Some interesting PC Mech member stats [Archive]

Panama Red

03-02-2005, 10:30 AM

I was looking over the members list yesterday and out of curiosity decided to check out a few items. First off there are 27, 363 registered members here. Of those only 57 members have stayed and posted long enough to reach the 1024 post mark which entitles them to a custom avatar. 34 of these 57 have posted in the last 4 months. That leaves 23 members with posts over 1024 that have not posted in 4 months or more. Here's a little breakdown of those 23:

Last Post
4 - 6 months 4
6 - 12 months 8
1 yr or more 11

There's no real significance to these numbers. I just found it interesting to see how people's interests or circumstances change over time. Makes me wonder though how many folks would have enough interest and committment to PC Mech to show up for a Convention.

edit: These numbers are corrected later in this thread. My apology for the confusion. :o

rjfvillarosa

03-02-2005, 10:36 AM

When you say "posts" is that replies to questions or starting new threads?

Panama Red

03-02-2005, 10:41 AM

Any post that isn't in General Discussion. It's the same as the number under a member's name listed as "Posts: xxxx".

Litespeed

03-02-2005, 10:45 AM

So if I post in General Discussion it doesn't count?

rjfvillarosa

03-02-2005, 10:47 AM

That is a dramatic drop considering how long it can take to reach the 1024.

But as you said.

There's no real significance to these numbers. I just found it interesting to see how people's interests or circumstances change over time. Makes me wonder though how many folks would have enough interest and committment to PC Mech to show up for a Convention.

Stryker

03-02-2005, 11:09 AM

So if I post in General Discussion it doesn't count?
Nope... there is a note on the main forum page under General Discussion that the posts here don't tally for your post count.

Litespeed

03-02-2005, 11:51 AM

I am embarrassed. I should have seen that in plain sight. I need new glasses.

mouse1

03-02-2005, 12:06 PM

Any post that isn't in General Discussion. It's the same as the number under a member's name listed as "Posts: xxxx".
I am really not into post count myself,I have PC Mech as my home page and I visit it every day,since I am not a computer genius, I just like to see what kind of problems occur and if I have simular then I know what to do....

HAL9000

03-02-2005, 12:21 PM

Post count is just a number.... sure, I have a lot here... the majority being meaningful, but on another site, I have 36k+ posts in less than a year... all mindless drivel.

TwoRails

03-02-2005, 12:36 PM

I was looking over the members list yesterday and out of curiosity decided to check out a few items. First off there are 27, 363 registered members here. Of those only 57 members have stayed and posted long enough to reach the 1024 post mark which entitles them to a custom avatar. 34 of these 57 have posted in the last 4 months. That leaves 23 members with posts over 1024 that have not posted in 4 months or more. Here's a little breakdown of those 23:

Last Post
4 - 6 months 4
6 - 12 months 8
1 yr or more 11

There's no real significance to these numbers. I just found it interesting to see how people's interests or circumstances change over time. Makes me wonder though how many folks would have enough interest and committment to PC Mech to show up for a Convention.
I find that pretty fasinating. I can see your concern over showups at a convention. And that's not to mention the people that would like to come, but don't have or can't get the time off to visit, and those who couldn't afford the travel and lodging.

Still can't get over that 34/57 number... Wow.. I never thought about it, but I would have *guessed* the number would have been a lot higher. Glad I didn't bet on that!

doctorgonzo

03-02-2005, 12:43 PM

Still can't get over that 34/57 number... Wow.. I never thought about it, but I would have *guessed* the number would have been a lot higher. Glad I didn't bet on that!

I would have guessed higher too. I'm pretty amazed that the numbers are so low.

Also, another interesting stat: the top 25 posters (0.0913% of the total membership) are responsible for 24% of the total posts here.

imbest123

03-02-2005, 01:46 PM

wow i never would have guessed those numbers.

mbossman2

03-02-2005, 02:19 PM

like a lot of things: if you ran those numbers all the way out you would find that 80% of the posts come from 20% of the users...

if it were me, I would be interested to know why those 23 haven't been back and address the reasons (if applicable and to the best of my ability).

mairving

03-02-2005, 03:19 PM

like a lot of things: if you ran those numbers all the way out you would find that 80% of the posts come from 20% of the users...

