Member activity in the Gulch - pie chart

Posted by freedomforall 8 years, 11 months ago to The Gulch: General
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Using the Member stats on the brown Members Tab at the top of this page, I prepared a pie chart showing the activity of Gulch members.
The chart legend shows the Member point stats categorized by range of points earned followed by the number of members that make up that range.
Note: I estimated the number of members in the 0 to 1 point range to be 20,000.
Data used in the chart:

Point
Range # Members Pct Total Points
--------- ---------------- -----------------------
1000+ 60 85.45
500-999 32 4.81
100-499 70 3.76
10-99 71 0.72
0-9 20,900 5.26

(apologies if columns are erratic above)
SOURCE URL: http://freedomforall.com/gulch-member-activity-piechart.jpg


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  • Posted by autumnleaves 8 years, 11 months ago
    FFA, there are many new comers to this site. Of course they have fewer posts. There are 60 persons with over 1000 posts. I will never catch up to them. (I do not want to, I'm here to learn)
    Look at the drop off after 500 posts. Did they become discouraged/unwanted/tired. It might be helpful to find out why they dropped out. This is if I'm understanding your pie correctly.
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    • Posted by sdesapio 8 years, 11 months ago
      The numbers are only a little deceiving in that, like most sites, most members simply choose not to interact. The 80/20 rule is more like the 95/5 rule here in the Gulch. That doesn't mean they're not here, it just means they're not interacting publicly - we actually get private emails everyday commenting on the goings on in the Gulch. They're always encouraged to post publicly, but the Gulch can be a pretty intimidating place for some.

      Also, point totals are just that - point totals. They're an aggregate of both up and down-votes. 1000s actually show up daily. They hang out, they read, sometimes they vote or comment, and they go. Out of the 20,000 members, 15,000+ are subscribed to the daily digest email which alone results in 3000+ showing up every day. And not the same 3,000 each day. It just depends on the day, and who finds what of interest in the digest. More come in from facebook, twitter, the movie web sites, blogs, the weekly email newsletter (close to 200,000), google searches, etc.

      We're always encouraging more lurkers to engage. While most are fans of Rand, not everyone is a social butterfly.

      Very cool chart freedomforall.
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      • Posted by $ TomB666 8 years, 11 months ago
        Sometimes I reply just to acknowledge that I read and liked the original post, even though I have nothing to add. In other words I think you said it all and said it very well.
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    • Posted by 8 years, 11 months ago
      I didn't attempt to chart the length of time in the Gulch because there is no easy way to do that, (very difficult to compile the data) but you are right, that is pertinent in the analysis.
      The Gulch site has the data stored, and it might be informative if we could make database queries. I think the Gulch may be losing a lot of potential active members just after signup but I can't tell with this limited data.
      I started thinking about this because I posted another topic a few days ago proposing a different point scheme and asking for feedback.
      I'd like to hear what you think, too.
      If you missed it, see this topic:
      Currency Inflation in the Gulch
      http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/2a...
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  • Posted by jimslag 8 years, 11 months ago
    I guess I have to do more to make it 1000+, I am only at 735, well 736 with this comment. Love the Gulch and the discourse that goes on with all. Keep it up and let's go.
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  • Posted by khalling 8 years, 11 months ago
    this is interesting. What was your motivation for this? just curious
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    • Posted by 8 years, 11 months ago
      As you know I have been thinking about the point system lately and my enquiring mind just wondered and wandered.
      I knew that most discussions were between members I was accustomed to seeing here. I couldn't see an easy way to estimate number of posts, but point counts were shown on the Member tab.
      Based on my WAG estimates (of those infrequent posting members,) it appears that 94.7% of points go to about 1.1% of members.

