Do view counts accurately portray how many different people view a thread?

[SpiceItUp]

Oh for sure there are far more lurkers than there are posters, there's just no way to determine where the activity is coming from solely based on view counts.

Also, threads with a lot of posting activity become their own self perpetuating view count generators because people have a strong appetite for drama and rubbernecking ongoing train wrecks.

Same as it ever was...

[Whispers]

Originally Posted by Stock Trader

Big boy just shit his pants! Lol

Nope.

I'm not here enough to bounce a thread by 1000s of views....

[David.Douchehurst]

Originally Posted by SpiceItUp

Yep, I have no official knowledge of it but the site runs a modified version of vbulletin. Unless they've customized that portion (which I do not believe to be the case) it's not unique views so every time anyone refreshes the page it adds to the views of the thread.

Actually I'm pretty sure it goes one level more inaccurate than even that because the view count gets updated every time showthread.php gets loaded which means every time someone switches from say Page 1 to Page 2 it adds another tick to the view count.

It may not show up right away as viewcounts get updated at an admin specified interval, but that's my understanding of the way it works.

So basically the view count is only useful as a measure of the activity on the thread not on the number of users generating said activity.

Originally Posted by Whispers

Nope.

I'm not here enough to bounce a thread by 1000s of views....

Butt, Ah dew bee-lieve thet SpiceItUp's poynt is thet tha view count don't mean much if'n a few folks (say, tha same 20-30) keeps on a checkin' out a thread o'er an' o'er a'gin threw-out tha day, i.e., activity is not ee-kwell ta unique visitors.

[budman33]

It would be tiresome but not impossible for one person to run up a view count. Not that hard with the f5 button after all. But the compounding of 10 or more people posting and checking drama threads to reread what they wrote and hoping for replies... easy to do that math and could easily see why you could get to 1000 views and wrongly think the thread was relevant in any way to the community at large.

[BiancaBonVivant]

When I post my videos, I always get more downloads than eccie's view count would lead me to believe was possible. The links are generated for each post, so the only way to get it is to click on the post.

My thread will say 18 views, but I'll have some 35 downloads.

[budman33]

advertisers couldn't care less about coed. They only advertise to get click throughs to their site. And Those same advertisers most likely aren't that aware of this site's content at all. They are simply providing cash to the owners of this board for allowing adspace that click through to them.

it pays the bills and then some. I know of some sites that allow no advertising so they have to rely on user donations. this site double dips for monthly fees and litters every page with ads. but it's a business model that works and pays to keep the lights on and money in peoples pockets.

We should be lucky the ads are fairly static and not being manipulated by the Big Network Advertising providers that will deliver ads based on your browsing habits. It's just a math problem to them to deliver custom banners based on surfing habits. Cookies are how Google makes Billions to tailor banner ads to you.

back on topic, view counts mean almost nothing. It's easy to do the math and while tedious work for a single person to keep hitting the F5 refresh button, it's quite easy for a small number of people to generate a large number of views. But there are also many lurkers that can't avoid seeing a trainwreck.

I don't think there is a relationship between number of views and an endorsement of the content of a thread but rather the quality, size, mayhem, or stupidity of the train wreck or it's conductor...

[budman33]

Originally Posted by BiancaBonVivant

When I post my videos, I always get more downloads than eccie's view count would lead me to believe was possible. The links are generated for each post, so the only way to get it is to click on the post.

My thread will say 18 views, but I'll have some 35 downloads.

That's most likely because of internet crawlers. You may think it's a link only posted here but its open to a wide variety of sources that will drive your downloads but not come to this site at all.

[BiancaBonVivant]

Originally Posted by budman33

That's most likely because of internet crawlers. You may think it's a link only posted here but its open to a wide variety of sources that will drive your downloads but not come to this site at all.

That is not an issue with my links.

[Still Looking]

Originally Posted by Stock Trader

There are members who concern themselves with the view count their thread receives and portray this as having relevance.

The same group of viewers checking a thread multiple times a day gossiping amongst themselves could quickly drive up the view counts into the thousands misleading a troll and allowing himself to think he has a much bigger audience...

my questions are
Are views counted only once per log in despite how many times that thread is clicked on by said member?

Is a view counted as many times as the thread is clicked on despite if it's the same group of people?

Is it counted as once per member despite if you have logged off and then back on?

Are non members clicks counted?

Clarity from the moderators on the tabulation of the view counts would be appreciated.

Clarity from the moderators on your previous handle would be appreciated. We are so glad your here just in time for the holidays "as A newbie" to spread your warmth and sincerity. Welcome!

The Usual Suspects

Board members that bring nothing to the table except to troll and make smart ass off topic comments.

Observing, GFEJunkie, JohnnyYanks, Mike Vronsky(TSDante0322), Budman33

[Still Looking]

Originally Posted by budman33

That's most likely because of internet crawlers. You may think it's a link only posted here but its open to a wide variety of sources that will drive your downloads but not come to this site at all.

Wrong again! I may have stumbled while watching her videos but at no point was I crawling! Geeeez!

The Usual Suspects

Board members that bring nothing to the table except to troll and make smart ass off topic comments.

Observing, GFEJunkie, JohnnyYanks, Mike Vronsky(TSDante0322), Budman33

[Noid]

Originally Posted by Whispers

Interesting.....

I don't know about others but I log in a few times a day and check threads I started or am interested in and usually go through responding to others that addressed me or if I find a post interests me enough to comment. It may add some view it seems...... But the disparity of some threads with thousands of views vs others less than a hundred seems improbable to not represent additional viewers.

Jimmy jacks off once a day. Tommy jacks off 20 times a day. Johnny has a lot of alone time and is very self-obsessed.

[RandB fan]

This should be moved as it is not hobby related.
Either follow them like budnose33 says

or why have them.

Originally Posted by SpiceItUp

Yep, I have no official knowledge of it but the site runs a modified version of vbulletin. Unless they've customized that portion (which I do not believe to be the case) it's not unique views so every time anyone refreshes the page it adds to the views of the thread.

Actually I'm pretty sure it goes one level more inaccurate than even that because the view count gets updated every time showthread.php gets loaded which means every time someone switches from say Page 1 to Page 2 it adds another tick to the view count.

It may not show up right away as viewcounts get updated at an admin specified interval, but that's my understanding of the way it works.

So basically the view count is only useful as a measure of the activity on the thread not on the number of users generating said activity.

[Mike Vronsky]

Originally Posted by Whispers

Nope.

I'm not here enough to bounce a thread by 1000s of views....

People-Laughing.jpg

[powermad]

My understanding of it is, duplicate counts only occur after new post are added to the thread.
Otherwise the system treats it like the ratings, or the likes.

[Mike Vronsky]

So, now everyone knows how view count works. Your just sitting there hitting refresh constantly. You call SL Marco for back up. No matter how much you refresh you were still voted off the island. Not feeling so relevant now.

Originally Posted by Whispers

And the thousands that read the threads vote in the only manner that matters in my eyes.

Sorry guys.....

Those of us that post and interact in CoEd are a very small percentage of membership at ECCIE.

When topics of interest that I start get view counts and participation as pathetic as Toyz and others I might get bored with the place.