How many members have you welcomed?

[BobL]

It's interesting to see who welcomes whom.

Of the top 10 posters, Artme wins hands down with 133 welcomes, the next closest is Cliff with 54 - the average is 28 welcomes.

All I can say is I'm below average so I reckon I need to do a few more

[Master Splinter]

I like my total of none at all. The internet means I don't have to all that social-touchy-feely-oh-its-good-manners cr@p. I'm not anti-social, but what I see as 'fake social interaction' is just not something that motivates me. Saying, 'Oh, I'm ok' to the checkout chicks meaningless rote 'How are you today?' question fills my social interaction needs for a good few weeks.

[BobL]

None at all. I like the internet as it means I don't have to all that social-touchy-feely-oh-its-good-manners cr@p. I'm not anti-social, but what I see as 'fake social interaction' is just not something that motivates me. Saying, 'Oh, I'm ok' to the checkout chicks meaningless rote 'How are you today?' question fills my social interaction needs for a good few weeks.

So the finger avatar has nothing to do with splinters then?

[Christos]

I like welcoming people to the forum. There are some interesting reads on what people say about themselves.

Some come back with more interaction on their threads.

I like to think of it this way.

When you are in a big city in a coffee shop and you walk in and say G'day. Not many look or even acknowledge your greeting. But when you are in a small country town and you walk in and say G'day almost everyone looks up.

I like to think of it this way, in the city everyone is busy rushing from one place to the other and no one has time to chat to new people. But in the small country town you know everyone has the one thought on their mind when you greet them.

Ah city folk. :wave:

[Master Splinter]

So the finger avatar has nothing to do with splinters then?

Hummm...I never thought about that....

[Christos]

So the finger avatar has nothing to do with splinters then?

He has a smiley on his finger. :) That means he is happy.

[coffenup]

turn his finger down and its frowning
regards Michael

[Master Splinter]

Actually it's an animated gif that is not animating, and he's poking his tongue out.

Original:

[Lawry01]

Hey MastaSplinter, as a newbie, not just to the site, but to anything woodwork beyond hammering a few old nails in something, the welcome I received , and the incredibly generous (& fun) advice given to me has been awesome! (beyond expectation actually!!) I only today really noticed this part of the forum, so saying g'day & welcoming people pays dividends. So..for my oney, theres been absolutely nothing fake about the social inteaction I've experienced. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm a member of a few forums (cars/ fishing) and find the same thing. Of course, yes you can hide behind the technology and live a cloistered life, or you can go the extreme (& most likely fake) and be a facebook hound! For my money, common inteest, experience, bit of fun & banter, and a couple of minutes every now & then is worth it. Also reckon that down the track some of us might actually meet up, share a beer or coffee.

So..if you've read this far, then you're engaging! ONYA!

Oh..MastaSplinter...G"DAY! Lawry :)

[tea lady]

Maybe I should more. I do welcome them if they ask a wood turning question sometimes.:C

[BobL]

Actually it's an animated gif that is not animating, and he's poking his tongue out.

Original:

Excellent!

[crowie]

I try to watch for new overseas members plus toymakers, but try to be welcoming when I remember or see someone has introduced themselves without any replies.....
The Router Forum has "official welcomes" in that forum.....so everyone always gets a welcome quickly......cheers, crowie

[Boringgeoff]

I like my total of none at all. The internet means I don't have to all that social-touchy-feely-oh-its-good-manners cr@p. I'm not anti-social, but what I see as 'fake social interaction' is just not something that motivates me. Saying, 'Oh, I'm ok' to the checkout chicks meaningless rote 'How are you today?' question fills my social interaction needs for a good few weeks.
Well, Master Splinter, I imagine you're a sad sort of b......d. Do you think the checkout chick is really interested in how you are today? When she/he asks me how I am today my answer is always "very well thanks, and how are you?" Costs me nothing to be cheerful.
Regards,
Geoff.

[Master Splinter]

Do you think the checkout chick is really interested in how you are today?

Maybe you should check out the words "meaningless" and "rote" that appear earlier in that comment for the answer.

[Ian Smith]

With over 9,000 posts under his belt it could be that BobL has a strong sense of ownership and feels he has the right and the duty to put out the welcome mat.

I must say that, as a very moderate user, I don't feel I have that right - I think I may have done it once in reply to a new poster's question but other than that I tend to sit back and watch.

On the other hand I don't go along with Master Splinters "Grumpy Old Man" approach unless he is deliberately trying to get a bite.

