How many of you out there are “lurkers”?
It’s not a bad thing being a “lurker”. I don’t mean it like that you’re hiding in the shadows thinking nefarious thoughts or that you’re ready to pounce upon unsuspecting individuals who happen to walk by. Nope; when I say “lurker”, I’m actually referring to the vast majority of you. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I’ve been thinking about “lurkers” after recently receiving notes from several people who read this every day but who have never written in, at least until I asked for votes on whether or not I should blog during our trip. And that’s the kind of “lurker” I’m talking about--someone who reads a blog or checks a website every day, but doesn’t actively get involved in the message boards or comments section of the site. If you are one of those “lurkers”, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. About 98% of the people who check out a web feature are “lurkers”, a badge that I myself wear proudly on just about every single site I check out.
It’s funny; whenever I get a note from someone who hasn’t written me before, there’s almost an apologetic tone to it, as if the person writing doesn’t want to intrude on my time or my personal space. And while I imagine there are a lot of content posters who feel that way, I’m certainly not one of them. If you have something to say, I’d love to hear what it is. After all, I write these things for you guys, so if you think I’m spot-on when discussing a topic (a rare event) or think I don’t know what I’m talking about (a much more common occurrence) just let me know. I promise I won’t bite.
However, that is in no way a requirement. If you want to be a “lurker”, go ahead and be a “lurker”. Like I said, I’m a “lurker” on every web site I visit. But if you ever want to say something, I’d love to hear what that something is! My e-mail, address, in case you’ve never noticed it? It’s this one--
(jim@wmqt.com) !!
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