Alta Vista is no help here

May. 23rd, 2006 at 11:05 AM

Is there a term for a person who always shows up as online in a given forum (your IM friends list, an online game, etc.) but who's never actually there - someone who just stays logged into a forum all the time, even when they're away from their computer?

I'm guessing it would be the opposite of a troll (someone who lurks until given an opportunity to appear and be nasty to someone), but what's that?

Comments

( 9 comments — Leave a comment )

gramina

May. 23rd, 2006 06:11 pm (UTC)

Llort? Or I suppose a more English-appearing spelling would be Lort. :)

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pkdan

May. 23rd, 2006 06:17 pm (UTC)

I've seen those kinds of folks called lurkers on mailing lists and IRC channels.

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junglemonkee

May. 23rd, 2006 06:20 pm (UTC)

But "lurker" has always connoted someone who, at least occasionally, participates in said forums. I'm thinking of people like my sister who got a Skype account and leaves herself logged in 24/7, but is NEVER THERE. There's a good chance she doesn't even know she's logged in!

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layer

May. 23rd, 2006 06:23 pm (UTC)

yeah, i always understood that lurker was someone who really was there even though they didn't appear to be, the opposite of someone who appears to be there but isn't.

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pkdan

May. 23rd, 2006 06:25 pm (UTC)

The term for those who don't even realize they are logged in is "luser".

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junglemonkee

May. 23rd, 2006 06:32 pm (UTC)

BWAHAHA!

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