Do you advise new members to lurk for a while?

I once saw a forum that stated on it's registration page that they advised new members to lurk for two weeks before posting, and wondered how well that policy worked for them. Did it drive members away before the two weeks were up? Did it ensure that new posters would have a better idea of the forum's culture? Should it have been handled by posting all the little etiquette tips in the forum rules instead?

 

No we do not advise to lurk. Everyone is different and there is no way to predict how well they will fit in regardless of how things are set up.

One rule: play nice
Moderate everyones first post. That ensures a moderator has looked at everyones first post. Much can be learned from that first post.

 

What is the point of lurking for two weeks...? I find it quite dumb actually. I hope it's working for those forum, but I personally wouldn't do it.

 

Wouldn't work for me, people log on, they have a look, they'll either post and get involved or they won't

 

What forum was that and what was their reasoning?!

Like Riz, it wouldn't work for me. Members come, they log in, look around, and, if they want to post they'll post, if not, they'll just wander the site.

 

Nope. In the welcome private message and email, I point new members to certain sections and recommend they start building up their post count right away.

 

I think the theory was that it would cut down on the newbie questions.

 

That would turn me away from the site.

I mean, that's what support forums (feedback and such) are for. And, if you don't have time for questions/comments/concerns, you don't need to be running a forum.

 

I advise it for if users want to enter our Lounge. The users that post in there go there to play. n00bs who don't understand that and take things seriously, will have a very hard time in there. Nothing is serious in there (Lord help anyone who asks for technical help in there!). However, that isn't the main reason anyone comes to my site and it's a forum at the bottom of the list, so many users don't even notice it at first.

 

I never advise it on my own forums but I usually do it myself on others.