Mumsnetters, what are you like!

I wish I had been on MN when the survey was done as I would have bumped the man quota up to a whole 2. Who was it - PadDad, UQD? I really want some other Dads on here. Can't some of you get your DH/DP to join.

I also lurked (like a total coward) for well over a year and then my wife strongly encouraged me to join even though she will not.

However, I am used to online communities so did not worry about other peoples responses. That said people can be very very judgely and confident on MN. I got flamed for a while. TBH it is like a sort of initiation ceremony.

I will not post much on some areas of MN though even when feel very strongly about the issues.

I love MN. It has helped me understand my wife and DSs better, definitely made me ABetaDad and made me a laugh a lot too.

It's funny. In real life I am absolutely a lurker, the world's greatest, a hoverer on the edge. But on MN I jumped in after about 10 minutes lurking and now I never shut up.

''79 per cent said they have bought something after a MN recommendation...''

People should pay us lot

The bit I liked best was: 68% of respondents ticked the top two categories provided, 2-5 times a day, or "more frequently". That's a whole lot of addicted people!

The entertainment thing is spot on, definitely. I visit various forums, some for pure support, some for education, but MN is the only place that I'll be happy to while away an hour giggling and being silly as well as those other things.

not days JM but YEARS

I am a fraek

Rhubarb, I thought much the same.

Oh okay so only 96% answered the 'are you a mum or a dad question'?

JM, your style is way too familiar there!

Not everyone who responded to the survey answered all the questions - so that is why the figures sometimes do not add up to 100%.

I got told off once. I think.

adn fgs lurking for DAYS before posting?
god you lot grow a backbone

frakes

What were the other 4%, trolls?

ONLY TWO PERCENT have been told off?

chickens

to add - I'm not saying stop using the code, as it is a fundamental part of many online communities, just perhaps temper it in certain places to let new users get a route in!

Bling - it's fine once you've been in it for a while, but for many people the first port of call might be the conception folder, and seeing the jargon there might put them off. Basically, it is shorthand, but until you know the code, you feel excluded.

I know there is a lot of research into how communities use their languages to maintain the sense of community etc, but without new people being able to find an easy road in, there might not ever be new members of the community. Of course, that might be what certain communities want!

I lurked for ages before I posted, I did and still do find it entertaining, because of the sense of humour here.

Weebump - that is an interesting suggestion that we had not thought about.

Although we did suspect that emphasis on a good, entertaining, literate, writing style might deter some from posting.

(btw, that's why I like MN

I'd be interested to know if the sober graphics and pedantry has encouraged older members and bored discouraged younger parents.

The entertainment thing is what really struck us.

When you read research about other parenting communities, what is stressed in the support and advice that the posters and readers receive. There is no discussion about entertainment.

However, our feedback suggested that the most valuable thing about Mumsnet was its entertainment value, although support and advice were still important.

I agree that the code can be inpenetrable, but I don't think that's a reason to stop it. as you become more comfortable, you understand more and find it easier to do so. The thing about public forums is that they evolve into what works for the majority of the people posting at that time, and that includes acronyms etc.

I think I'm one of the four non children respondents I remember filling out that survey!

While lurkers were similar to the general population in looking for posts by certain posters and avoiding certain posters, the satisfactions that they gained from Mumsnet were different to those of the general survey community. 100% of the lurkers admitted gaining entertainment from Mumsnet, in comparison to 91% of the general population, while only 37.5% of lurkers gained support (in comparison with 64% of the general population). It seems that you have to post in order to feel that you gain support from the community.

Some further information about the lurkers who answered our survey:

The lurking respondents to this survey were slightly older than the average survey respondent, with only 12.5% being younger than 31, in comparison to 23.3% in the general survey population. Lurkers shared the same profile of number of children as the general population, but had fewer very young babies. In the general survey population, 22.8% of all children were under the age of two. This dropped to 20.5% of the lurkers? children, with the lurkers having no children under the age of six months (4.3% of the general survey population). 10.7% of the general population?s children were over the age of ten, compared to 10.3% of the lurker?s children.