Hard Light Productions Forums

Site Management => Site Support / Feedback => Topic started by: Scooby_Doo on March 06, 2009, 09:33:22 pm

Title: Hidden user question
Post by: Scooby_Doo on March 06, 2009, 09:33:22 pm
Call me curious but who/what is this "(+1 hidden)" I see in the forums?
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Droid803 on March 06, 2009, 09:35:42 pm
A hidden user.
You can choose to hide your username in the 'who's online' section from other members (though admins can still see you).
It could be anyone.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Scooby_Doo on March 06, 2009, 09:38:19 pm
Ahh ok, thought it might be a bot/spider.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Polpolion on March 06, 2009, 11:02:22 pm
Just out of curiosity, what is the benefit to doing this?
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: tinfoil on March 07, 2009, 12:40:26 am
0, none, zich, zip, nada.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Jeff Vader on March 07, 2009, 01:03:12 am
Giving the impression of 1337 to those who don't know about the "Hidden" feature.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Fury on March 07, 2009, 01:17:08 am
You can think of the feature like invisible mode in an instant messenger. Reasons to go hidden are much the same as in any instant messenger. When you just want to browse the forums in peace without giving yourself away to those who would likely otherwise PM or contact you on instant messenger on the first sight they see you online.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: tinfoil on March 07, 2009, 01:23:09 am
Never thought of it that way. I don't really have that problem though.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Hippo on March 07, 2009, 11:24:06 pm
you don't have enough stalkers then
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: tinfoil on March 08, 2009, 12:11:45 am
Of course, that's it. :p
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Mobius on March 08, 2009, 04:16:14 am
Posts reveal the presence of hidden people...

...and everyone knows who they are... ;)
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Scooby_Doo on March 08, 2009, 04:29:15 am
I see hidden people  :D
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Mobius on March 08, 2009, 04:31:27 am
One of the hidden people is Lobo (bad). Another one of them is Karajorma (good). The others are difficult to notice.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Jeff Vader on March 08, 2009, 04:34:15 am
One of the rainbow people is Mobius (bad).

There, now we've exchanged personal insults for this month. Let's get back to our lives. There's nothing more to see here.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Fury on March 08, 2009, 05:01:52 am
Posts reveal the presence of hidden people...

...and everyone knows who they are... ;)

Actually, no.

For example, If you have three browser tabs or windows open and in each of them you have different topic open, SMF only shows you active in the topic you loaded last. Which means, regardless of whether an user is hidden or not, SMF does not show you reading a topic if another tab/window has had more recent activity. And it doesn't have to be a topic either, any action that loads information from database will do.

In short, posts are not a reliable way to determine whether someone is hidden or not.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Mobius on March 08, 2009, 05:14:32 am
?

Someone appears as "hidden" in the "Users online".

-->

The hidden member posts in several threads, as evidenced by the "Recent Posts" section.

-->

There still is at least one hidden member in "Users Online".

-->

Ergo that member is hidden.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Snail on March 08, 2009, 06:27:13 am
One of the hidden people is Lobo (bad). Another one of them is Karajorma (good). The others are difficult to notice.
One of the ass holes on the forum is Mobius (bad). Another one of them is Snail (w00t!).
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: karajorma on March 08, 2009, 10:03:05 am
Watch it with the flames!

As for why Lobo is hidden, I suspect he did if for much the same reason I did. I tend to get a lot of PMs for help requests that really should be posted on the forum anyway and going into hidden mode means I get less. Since Lobo is by and large doing much of the support work I used to do 2-3 years ago I wouldn't be at all surprised if people have started PMing him directly too.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Mobius on March 08, 2009, 10:09:27 am
Well, I'm not hidden for the opposite reason. If someone wants to contact me(Woomeister, any FSCRP member, etc. etc.) he should know wheter I'm online or not. I rarely get "Help me" PMs from newcomers, but they're not a problem.

It's up to each member to decide, no doubt about it.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Polpolion on March 08, 2009, 11:20:16 am
 :confused:

A person being on or offline has never influenced when I PM them.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Blue Lion on March 08, 2009, 11:24:44 am
I wish I was popular enough to have to hide from people :(

Seriously though, who are these people that are harassing other members into going hidden?
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Mobius on March 08, 2009, 11:26:37 am
It's a matter of hoping to get a reply almost immediately. It happens with fellow team members and newcomers who want quick replies.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Jeff Vader on March 08, 2009, 11:28:01 am
As for why Lobo is hidden, I suspect he did if for much the same reason I did. I tend to get a lot of PMs for help requests that really should be posted on the forum anyway and going into hidden mode means I get less. Since Lobo is by and large doing much of the support work I used to do 2-3 years ago I wouldn't be at all surprised if people have started PMing him directly too.
Actually I do it just for the sake of cool.
Title: Re: Hidden user question
Post by: Blue Lion on March 08, 2009, 01:13:57 pm
It's a matter of hoping to get a reply almost immediately. It happens with fellow team members and newcomers who want quick replies.

Those people need to buy a pet or date someone needy.