I'm not sure I would join a forum I couldn't visit first. actually probably a good idea to visit for a while.
I have joined several that I seldom visit and should withdraw. One is very hard to navigate and some are just boring.
Now, I don't join until I feel enough interest to want to post? Just me maybe?
Nan

That's a good idea - but limit them - so many visits and then join or you can't view anymore.

I would love to see more participation.

The number viewing is how many are actually reading that thread at that moment. Of course, the user could click off the page to another website and it will still show as viewing. The users status will timeout after X minutes (defined by admin, 15 default).

The way most web servers work is that they are stateless. They take a request for a page, and return the result, and then disconnect from the user. When you are reading this, you are no longer connected to the web server. For this reason, it cannot really know if you are still viewing the page (without some sort of javascript that is server load intensive).

I got the basic message, Jafo. Thanks.

Of course, most of your explanation didn't mean much to me. I'm one of those who fall in the category of "you can't do high tech with a low tech mind."

I don't even want to know how I can be viewing something that lives in a server (whatever that is) if the server has disconnected.

Ah, well. So long as it works. A pragmatic approach is good enough for me.

Well, just to answer.. The server has already "served" you the information and your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc..) has already rendered it. Just like you don't leave your P.O. box open after you take your mail out, the server closes the connection once you received the information. Every link you click on this site (that links to this site) asks the server for another document.

The server is just a computer (not much different than your PC) that holds documents. Those documents get served to you when you request them (i.e. a request is when you type in www.spiceplace.com into your browser).

Of course, this forum is using "dynamic documents" which is how we can use this forum.