Activity Checks

[Trublu]

Do you do them? Do you like/dislike them?

I don't use them, I really don't like them actually, especially when they are unrealistically frequent. I put a notice in my rules that after a year, if the account has not been logged into, it gets deleted. If a member wants to come and post and be active, they'll go and actually be active, instead of posting saying that they will be active.

[Trublu]

Jan 31, 2009 12:46:17 GMT -5 @jokkun said:

I dislike activity checks, it makes the forum seem like it is inactive and begging for members to posts, etc. I don't usually delete inactive accounts either. One of my best administrators now was once one of those inactive accounts for quiet a few months. He had misplaced the forum's url, but after a (now routine) email, he returned (a good 4 months after his registration date), and has been very active every since.

Good point; I should also point out that before deleting accounts, I usually make every effort to contact the members, by e-mailing them from the board's email account. Usually, I don't hear from many, especially after a period of time such as a year. I delete accounts because I don't like the member count to get too far beyond what is actually the board norm. Nothing annoys me more than to join a board that looks like it has a good number of members, only to find out that only one of them posts and has logged in in the last year.

[Pipamonium]

I do an activity check on occasions. As an RPG forum I keep track of how many people are sorted into what houses. Without activity checks I'll end up with one group house completely full so no one else is being sorted BUT half of its members are not doing anything...

What I do : when an account is created, if it isn't logged into within a week it's gone. They get one month to turn in an application and a sorting hat. I watch to see if they're logging in so if they're at least doing that then I let them go. If they've turned in both and been accepted then they're good as long as they log in once every couple weeks. We've been moving slowly so you can log in that infrequently and be fine. I'm hoping activity picks up in which the time frame for in-activeness will get smaller - but in an RPG that's just the way it needs to be!

I always try to give the benefit of the doubt though and will send multiple e-mails before doing any deleting.

[angel]

I tried doing activity checks. but found they dont work. If the member wants to post then they will. Cant force someone. What gets me though is the people who sign up then never come back.. I can understand about life being busy.. but come on why sign up and never visit again.

[Pipamonium]

Most of the time activity checks are to get rid of the people who do that. When I do activity checks I don't do it to make people post. Often times I find that the member had lost the link to the forum and hadn't been able to find it again so my e-mail got them back and they posted. Last activity check had two people who said real life had gotten in the way and they wouldn't be able to post for a LONG time but asked me to keep their profiles for when they come back.

[angel]

Yeah, well when ever I do them no on at all answers them. that would mean that I would have to get rid or more then half of my members.. What I did was said that anyone more then four months old will get deleted.. My forum is only seven months at the moment. I send two emails.. the first one letting them know that if they don't come back and join then they will be deleted.. then a week later I send one out saying that I'm going to delete them.

[Pipamonium]

I do it whenever I feel there is a big difference in my member count and how many people are being active. Then again my site is almost 3 years old now. And I don't contact everyone just the people I feel have disappeared for unknown reasons.

[Viper ™]

I only perform activity checks on staff members

Staff members are the core of your forum if the staff are not active the members are not active any staff members who havent logged in within 30 days are sent an E-Mail / PM to ask them if they will be returning if i dont recieve a reply within 7 days then they are removed as staff

I do not check the activity of members on my forum i just do regular clean ups consisting of i clear all accounts that A) Havent been logged in to within 365 days and also 0 posters that have been registered over a week

I like to keep the board totals and statistics are close to realistic as possible

[rachel]

No, I don't use them. They can check in whenever they desire.