More dignified name for "lurkers"? Poll will be created after suggestions are made!

[Munna]

More dignified name for "lurkers"? Poll will be created after suggestions are made!

So in my cycling thread, I am making a "lurker" list & thought this was insulting to my friends & customers. They are people who are either adopting giveaway villagers because they love them, or going to pay me a TBT fee, so I want to give them a more respectful name than just "lurker"

I thought "seeker" was a good idea, as they are the "looking for" people.

"Adopters" was another thought, but I didn't like it as it's usually used for people getting villagers for free, and not all of my villagers are giveaways.

Is "seekers" good?-- if not, don't insult---suggest something better in the comments!

If it's fine, let me know how amazing I am! Bringing dignity to the community!

 

[Flyffel]

It could just be a "waiting list" or something like that.

 

[mayortash]

Lurker is the commonly known term. It's not insulting at all, it's been used on forum boards for as long as I can remember, and I've been on boards for the last 15 years.

If you really want to call it "Seekers" or "Looking For" then just be aware that you'll probably have to explain that it's the same as lurking a few times as people won't be familiar with using that.

 

[Munna]

Lurker is the commonly known term. It's not insulting at all, it's been used on forum boards for as long as I can remember, and I've been on boards for the last 15 years.

If you really want to call it "Seekers" or "Looking For" then just be aware that you'll probably have to explain that it's the same as lurking a few times as people won't be familiar with using that.

I'm fine with that (explaining), there are many things that have been around for a long time that aren't that great (like using "gay" as an insult, that used to be really popular in the 90's). Change can be positive.

I just want to give my customers the dignity & respect I'd like myself, I'm not forcing the whole board to adopt my way of speaking. If people want to call their waiting list "lurkers' that's fine with me, it's their cycle thread.

 

[lucitine]

May I ask why you feel the term "lurker" is disrespectful?

 

[maarowak]

I don't know where you came from the internet, but in the majority of forums, "lurker" does not have a negative connotation. It simply is how everyone calls people that read the forums and discussions but don't post anything. The word has been around for quite a while, too.

Seekers and waiting list all sound fine, if you really don't wanna use "lurker" but, it's not offensive/insulting.

 

[Munna]

"I don't know where you came from the internet" LOL

I've been using forums with the term lurker for years, and it doesn't really bother me in other contexts. It just doesn't sound right in the adoption threads.

- - - Post Merge - - -

May I ask why you feel the term "lurker" is disrespectful?

Thanks for asking so politely!

(some of the replies sort of imply that I just joined the internetZ yesterday, and am still figuring out how to use "The Google" George Bush style...)

I agree with the Wikipedia explanation of the word "lurker" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lurker
the page gives an excellent breakdown of the word & how it can be positive or negative depending on the context.

For the purpose of adopting a cute little villager, "lurking for Olivia" sounds really, really creepy.

The dictionary definitions of lurker, outside of internet slang, actually refer to a person waiting in the shadows (or in real life bushes/side street etc) unseen in order to hurt the person or for perverted reasons.

In real life the term "lurking" usually refers to people hanging about an area in a weird way like they are going to steal something, perve on someone or stalk someone. It's a really negative word, basically referring to a total creeper.

I do know that on the internet, lurking can also be creepy--depending on the context--like people stalking another person on their blog or facebook, being obsessive or gaining details about a group of people without sharing anything of themselves.

As the wiki article says, it can also be positive, and a good way to learn the ropes of an online community before joining. If someone is "lurking" just to get to know a community or browse a forum--that is completely fine.

In conclusion, even though lurking has it's positive meanings, to me it has more negative connotations than positive & if someone was hanging around my house looking through the windows- I'd refer to them to the police as someone "lurking around creepily" near my house.
(and when you read stories/new stories they often say a predator was "lurking" so the whole word is pretty creepy to me)

I just don't like it, and want to call my customers & friends a nicer name than one that means "creeper" in my mind.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[Soshi]

i honestly can't tell if you're a parody account or nah so well done i guess

 

[rass]

I think seeker could work but lurker has been used for a long time so you might have to explain what seeker is to your friends and customers.

 

[BaileyEloise]

Lurker is the commonly known term. It's not insulting at all, it's been used on forum boards for as long as I can remember, and I've been on boards for the last 15 years.

If you really want to call it "Seekers" or "Looking For" then just be aware that you'll probably have to explain that it's the same as lurking a few times as people won't be familiar with using that.

I kind of agree with this sentiment.
I think it's great that you want to use a more dignified and respectful term for those waiting, but "lurking" is honestly the more well known phrase on the boards and you will have to explain it a lot to other posters. If that doesn't bother you then, power to you. It's nice to see a progressive change, but I personally don't see anything disrespectful or mean about calling them lurkers.

 

[Annika.]

I kinda understand how you can see 'lurker' unfit for your friends and customers, seeing as it is more of an anonymous term. Not really understanding the behaviour of some forum member though...

What came to my mind was 'waitlister', but I mean you could just call them 'mayors' as well - to make it more AC related.

 

[lucitine]

In conclusion, even though lurking has it's positive meanings, to me it has more negative connotations than positive & if someone was hanging around my house looking through the windows- I'd refer to them to the police as someone "lurking around creepily" near my house.
(and when you read stories/new stories they often say a predator was "lurking" so the whole word is pretty creepy to me)

I just don't like it, and want to call my customers & friends a nicer name than one that means "creeper" in my mind.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Yeah, I guessed that was why you felt it was disrespectful. I guess if you viewed it that way, then its a horrible term.
But when it comes to internet forums and what not, I don't think people really give it a second thought. Keep in mind though, that dictionaries get updated with new terms and definitions. What once used to mean something bad doesn't necessarily mean that its the same now!

- - - Post Merge - - -

Also! Just had a thought as a response to the person above me. What if you wrote "Mayors in Waiting" or something like that? Sounds cute and gets the point across xD

 

[Munna]

Thanks, these replies give me some great ideas.

I wasn't really going to explain why I didn't like the term, but then again I wasn't anticipating that people would actually be curious about that!
I really appreciate the people who are curious & not insulting. Thanks guys!

I think that pretty much sums up the whole topic in a neat little package.

https://youtu.be/Ps41x1AVjMA

It's just a different idea & perspective.
I don't think any less of people using the term "lurker" I only don't like using it myself, because of the reasons stated above, but because it holds different meaning to different people--it doesn't have to mean that if someone else uses it.

For the person wondering if my account is a "parody" (I was amused by this coming from someone with a newer account...it actually spun me out as I thought they were trying to hint that they themselves were a parody...and it got all Matrix-like for a second there. WOAH! )

Behold! Things one is unlikely to have with a "parody" account! :

1) Senior Member
2) Large post count, lots of lengthy posts
3) Signature filled with lengthy threads i.e. "The 10 most helpful things I've learned from my "life" in New Leaf. (Warning LONG)"
http://www.belltreeforums.com/showthread.php?335962-The-10-most-helpful-things-I-ve-learned-from-my-quot-life-quot-in-New-Leaf-(Warning-LONG)&highlight=
4) See how all the above points are about how I write a LOT of things. Yeah, trolls are a lot more lazy than that!