where did they go?

[vdub]

The forum has 956 members. Of those, 480 joined but made no posts. Another 270 joined and made less than 10 posts. Only 200 people have more than 10 posts.

So, what happens to people who come by the forum, join, and them, I'm guessing, never come back, or, at least, they don't participate? Is it people who possibly have mild cases or are under total control or they don't have wegs at all and they are looking because a friend has it?

Maybe we are just the chronic whiners.... :-) Maybe we have particularly bad or interesting cases or we just enjoy sharing our experience to help out someone else.... Any theories?

[Sangye]

It's an interesting number, but I don't see how anything can be gained by speculating. We have no idea the reasons and couldn't possibly know what another person is thinking.

[Jack]

It would indeed be speculation based on no facts at all, but I guess that people join with the best of intentions of taking part but then find that the world of internet chat is not for them. Even my wife thinks that it is slightly odd to chat with people who you know so little about and have no close connection with. She prefers "real" friends.

[Psyborg]

Probably slightly odd, but it would be difficult to find any group of Wegs patience this size otherwise as well In the end I feel like I've made friends here, even if it is of the virtual friend variety, at least its a real human on the other end.

[mishb]

I haven't made many posts but certainly enjoy reading all posts and trying to gain knowledge of this ..... oh so wonderful....disease.
I didn't make any posts for months but read as much as I could. I would enter a random key word to search and then read every post from 2008 onwards.

I was actually reading some posts the other day and the forum showed as 105 people online with 4 of them being members .... I think this is more startling than the idea of a member not participating, at least they are still gaining knowledge.

I know my husband and my mum look on here and are not members but they are still learning. I guess a lot of families and friends of members are doing the same.

[Chris G]

Many of us joined pre-diagnosis. I think it's very possible that many people joined thinking they MIGHT have wegs, but in the end, it turned out to be something less sinister (lucky buggers!).

[Red]

I am here lol

[vdub]

forum showed as 105 people online with 4 of them being members .... I think this is more startling than the idea of a member not participating

WOW! That is an interesting observation.....

[NicShaf]

I think the family members theory is a valid one. I know my husband signed up for this forum first, and posted a couple things in the first weeks after my diagnosis. Now he just checks every once in a while, but never really posts anything b/c I'm the one asking the questions and posting thoughts and experiences. He will just read now for knowledge.

[delorisdoe]

It's an interesting number, but I don't see how anything can be gained by speculating. We have no idea the reasons and couldn't possibly know what another person is thinking.

I spend 3 quarters of my spare time speculating all kinds of things. I can not help but to speculate-on everything.