[Air-l] we need a better word than lurking

[jerichob at juno.com]

Hi Christine,

True, perhaps, but a number of people have suggested quite a few 
alternatives as well, which they also use.  So I guess we can pick 
other words, if we choose to, particularly if the given word doesn't 
entirely fit the activity we are describing. I don't doubt that there 
are some people who really do lurk in the non-Internet sense of the 
term (hide in the shadows, often with malevolent intent), but perhaps 
we can be critical of conventional terminology and the assumptions 
underlying it, as well.  Or perhaps those of us with gut reactions to 
the term can get over it.  I personally don't use the word, and likely 
wouldn't to talk about most of the phenomena it seems to be describing 
(hey, I did read the Wikipedia page), but I guess that mainly marks me 
as an outsider uncomfortable with the native language.  

Jericho

-- Christine Moellenberndt <chris at inreach.com> wrote:
jerichob at juno.com wrote:
> This thread was introduced because someone didn't think lurking 
should 
> be considered a bad thing, and thus should have a label with less 
> negative connotations, but in the discussion some fairly strong 
> normative judgments about lurkers and lurking have emerged which 
seem 
> to indicate that having a word with negative connotations is 
> warranted.  It's interesting.


I wouldn't go so far as to say that "having a word with negative 
connotations" is a good thing... but the way I see it, this is a word 
that the Internet community chose to describe these people. Who are we 
to say "wow you know what, that word is bad. We're going to pick 
another 
one and use that instead because we don't like it."

If it's the word in common usage, then I say use it.  Why create a new 
jargon term, when one already exists? ;)

I don't really know if lurking *is* considered a bad thing... maybe 
frustrating in channels that were once highly active and now are not, 
therefore needing a desperate infusion of new ideas and new blood... 
but 
I'd rather see someone lurk for a while and then participate (like me. 
hi!), instead of jumping in with both feet not knowing how things are 
done and causing an uproar that can upset the flow of discussions.  
I've 
seen *that* happen too many times before :)

(sorry if someone brought this up before, I got lost in the thread for 
a 
bit!)

-Christine

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