Active Members

[Mark Gordon]

I have noticed since joining this site, that the number of 'Active Members' has mostly fluctuated between 480-520, though that number recently spiked up to 550, before rapidly subsiding back to 480 again. I was wondering, what are the criteria employed by the software which powers this forum to define 'Active Members' when calculating this figure?

[+ deej]

It's the # of users that logged in over the past 30 days (as currently set).

[NYTomcat]

Just wondering is there any way to know how many of us sad life less people log in daily. I mean I can probably just count posts but thats the writers not the lurking group. Just wondered

[+ deej]

Nothing I can see. Sorry.

[NYTomcat]

Just wondered, thanks deej. my prurient interest getting the better of me

[+ Charlie]

On a related issue, I notice that my name always seems to be first on the list of user's currently online, and also on the list of the most ever active at any one time. Is that because that stat just automatically lists me first because I am logged on? (i.e., is another poster who is looking at the same time shown his name first?) Also, since I almost never actually log off (just go somewhere else, or turn off my computer and go to sleep), am I considered on the site all the time?

[+ deej]

On a related issue, I notice that my name always seems to be first on the list of user's currently online, and also on the list of the most ever active at any one time. Is that because that stat just automatically lists me first because I am logged on? (i.e., is another poster who is looking at the same time shown his name first?)

 

I always see my name listed first, so I'd guess that's the way it works alright.

 

Also, since I almost never actually log off (just go somewhere else, or turn off my computer and go to sleep), am I considered on the site all the time?

 

No. All web servers use timeouts. After a certain amount of time, you're automatically logged out. (It reduces server overhead.)

 

If you tick the "remember me" box, a cookie is set on your computer that gets sent back to the server the next time you visit and it will be used to log you back in automatically (so that your threading preferences, banned user lists, etc., can be applied).

[Mark Gordon]

All web servers use timeouts. After a certain amount of time, you're automatically logged out. (It reduces server overhead.

 

True of most, but not all. For instance, when I lived in London, like many of the escorts there, I left myself logged-in to Gaydar 24/7, sometimes for days or weeks at a time. People could see I was online by searching the 'who's online,' messages kept coming in and the chat rooms kept scrolling. Gay Romeo and Rentmen also seem to keep you online indefinitely, with messages continuing to come in.

[+ Charlie]

Thanks for the info, deej.

[+ deej]

True of most, but not all.

 

No, it's true of all. It's an integral part of the http protocol.

 

There are a bazillion tricks and server-sight slight of hand things that webmasters can do to make it LOOK like your login isn't timing out, such as the cookies used for automatic login here. Web pages can also be written to send a periodic token to the server (poetically called a KeepAlive) to forestall the timeout, but only rookie programmers will consider doing this unless they have unlimited server resources or relatively low traffic levels.

[Mark Gordon]

Interesting, cheers for the info, deej.

[Lookin]

May I please have a cookie?

 

. . . such as the cookies used for automatic login here.

 

I can't seem to find the setting that will let me do this. I'm using Safari (and Firefox) on a Mac, and I have to type in my name and password each time I log in. I always tell it to 'Remember Me'. But it never does.

 

The old site software remembered me, and so do most other websites, except my bank, and I think they're doing it on purpose on their end. So I'm pretty sure my browser is configured to accept cookies.

 

Any other boxes I need to be checking?

 

Thanks!

[+ deej]

I hope a mac user chimes in to help you. I don't use mac (or safari).