Hidden User

[Gizmo]

Do you allow hidden users? When someone has their account set as hidden (Shows offline when they're on the board) how do you feel about that user? I always keep my status as offline even when I'm online and active. Well on the forums I am active on at least.

 

[BrydoRX]

I don't allow anyone going on my forum "anonymously" as I have that featured turned off. Don't see why you want to remain invisible when on a forum but that's just me.

 

[BlazingBlue]

Shouldn't the admin be seen though? What if something occurs but no one reports it because said admin is offline? When they really aren't? I don't do that. I want my members to think I'm there not hiding in the shadows. Plus it looks the forum is more active if someone is always online.

 

[BrydoRX]

Shouldn't the admin be seen though? What if something occurs but no one reports it because said admin is offline? When they really aren't? I don't do that. I want my members to think I'm there not hiding in the shadows. Plus it looks the forum is more active if someone is always online.

I agree with you, all of it.

 

[SheepishWolf]

If I had a fora, I wouldn't mind if members made themselves hidden. I would probably hidden myself at times. The administration should be glad that the members are there at all, when the members have so many other choices of forums to take resident at. Not worry about them being hidden.
Also, some people just don't like their name to be in the "who's online" at the bottom of the screen and don't like others to know they're online (so that other members don't PM/bug them when they're reading a long post or...something. I've met many people like that on a few different forums.

 

[CyberFreak]

I originally hid myself for the purpose of making it hard for a spammer targetting us to see me online and therefore couldn't just sit and wait for me to disappear offline and then sign up. I spend alot of time online so i am usually the one to catch ban evaders and spammers.

I have stayed hidden just incase anyone else fancies playing the same game and also secondly and most importantly in my opinion... It stops people seeing all my actions on the whos online page. Some forum softwares allow users to see the exact profile being viewed by users or the exact topic being viewed. Also it is easy to work out which users are sending PM's to each other if you sit watching the who's online page. Alot of people say being hidden is pointless and think the main reason of being hidden is to stop people knowing you are online but that isn't always the main reason (and pretty stupid because as soon as you post you blow your cover). Most people hide so that all members can't track them. That is why I personally would not remove the ability for users to hide their status. The staff can see me online if they need me and users still tend to send me alot of PM's.

That is my opinion on the matter though.

 

[AnAccount]

I don't think I've ever gone hidden on my forum. I might do it on bigger forums at times if I just want to check things quickly, like PMs or something, but otherwise I always show myself online.

 

[Gamerx]

I have Invisible turned off for all my forums. I do not see a reason why people want to be invisible. The only reason I would have it on is for my automated shop robot that goes online on its own and selects invisible automatically