Nearly 9% (75,000) of all posts come from GLC, Hal and Cricket.

if it were me, I would be interested to know why those 23 haven't been back and address the reasons (if applicable and to the best of my ability).
I think more to do with interests and job situations than anything else. Some no longer do much with computers. Some don't sit in front of one any more or have time/desire to post.

hETUL

03-02-2005, 03:29 PM

i just started couple days ago and already got 10 post... :) i want to get custom avatar..Hope I can Make It.

shazam

03-02-2005, 03:44 PM

I have been comring to this site for a couple years. I visit every day more than once most days. I do not have many posts. Why? because i only post when I have a problem. I hope I never have 1;000 posts. But I have learned more on this site than any other from just reading someone else`s problems.

allannabas

03-02-2005, 06:47 PM

i joined back in 2002 with a mobo question regarding my first build. been getting the daily tip in emails since then, but just logged last week when i decided i'd do some upgrading, or if the time is right to build a future proof machine (build was the i850e rdram--dead ending soon :( )

Panama Red

03-02-2005, 11:22 PM

:o Oops! I'm embarassed to admit that my statistics are flawed. For some reason I was using 25 members per page when in fact it is 50 per page! That raises the number of members with post counts over 1024 from 57 to 132. And the number of who have posted in the last 4 months should be corrected from 34 to 109. The 23 posters with no activity in the last 4 months or more is still correct.

Sorry for the confusion. And thanx to the forum member who was kind enough to point out my stupidity with a PM! :o

dragonxx4

03-03-2005, 12:35 AM

I think quite a few people would show up. Such as myself. I have been coming here for a couple years. Mostly I only answer questions that no one else seems to be able to help on. Im pretty dedicated when it comes to PCmech. I visit at least once a day for about half an hour. I am sure there are lots more who are the same.

CaptTuna

03-03-2005, 12:48 AM

There's no real significance to these numbers. I just found it interesting to see how people's interests or circumstances change over time. Makes me wonder though how many folks would have enough interest and committment to PC Mech to show up for a Convention.

edit: These numbers are corrected later in this thread. My apology for the confusion. :o

Where might this convention be held? If there is a beach near by, I'm in!

Propain

03-03-2005, 07:36 AM

LOTS of peoples main thing is to have an avatar , they reach that point and the novelty wears off and they fade away. Ive also noticed that theyres alot of users that ignore other replies and just repost what has been said . :rolleyes:

Stryker

03-03-2005, 07:55 AM

I find that there are a lot of users who ignore other replies and just repost what has already been said. It can be a little annoying. (sorry, I had to do it) :D

I say, post count be darned. I'm here to absorb as much as I can, and when I am able, to hand out some answers too. If people are posting just to get their post count high enough to get a custom avatar, the quality of information they are providing is going to be pretty low because they will tend to post something just to increase their count. I've been here less than a year, and my posts are over 400. It has nothing to do with trying to get as many as I can, I truly like to help when I can (and be helped quite a bit too :)). Check my post history... I would like to believe that the vast majority of my posts contain valid information. I've also noticed people with well over 1024 posts and they aren't even using a custom avatar. Now that's dedication! :D

raftero

03-03-2005, 08:58 AM

interesting, the ones that post the most are the ones that know the most, and that is as it should be, 3 or 4 yrs. ago i knew nothing so had to ask a lot of questions, as i learned more i ask fewer questions . i usually don't try to post answers to others because there are so many who have better solutions but i do come to the forum often and enjoy reading and LEARNING , this is where i have obtained most of what i know about computers.

J1978

03-03-2005, 12:25 PM

Hi there, well just to say that i go to pc mech about three times a day at least but i dont post much because most of the time some more knowlagebale member
got there before me but i still very much aprecciate this great site and learn very much from other posts.willing to help if i can..

TeenPcknowit

03-03-2005, 12:56 PM

I've read just about every pcmech article on pc's since I became interested in them. I've found this is the most resourcfull website in realation to pc's on the entire web. I post on the forums mostly to learn from other peoples mistakes :-p. But helping out is fun too because everybody has had different problems that maybe even old timers like GLC hasn't ran into. The rules are strict on this forum but I am sorda happy about it because I don't have to see a "Who has the most posts?" Thread anywhere. Then endless babling back and forth with no significance. Most everybody here is here to help out and learn and thats why I like it.

Stryker

03-03-2005, 01:07 PM

... The rules are strict on this forum but I am sorda happy about it...
That's exactly why I like it here so much too. The Mods don't tolerate stupidity and immaturity. A couple of them are virtually always around to help out and "moderate" as needed. It's too bad when the "veteran" members drop off though. It's a shame that the site looses experienced people like that buy I'm sure they have their reasons.

everybody has had different problems that maybe even old timers like GLC hasn't ran into.
I don't know about that... I would say even if he doesn't KNOW the answer, he has enough experience that he could GUESS the right answer and be pretty accurate. (hey... it never hurts to make nicey-nice with the mods!! :rolleyes: ) :D

HAL9000

03-03-2005, 01:18 PM

Well I know G and I have in the past hammered back and forth with some intresting problems that weren't obvious to answer... didn't always come up with the right answer right away.

kram 2.0

03-03-2005, 01:51 PM

The thing I will point out here is that the 30+ members that PR has compiled as being 11-bit but not having posted recently include former moderators. Coming through the months here, I have, like you said, seeing smaller significance in the numbers and signatures. I do agree with the idea of implementing this custom avatar requirement as a symbol of accomplishment and committment.

kram

TeenPcknowit

03-03-2005, 01:54 PM

shazam

03-03-2005, 02:14 PM

We should get over the post count. It is the quality of this site that counts. From Hal, doc Two rails to cricket and everyone in between are doing a GREAT JOB.That to me is what is importent. In fact before I came here I did not know what an avatar was.