      I'd like to find a way to engage more members in the discussions. We would all benefit.
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      • Posted by $ winterwind 8 years, 11 months ago
        FFA - I certainly support the idea of getting more people involved in discussion than we see. I'm not sure adjusting the point system is the way to do that, because if those non-posting members valued points, they would post [work] for them.
        And the game show "Posting for Dollars" just jumped into my bran......
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        • Posted by 8 years, 11 months ago
          I started thinking about the "depth" of activity while considering "value'points." That's why I made the chart, but I posted it to initiate discussion on any related ideas, not just point related.
          Rather than try to repeat my thinking on the points, if you have the time, review what has been discussed under the other topic. Currency Inflation in the Gulch
          http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/2a......

          I do think that new members could be alerted to the posts/topics that have been most appreciated by other members (using points), a "Gulch greatest hits", and that a value point system would be more objective than the existing one. Perhaps use that as a part of an "introduction to the gulch' or primer on what is here. Links to articles written by Rand (et al) on topics of current interest or examples showing principles of objectivism.
          As Scott said some people are naturally confident or outgoing, while others have to be encouraged to participate.
          What do you think might help engage more people in discussion? Helping them think more confidently about their understanding of objectivism? Would an online objectivist primer with an instructor to guide discussion be helpful? Perhaps it could be paid for with value points?
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          • Posted by LetsShrug 8 years, 11 months ago
            Hmm I wonder if someone could come up with an "intro to objectivism" that pops up upon arrival. The new arrival could choose to watch/read it or not...but with a list of people to contact with (or some way to contact) a member with questions.. something along that line.. you might be on to something, freedom. :)
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            • Posted by $ nickursis 8 years, 11 months ago
              Thats a good idea, even as a seperate area, where people could see how it works, and what it means. I went to a website that had Objectivism 101 and that seemed like a fairly simple explanation. I am not into huge dissertations on a subject. I sort of took the duck test on it...
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          • Posted by $ winterwind 8 years, 11 months ago
            FFA - there's a fine line between engaging people in discussion and stalking them [from an intensely shy person]. When I greet someone into Introductions, I usually ask them a question, but I've never gotten anything back. Maybe they can't figure out how to do that. But a more organized, concerted effort to cultivate the newbies [somewhat like rich is doing] might work. Maybe even something as simple as HI! Welcoe etc. The post at the top of the "hot" category is xxxxxx. Take a look and let me know what you think." There would have to be something good up, and somehow, we'd have to tell them that they'd have to post it rather than replying in the intro space....hmmm. needs work. a worthy goal.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 8 years, 3 months ago
    Let us ...entertain you...long as you learn something or something to take away and think about win, lose, or draw giving you something to think about is a good thing!
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  • Posted by elstonc 8 years, 3 months ago
    I'm just glad there are so many members. I don't very often have anything to add to the conversation, but I rely on the Gulch for mental nourishment.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 8 years, 11 months ago
    20k members seems a little unlikely. I'm not an admin, but I'd be surprised if there are as many as 2,000 posts per week on the whole site (I'd guess half that). Are there that many lurkers who never post?

    If I had to guess at the total membership, I'd put it at 3-400 active people (meaning those who post at least once a week).
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    • Posted by 8 years, 11 months ago
      Admin mentioned not long ago that total members were about 20,000 and that was the source of my WAG estimate. As you concluded, the pie chart does indicate that most activity (as indicated by points, not posts) comes from a few hundred members. The majority are not active in posting, but above sdesapio (admin) mentions that the Gulch gets more than 3000 visitors a day, and 15,000 are subscribed to daily digest email. So there appears to be quite a bit of interest from members who are less vociferous.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 11 months ago
    whats a "point"?
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    • Posted by 8 years, 11 months ago
      Its the number created from the sum of:
      a) when a post or comment is made (+1)
      b) when members click on the thumbs-up icon (+1)
      c) when members click on the thumbs-down icon (-1)
      All of these are summed for each member and shown in each member record.
      Points are unlimited in aggregate, i.e., have no "cost" to members to create and are automatically created whenever posts/comments are made.
      They are used to display the "top point earners" section on the upper right of this page.
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