The other day I logged in and there were only 2 or 3 members signed in, but 8 "anonymous" members. What's the deal with that? Are there advantages to logging in anonymously that I'm missing? Somebody fill me in.

I don't get it either.

The only advantage is you can`t see them. Until they say something.
Does it bother you that much to ask Why?

Well, yeah. If there is some secret club or perk not yet known to me by logging in anonymously, I want in on it, dammit!

Hey SMan,

You can go to all the profiles and not leave a trace of evidence!

But, I log in on private and it stays that way. I never log out. Makes it easier at work to come and go and not look like I'm on the web all day. Which I'm not...... honest! haha

Aww, interesting. Didn't know that, thanks.

I started doing it because of where I used to work. I didn't want the IT guys (who used to post here also) knowing how long I was spending here. Well, they could have pulled the network logs, but I always thought that was too much trouble.

If you are speaking of someone on here, I do hope it is/was a Mod/admin, otherwise, it sounds like someone is doing something illegal.

Yes, do tell, bent. That's the kind of juicy stuff I was hoping to elicit when starting this thread.

Do tell. Who is keeping track of us?? Inquiring minds want to know

I would think that an admin would just be able to pull the logs, whether cloaked or visible, would make no difference.

Though why they'd want to do that, I have no idea.

Patton, with all due respect, what's illegal about "tracking" someone on a publicly accessable internet site? It's done all the time, mostly by marketing research companies. Ever hear of google-analytics?

Is that why google.com is always listed as a member on here?

google.com is a spider, crawling around for their search engine. Go to google and search one of our user names or hot topics and there will probably be a hit on the h-m website.

I understand Yoss. My comment was more tounge in cheek. However, much would depend on the "tools" being used to do such tracking.

aha, thanks.

When in stealth mode you don't show up when someone is trying to find out where you are on the board. Down at the bottom, under everyone's name theres an option to see where everyone is, either by " Last Click" or " Member name".

I know this because I use it too. LMAO!!

Ah! You just wanted to be one of the cool kids

i creep around on anaon becuase i'm signed in all day, but i often go afk, and i don't want people thinking i'm ignoring them if they send me a pm or ask me something via shoutbox ( where i sometimes "sit" my username if i'm afk...)

Well that and the creepy stalker factor.... j/k

you said it, pal. see "lame" thread.

I can't. I have to log in to access any profile.

but if youre on anon ,people cant see if you looked at their profiles. the "visitors" lists don't log anons.

OH! Sweeet! I did not know this.

i figured it out when i didnt have a visitor for days and my "profile views" continued to climb.

I'll have to remember that one... especially since it seems I have so many personalities on here - according to some...

I got some PMs many moons ok. Just excessive prayers from one poster after I suggested we all get along. Can not really remember. It cluttered my in box. No drama, nothing entertaining or witty. Guess, they wanted to "save" me. Maybe it was a kind gesture? At some point it became boring and then tedious to empty the in box. It would occur when my name appeared below...(It was ages ago.)

I try not to feed the stalker mentality, out of sight out of mind.

So, I have no problem alternating coming in as is or if I feel quiet, I will hit "hidden". Wow, I did not realize the profiles were the place to be visiting. I will have to take a peek. My profile is boring.