Stryker

03-03-2005, 02:37 PM

We should get over the post count.
I was never under it.

mattg2k4

03-04-2005, 04:41 AM

To provide an example of active users here becoming less active, I used to be pretty active here. It was the first forum I ever joined, and back then I probably spend about an hour a day on it. A large part of my 700 odd posts came very quickly.

Now I'm on other forums, I actively post in the electronics section of hardforums.com, I'm pretty active in The Geek Group (http://thegeekgroup.org/) forums, and I read a lot of what goes on in the 4hv.org forums. On top of that I check slashdot and The Register daily for news. Because of that I only come here every few days, sometimes I may go some weeks without stopping by, and the only sections I ever post in are Programming and General Discussion.

mikeL

03-04-2005, 05:50 AM

I try to stop by every morning, and check out the new posts,

I do more reading then posting, avatars don't really interest me, nor does post counts (as you can tell) been here since '99 and i'm still working on 400 :)

Mike

Sauron

03-05-2005, 02:55 PM

I try to get on here and post...actually been posting a lot...for me lately as I am sure some here have noticed, but with school, friends and all the stuff thats going on here, I haven't had as much time as I would like to have.

TEEB

03-05-2005, 03:25 PM

Just to give you an idea of what happens to us "old timers".
I have been coming here for about 6 years. It was the first forum I joined and it's still the one I frequent the most.
But now I read a lot more than I post. That may have a lot to do with the fact that I know a lot more than when I joined. The can be attributed to the members of this forum providing first class information.

I still ask the odd question and try to help when I can!!

Al Pollock

03-05-2005, 04:12 PM

It wasn't to long ago I remember ....the amount of post's determined the college grade you were in at the PC college..

AL

Hi Ho

03-05-2005, 04:34 PM

Those numbers don't really surprise me. There are a select few that actually stay here. Most find this forum on a search engine, as a question, get an answer, and never come back. Some come back occasionally when they have another question. I love it here. It's like a community. I don't see myself leaving even if my situation changes and I have less free time. Why leave? If I can spare 10 minutes I'll always come back and see how I can help. This forum has been an invaluble resource to me in many ways. I don't know anyone personally that has the same level of interest in PC's, electronics, audio, etc. My freinds don't understand why I'm always messing around with my PC. They don't get why I can't stand to watch even the news without turning on my sound system (cheap sounding TV speakers drive me nuts). This forum is my sanctuary.

The number of posts and the questions seem to come in waves. A couple months ago there were many posts daily asking for suggestions on systems and I spent a lot of time compiling wish lists on Newegg and linking to the items in a thread. Me and Kram were always right on it beating each other to the post and posting within seconds of each other. :) The atmosphere seems to be different now. There are a lot more problem questions. Questions about viruses, spyware, and hardware problems.

One thing that hasn't changed is the steady supply of power supply problems. There are still plenty of people that don't even consider the PSU when building a system. I'm still an advocate, as you will, for good quality power supplies. People may remember when every other post of mine was touting the Enlight 360w or 420w. :D I like helping people when I can. Makes me feel good. I also love the help I get from others on this forum when I have a problem.

Propain

03-05-2005, 07:14 PM

lol this thread really got alot of the old members out of the woodwork . Glad to know you fellas still float around :)

Strider

03-05-2005, 08:11 PM

I've been a member since 2001 and It'll be another 5 years or so before I get to 1024 posts, because I don't reply to often. 1. There's seems to be a person that gives the answer I was going to give or 2. I don't know the answer (solution) and I'm not going (try my best not too give) an incorrect response to the problem just to get my post count up, this isn't what PCMech is about.

Panama Red

03-05-2005, 08:17 PM

lol this thread really got alot of the old members out of the woodwork . Glad to know you fellas still float around :)

I had just come to the same conclusion, Pro, and then I saw your post. LOL Funny how a simple observation of numbers can draw so much attention. ;)

digitalfreedom64

03-05-2005, 09:02 PM

As for myself, i'm perfectly happy with the avatars you guys provide. Not really worried about the post count thing. I'm more of a sponge that a poster all though I will post if I can help in anyway. You guys are right though this thread has drawn a lot of the old members out. I've never seen so many with so many posts in one thread lol.