Inactive members

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

• Why do you think members go inactive and stop logging in?
• What is the best way to get an inactive member active again?
• Would you delete an inactive member who has posted around the forum but hasn't logged in for years?

 

[McConnaughay]

Why do you think members go inactive and stop logging in? There could be a vast repertoire of reasons, and it'd be difficult to dwindle it down to just one prominent occurrence. For example, I'd probably be considered inactive on this forum more than half of the time, but it isn't because I've gotten bored, started hated everybody, or anything of that sort. Rather, I've just been busy pursuing other things in my life. I'll always come back whenever I want to give my opinion on something.

What is the best way to get an inactive member active again? Well, for someone like myself, there isn't anything you can do, but bringing new faces to the community, or drastic changes to make it feel "new," can be good.

Would you delete ... no, fucking no, it's stupid, and the people that delete their members are thereby stupid.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Deleting inactives ain't good but I can understand accounts with 0 posts that haven't logged in for a year+...

I clear out unused / 0 post accounts, but yeah like you and Nick said, deleting inactives is a no no. They could come back one day and if they don't, their posts still remain and its better to leave their account in tact so conversations make sense. We bump up old topics from time to time here.

 

[Jazzy]

Could be any number of reasons members become inactive. Perhaps they are very busy in RL and just don't have the time anymore for forums. Or maybe they just lost interest.

There's really nothing you can do to get an inactive member active again. It's their choice to come back or not. Sometimes, however, a mass email announcing an event my entice some to at least come and check it out.

Inactive accounts should be left alone. As mentioned, they may one day just decide to show back up.

 

[identityissues8]

I've had 0 posters come back and become active a couple of years later. Never ever ever delete and account. You never know when they may want to use it.

 

[RidleyMclue]

I've had 0 posters come back and become active a couple of years later. Never ever ever delete and account. You never know when they may want to use it.

I would have to agree with that statement.

 

[Darth-Apple]

If I was running a very large forum with hundreds of thousands of users, I would probably prune inactive users roughly once a year just to keep the database from getting too bloated. I've never had a reason to prune accounts, however. The only times that I have ever had to delete accounts have been with cases where spambots are involved.

 

[RidleyMclue]

If I was running a very large forum with hundreds of thousands of users, I would probably prune inactive users roughly once a year just to keep the database from getting too bloated. I've never had a reason to prune accounts, however. The only times that I have ever had to delete accounts have been with cases where spambots are involved.

I've done that before. That would be the only time that I would make an exception to do so.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I've had 0 posters come back and become active a couple of years later. Never ever ever delete and account. You never know when they may want to use it.

If someone has an account they never used and it was deleted, they can make a new one in a few seconds and I'm sure they wouldn't be bothered about it. Its better (in my opinion) to have a realistic member list full of members who actually posted on the forum instead of a misleading, unnecessarily bloated member list full of unused accounts and/or dormant spam bots that never attacked.

 

[DrLeftover]

I agree with deleting accounts that have NEVER posted anything.

But as for an account that had been used and has gone "inactive", what's it hurting to leave it on the roster when you have a statistic like this: "Members who have posted: 99.09%"

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I agree with deleting accounts that have NEVER posted anything.

But as for an account that had been used and has gone "inactive", what's it hurting to leave it

Nothing wrong with leaving an account (with one or more posts accumulated) alone. They obviously have proven that they want an account on the forum buy putting it to use, also they have proven themselves to be a real person (not a spam bot).

 

[Dee]

• Why do you think members go inactive and stop logging in?

• 
  
  1. Disinterest - Nothing holding their interest, nothing to remain active.
  2. Laziness - You could have the most exciting forum on the internet and some people would still allow their laziness to overwhelm them.
  3. Life in general - Stresses of everyday life get in the way.
  
  

  [*]What is the best way to get an inactive member active again?

  
  Appeal to them. Offer something they might find interesting enough to keep their activity up, be it a contest, quality posts with a relatively large quantity of content.
  
  

  [*]Would you delete an inactive member who has posted around the forum but hasn't logged in for years?

Only after I've e-mailed them and asked them to come back, or sent out a sort of reminder email that purges happen every so often. This is something you need to outline in your ToS/Rules before they even register. Don't just bring it out of nowhere. If you don't plan on deleting members--active or inactive--then don't do it. Just let them be. If they come back, great. If they don't, then so be it.

 

[Sinion Kabe]

•Why do you think members go inactive and stop logging in?

Could be so many reasons. Something could have happened in their personal life, they moved onto more modern forms of social media, too much water under the bridge in regards to relations with other members or staff, they simply got bored of the board. So many more reasons...

•What is the best way to get an inactive member active again?

Sending the person an email might help, convincing them to return. I suppose it depends on the circumstances as to why they stopped visiting and/or posting.

•Would you delete an inactive member who has posted around the forum but hasn't logged in for years?

I would never ever consider deleting anybody. People should have the freedom to do what they want with the account that they created. I think it is completely wrong to delete somebody just because they don't post anymore or wish to just browse etc. Admins should be grateful that they decided to register in the first place. Just recently (without naming anybody) an Admin PM'ed me at another board and basically said:

"We see you log on lots but they last time you posted was some time ago and one of my members posts at your board so it is only fair you post here. Are you planning to create some posts because if not we are going to insert you into a validating group and remove your signature"

I was gobsmacked! Never heard anything like it in my life and I have been using forums since around 2002! I replied and basically said that I think it is desperate for them to beg posts and blackmail members who have taken the time to post in the past and log in.

I was subsequently banned. Terrible and desperate admin skills, man

 

[MrDawn]

I think one way is either the forum goes inactive....or that member is dealing with their own personal life or moved on to greener pastures, as in they got a new hobby or something else to do. So many things to think of.

 

[Smiley]

I don't know why people go inactive. I guess they have their reasons. Sometimes they leave a little note of inactivity, stating the reason for going inactive, but only the minority does that, and usually only if the administrator openly asks for it by creating a public thread for that purpose.

What really puzzles me is why so many people register an account and then never come back. At best they make an introduction thread and immediately disappear without a trace, never to be heard from again. I really, really don't get it. I mean, what's the point? Why wasting your time going through the registration process if you don't intend to use your account? :unsure2: For lurking, maybe? You can lurk as a guest, like many people do, so that's not much of a reason.

 

[Mercedes01]

What other people do has no affect on my life.

Some will sit on forums 24/7.

The real world is out there.

Two other things..I loath mail that tries and tells me how to post because they don't approve
of the way I say things..Turns me right off a forum.

This reminds me of posting with BOTS.

Real members should have real pics up of themselves for starters.

 

[Smiley]

This reminds me of posting with BOTS.

Real members should have real pics up of themselves for starters.

I'm not real. I'm just a figment of your imagination.

 

[Mercedes01]

I'm not real. I'm just a figment of your imagination.

Roger that

 

[+paradox]

i'm not a bot, or am i?

 

[Mercedes01]

Well for me I find it very strange that you all hide behind cartoons.