages ),of a more personal nature, are sent between forumites.

I was scared to post initially but am glad I finally overcame my year long fear.

To all lurkers, start posting NOW.

A86

 

[alvman]

As being only a new member to the forum as of late, i will rebut why most of the lurkers stay lurkers for some time.

1. We are so busy trying to read all the good information there just isn't time yet to post.

2. We are afraid!!

3. Some of us are only new comers to PI so asking Q's without checking out what has gone before, is sometimes a waste of time, cause the info's already here.

4. Before you start posting, if you have been lurking for long enough, you get to know some of the members through their posts, and realize just how smart some are, and wouldn't want to embrass yourself or just seem dumb.

We'll thats my two cents worth.

Till next time

 

[Glebe]

Alvman,

Nothing wrong or bad in coming across dumb, I do it regularly in the Accounting and Tax forum. What's important to me though is whether I learn and understand. This can be accelerated with posting rather than just reading.

You're right though about there already being lots of useful information here, the 'search' function is fantastic. I especially like searching on thread titles.

 

[nav12c]

another lurker-yet-to-post-much,

I have found that whenever I have had a specific question, it has been answered previously in an older thread. It's also the case that I'm still early in my property investing.

What I have found to be more interesting (if that can be said) is attending the SIG meets. I have only been to one so far (Jan05) but don't plan on missing any in the near future.

4. Before you start posting, if you have been lurking for long enough, you get to know some of the members through their posts, and realize just how smart some are, and wouldn't want to embrass yourself or just seem dumb.

To alvman, I see your point here (and agree somewhat) but if I had a specific question that hadn't been answered before, I would put it out there. I have found out first hand that the questions I have are also questions faced by others in my situation and that maybe I'm the only one to have asked it (or possibly the first one to put it out there).

I hope to contribute more as my experience level increases.

Nav

 

[Kristine..]

G'Day

Well, I'm both a Lurker and a Poster.

Lurking is for a quick update - what's been posted today?

Logging in is for when I've got a Private Message - I have the email notification switch 'on' - or for when I have a burning desire to post something ie write War and Peace!

However, Lurkers miss out on various Board functions eg a Lurker can't read Members lists or Members Profiles, send or receive Private Messages etc

Registering is anonymous - and you can always register a hotmail or yahoo email account to do that.

And because you are anonymous - who cares if Speckled Hen asks a question which has been asked 10,000 times before, or makes a completely off-key comment, who is Speckled Hen, anyway?

Only recently someone decided to ridicule me, make derogatory personal comments and infer that I'm stupid.

Fair enough, probably I am all those things, but again, so what?

From my observations, the posts most likely to be brushed aside seem to be from posters who haven’t done any lurking, but who have recently discovered the board and rush in with lots of rather strange questions then never come back to read the replies.

If you have been lurking and searching for a while and feel as if this has posed more questions than you can find answers for, then you’re probably ready to ask questions from your own perspective and in accordance with your own plans. Those can never be silly questions.

Above all, by participating in any way you are contributing in a meaningful way to this very interesting and exciting cyber-community. Everybody has a story, even if you are just starting out. Everybody has role models, positive or negative, and technical questions simply because they haven’t done it (property investing) before.

Sometimes, with hindsight, those of us who have been around for a while can see that we could have done things differently, ‘if only we’d known’…..

Lurk or post, it’s not an issue, but the more posters there are, the more diverse, dilute and colourful the board content becomes and the less the province of an elite.

Cheers

Kristine

 

[Aceyducey]

If you learn best by reading, be a lurker.

But if you learn best by interacting, start posting.

I think that everyone should be prepared to have their opinions and assumptions challenged. What's the point in participating if you simply do so to reinforce your own biases?

If your ideas are challenged you look at them more closely and from different angles - if they still stack up, great! But if they don't you have the opportunity to learn from other views.

As always, wisdom is in being able to take the views of others and from them distill a view that works for you.

Cheers,

Aceyducey

 

[see_change]

I know I've learnt a lot more by posting ( even if some people think too much ) than just by reading.

Outside the mental discipline of putting my thoughts to paper and , if necessary , defending them , I've met numerous people in the " real world " , have some good friends , and even a couple of good deals by actively participating.

Alot of interaction goes on from somersoft that doesn't occure on the forum , and people are a lot more forthcoming once they know you, rather than if you're a " faceless nick ".

See Change

 

[skater]

I have been around for quite a while now. I was a lurker for over a year before I made any posts. Mainly because I was very busy & posting does take time. There are still many times that I would love to contribute but can't due to the time factor.

If you are a lurker because you are afraid to post, don't be. Most people here are friendly & legitamately try to help. Its great to hear from new people, we all have different stories to tell & posting here helps everyone.

 

[always_learning]

A list of the The dirty dozen or so

 

[the.j]

Love your work Always_Learning - a fine hack

Thommo, you may have made it on the list , but you have a cult following at my workplace ! (All of us being fellow Town Villains)

 

[Kristine..]

My point exactly, AL

Unless you are registered you can't access the Dirty Dozens or any of the other behind the scene stuff.


Cheers

Kristine


Oh, and by the way Shanay, Helen has the experience you are looking for!

 

[see_change]

A list of the The dirty dozen or so

AL , mmm , and I was going to tell you about the experience we had with Lyn Bradshaw....

I might have to leave that to another day if I have time to have a shower.

See Change

 

[Peter 14.7]

Hi Lurkers

Remember we all Lurked once. No Posters, no Forum.

In over 1000 posts I have never been criticised for writing simple advice and/or wrong advice. Even for spelling which i am infamous for.

Debates happen on political threads mostly so avoid then if your want.

And remember us Moderators are there to "keep it clean"

So post with no fear,. if even to say HI.

Peter 147