I'll tell you really p&%$es me of though is the bozo that comes on the board asks a question (apparently genuine) and gets a half or dozen or so helpful replies but doesn't surface again to acknowledge or thank anyone who took the trouble to respond.

Y'all have a nice day now y'hea (you too MS)

[Master Splinter]

My opinions re forum welcoming are influenced by the welcome posts I see in the Renovate forum.

Generally, welcome posts there seem to take three main forms:

Type one (the solution seeker):

"Hi, I'm new here, just got a new - well, new to me anyway, ha ha - [house/townhouse/flat/apartment/garret/donga/humpy/lean-to/shoebox in t' middle o' road] and I'm having some problems with [water heater/peeling paint/leaky toilet/sunken stumps/electrical wiring] and I'd like to know if [description of problem]"

This type of post is typically followed by a mod's edit - "Copied to the [forum name as appropriate]"

The post will get replies, the op will make 3-4 more posts in the same thread, and then we'll never hear from them again.


Type two (the vanishing expert):

"Hi, I'm a long time [trade or other specialisation] and I've been impressed by the responses here, so I thought I'd put my oar in and see if I can help with some of the things I see here. Hooroo till next time!"

We never hear from the poster again.


Type three (the spammer or troll):

"Hi, I've just [blah blah blah blah blah] house, and [blah blah blah] and sometimes [blah] with [blah] but still learning! Looking forward to [blah] with [blah] and [blah blah].

Poster makes a number of posts, their nature as a spammer or troll becomes apparent, and they get the ban-hammer.

We never hear from the poster again.


So am I cynical and grumpy and seeing patterns that don't exist, or am I just reflecting reality?

It would be interesting to do a more rigorous analysis of poster activity, but till then, I'll just keep looking at the world through crap-coloured glasses!

[Lawry01]

Now then MS..thats the spirit...see???......You're learning to communicate...look how much interest you'vce created! ONYA!! :)

[Master Splinter]

Actually, I'm rather impressed that BobL's post count....

[Christos]

Actually, I'm rather impressed that BobL's post count....


I prefer the avatar that you have and would like to see it a few more times. The smiley one :U not the sticky out tongue one. :q

[munruben]

I try to welcome as many newcomers as I can been doing it for quite some time now. missed a few just recently as I was overseas. so to all who became members in the time I was away for 7 weeks. welcome to the forum. :):2tsup:

[wheelinround]

Christos and Munruben you were oth OS at same time yet when you had the time you still welcomed quite a few dring that time. :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[Dengue]

Actually it's an animated gif that is not animating, and he's poking his tongue out.I like to guess which finger is being used, and what the rest of the fingers are doing, depending on the tone of the response :)

[munruben]

It's interesting to see who welcomes whom.

Of the top 10 posters, Artme wins hands down with 133 welcomes, the next closest is Cliff with 54 - the average is 28 welcomes.

All I can say is I'm below average so I reckon I need to do a few moreNot sure how you have come up with your numbers but I would imagine there are a few members who have welcomed more new members than those you have mentioned.. I just did a quick check and personally I have welcomed 91 new members since the beginning of 2012.
Also not sure over what period of time you are referring to but looking through the posts since the New year, several names came up repeatedly welcoming new members. Not wanting to take anything away from those you mentioned but there is several members who take the trouble to welcome our new members regularly and it would be unfair not to give them some credit for their effort too.

[munruben]

Christos and Munruben you were oth OS at same time yet when you had the time you still welcomed quite a few dring that time. :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:Glad you noticed that Ray.seems like a few regulars got overlooked in the counting process. :):2tsup:

[BobL]

Not sure how you have come up with your numbers but I would imagine there are a few members who have welcomed more new members than those you have mentioned.. I just did a quick check and personally I have welcomed 91 new members since the beginning of 2012.
Also not sure over what period of time you are referring to but looking through the posts since the New year, several names came up repeatedly welcoming new members. Not wanting to take anything away from those you mentioned but there is several members who take the trouble to welcome our new members regularly and it would be unfair not to give them some credit for their effort too.

I admit my method was not 100% kosher. All I did was a search for members user names in the welcome forum and then looked at the number of posts. some of the individual responses could well have been telling the new member where to get off but I reckon I would not be more than 10% out for most high posters.

From this sort of activity you can tell I have nothing better to do - I should just go down to the shed :D

[munruben]

- I should just go down to the shed :DYou mean you don't want the job of counting the votes at the next election? :D