Author Topic: Hidden User  (Read 1916 times)

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Offline galfert

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Hidden User
« on: November 01, 2018, 06:35:22 PM »
On this forum what does it mean when it shows that their is (+ 1 Hidden) user browsing the topic?

Normally you can see regular users, administrators, guest users with no account, and Google search spiders. So what is Hidden? Is that like an administrator that is hiding themselves? If so what is the purpose of this function?

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Offline saratogaWX

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2018, 07:08:44 PM »
AFAIK, there's nothing nefarious going on -- the Profile for a user allows them to 'hide' their online/offline status from the general public (and anonymous/search engine) users. Admins can 'hide' too, but AFAIK, none of us do.
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Offline galfert

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2018, 07:17:47 PM »
Hmm....Well I think I found the answer:

https://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=265224.0

According to that post there should be an option to, "Show others your online status?" and for me a regular user it is not there. Therefore this tells me that it must be an Administrator that has decided to hide their online status.
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Offline saratogaWX

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2018, 07:32:09 PM »
Hmmmm.  You may be correct.  The forum currently has the option "Allow non-administrators to hide their online status" set to OFF. which means only folks with moderation permission can use it.  The help description of the option reads:
Quote
With this option enabled all members will be able to hide their online status from other users (except administrators). If disabled only users who can moderate the forum can hide their presence. Note that disabling this option will not change any existing member's status - it just stops them from hiding themselves in the future.
  So it appears that folks with admin or moderator status can hide their online status as you surmise.
Ken True/Saratoga, CA, USA main site: saratoga-weather.org
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Offline Old Tele man

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2018, 07:22:41 PM »
It's the KLINGON "Cloaking" button!
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Offline CW2274

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2018, 07:44:53 PM »
It's the KLINGON "Cloaking" button!
Give credit where credit is due, the ROMULANS invented the cloaking device.  :-P

Offline Old Tele man

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2018, 07:50:04 PM »
Obviously, I'm not that great of a STAR-TREK watcher  :oops:
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Offline the beteljuice

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2018, 09:51:02 PM »
Does 'Users active in past 15 minutes:" also come into play ?

ie. After 15 minutes inactivity are you 'hidden' ?

It used to be a trick the beteljuice used to 'lurk' on various forums where they auto refreshed main page ever 5m or whatever.

 :oops: naughty beteljuice !
Imagine what you will KNOW tomorrow !

Offline saratogaWX

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Re: Hidden User
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2018, 11:06:13 PM »
After 15 minutes, you're dropped from the list (not hidden).

I've found the 'hidden' user.. yes, it's an admin (only 4 of us admins, 3 have the 'show online' set, one does not).

Case closed
« Last Edit: November 02, 2018, 11:27:46 PM by saratogaWX »
Ken True/Saratoga, CA, USA main site: saratoga-weather.org
Davis VP1+ FARS, Blitzortung RED, GRLevel3, WD, WL, VWS, Cumulus, Meteobridge
Free weather PHP scripts/website templates - update notifications on Twitter saratogaWXPHP