[SallyintNorth]

I keep reading these posts telling me that only the chosen few can post with impunity.

And I can't work out who is chosen and who not!

I post a lot, occasionally get a shot taken at me, sometimes warranted and sometimes less so.  If it's warranted I try to make amends, if it's not I usually ignore it - sometimes I ask a member whose opinion I trust whether I've missed something and did phrase something badly, and sometimes it turns out I did and sometimes not.

There are some longstanding members I have on 'ignore' because I know that the way that they post irritates me or because I feel they rarely have anything useful to add.  When / if I want to see an individual post I can click on on the 'Show me this post', otherwise I don't have to read what they've written.

I do not have any more recently joined members on 'ignore' because I am still getting to know them and am keen and interested to read everything that they post.  A lot of really good advice comes from the more recently joined, and this has always been true.

What am I missing?

[Beewyched]

Well ...
I agree that sometimes it's difficult to see where a poster is coming from, but that can be due to education, background, etc.
My attitude to life is "do as you will be done by" & I hope that is reflected in my postings 
 
 

[HelenVF]

Just want to add that I am a member of a big birdwatching forum and have never posted.  The reason, because I don't want to and just like keeping up to date with what is going on around the country. 

I imagine some people might just join and realise they don't have the time or inclination to join in.

There isn't always a cloak and dagger reason for people joining and not posting.

Helen

[Dan]

There isn't always a cloak and dagger reason for people joining and not posting.

Thanks Helen, that's absolutely right. The Forum registration system is also integrated with the site registration system - for instance if someone registers for the online shows they are automatically given a forum membership.

We screen every new member and delete all that are clearly spammers, and put a watch on those that might be.

But many register so they can subscribe to threads and receive email notification, to enter the online shows (but never come near the forum), and many register to post in the Marketplace - all legitimate reasons.

For those who care, we have 6,440 registered members, of which 3,344 have posted at least once. This year we have had an average of just over 1,000 different members posting each month.

[bangbang]

Just want to add that I am a member of a big birdwatching forum and have never posted.  The reason, because I don't want to and just like keeping up to date with what is going on around the country. 

I imagine some people might just join and realise they don't have the time or inclination to join in.

There isn't always a cloak and dagger reason for people joining and not posting.

Helen

I agree Helen, I have friends on here who have been on for years and have only made a few posts.
They enjoy the reading rather than writing.

[Small Farmer]

The forum became a bit contentious and this job is hard enough without unnecessary stress.


There's some good information and some excellent advice but the social aspect isn't for me so I've joined the non-posting members.  The forum is what it is and obviously works for lots of people.  Maybe it will calm down a bit in a few months but it feels better to watch than participate at the moment.