Currently Online
 

Sorry if the answer to this already exists in the FAQ or elsewhere. . .

I've noticed that at times on the Who's Online page there is a discrepancy: the line at the top will say that there are, say, 10 users online, but when I count the actual names there will only be 9.

Are there people online who are invisible to this list or something? If so, why?

It's in your user CP under Options:

Goodness Gracious Me!!

Who would be so foolish as to make themselves invisible in a forum devoted to Tolkien???? Are these people not unaware of the danger this poses??

*Fordim shivers in terror at the realisation that there be Wraiths among us*

Thanks for the explanation though -- I had always assumed that anyone who was "invisible" would show up as a "Guest".

the quick and the dead...
 

Ah but you forget Fordim we are all wraiths, wights and so forth here .... so it is those living, visible people you should be nervous of... :rolleyes:

I didn't notice that option before. I must say becoming 'invisible' is really very tempting to me. ;) Because since that stalking thread, I keep 'looking over my shoulder', so to speak. Sometimes, when I linger way too long on certain threads, while just browsing others aimlessly, I stop to think 'what would someone who stalks me think?? she spends only 5 minutes reading this thread in the books forum, moves to another in Mirth which she reads for an hour, takes 20 minutes to reply to a topic...' I feel watched and I don't particularly enjoy it. Yes, I know I'm paranoid and yes I know I have a self esteem issue. But thank God for this invisible option. I shall now be free to roam across the barrow as my whims take me. :D

Hmm... didn't even know there was such an option. Seems a bit weird to me, seeing as it's a forum and not a chat or instant messaging sort of thing... although I suppose if you wanted to avoid someone for some reason, it could come in handy.

Come, now, Evisse, didn't anyone ever tell you not to worry about what other people think? ;)

Twilight Zone
 

With the old forum software, mods and admins could see who were 'invisible.' No such magic eye with the new software now, at least for mods.

I do know of people who, feeling quilty about how much time they spend here, choose to go 'invisible.' It is rather like people on a diet who sneak that piece of fudge when they think no one is looking, I suspect. It still adds up! ;) :D

:o Well, for a while now, being rather dim and slow on the uptake, I've wondered what all this 'stalker' business was about, and thought to myself: "the only way you know who's online is from the front page screen, what on earth are they all talking about?". But I've just put two and two together and noticed the link to the 'current activity' page and ---> :eek: It's like Big Brother (or Sauron) is watching me! I hope I've never left the site open on something weird when I've left the room! One question, what are those 'spider' things all about?

You funny!

Spiders are programs used by search engines such as google. They snoop through all the links they can find, recording where they've been.

Sometimes they turn up interesting BD links, too.

These spiders are beginning to frighten me.

I didn't know spiders could use printers.

I've seen spiders registering, sending emails to their friends....

*giggles*

Ahhhhhhhhhh, *it dawns upon me*, and there was me thinking there were arachnids creeping sinisterly around the 'Downs. Doh! It's a good job there are no programs called 'cats' or these 'spiders' would be missing some of their legs and living in fear... I presume this is a kind of pun on the 'web' then? Hmm, I understand the meaning behind a 'trojan', but surely something which burrows around the depths of the web should be a 'mole' or something. Or am I being dim again? :)

oh forums what a concept...

Alas, this does make quite a bit of sense. ;) Although, I love to flaunt my presence when I decide to creep onto the 'Downs. I feel special when I'm around others like me. :)

Seconding Imladris here, I've just seen

How do they make up their nicks, I wonder?

Imladris you are too funny, and have me LOL at work! Now how do I explain what has me laughing over my lunch!


If the Inktomi Slurp spider holds any clues, I’m betting they use a name generator, but not from this site! Perhaps they are the real descendants of Ungoliant! :eek:

Aieee I have seen them! *collapses in the style of Merry at the Pony*... I must admit .. I wondered what on earth you were talking about ..thinking you meant the list on the "front page" ..... now I have seen one with my own eyes .. an "ask jeeves" spider.......