By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Why do you use eChinacities?
Most of the time there are only a few people logged into eCc as registered users, while at the same time there are usually a few dozen guests on the website. If someone is not logged in as a user, then he or she can’t actively engage in the discussions in the Answers section. So ostensibly that person is a passive reader who may be reading the Answers discussions, or may be looking at the posts in the Jobs or Articles sections. Scanning over user names in the Answers and Article sections, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of overlap in the people who are active in the Answers section and the people active in the Articles section. Excluding the Jobs section for a moment, is there a real disconnect between the people using the Answers and Articles sections? If so, why?
Questions: Why do you use eChinacities? Do you usually/often read the articles and blogs? If you are not an active participant in the Answers section, can you please explain why? Which section is more important to you: Articles or Answers? Why?
[Of course the responses will be biased towards those people that actively participate in the Answers section, but let’s see if others users will step forward and offer up some insights.]
I occasionally look at the jobs section and read the featured articles / blogs, but mostly I look at the answers to see if there is anything affecting expats that you all know about, and I don't know. I usually don't bother to login to the site because I usually don't have anything substantive to contribute.
A lot of the questions have nothing to do with China, some only require simple factual answers (and I'm usually too late, or too ill informed to provide them). Many, though, seem to be discussions between the site's regulars and, as an infrequent user, I am not inclined to intrude.
Jean.P:
Scahtz, good answer. I think many other users feel about the same as you do.
Stiggs:
You wouldn't be intruding man.
I do understand the uncomfortable feeling of entering a conversation that's being dominated by regulars but don't worry about it, if you have something you'd like to add then don't be shy, just do it. The worst that could happen is a few people disagree with you.
I occasionally look at the jobs section and read the featured articles / blogs, but mostly I look at the answers to see if there is anything affecting expats that you all know about, and I don't know. I usually don't bother to login to the site because I usually don't have anything substantive to contribute.
A lot of the questions have nothing to do with China, some only require simple factual answers (and I'm usually too late, or too ill informed to provide them). Many, though, seem to be discussions between the site's regulars and, as an infrequent user, I am not inclined to intrude.
Jean.P:
Scahtz, good answer. I think many other users feel about the same as you do.
Stiggs:
You wouldn't be intruding man.
I do understand the uncomfortable feeling of entering a conversation that's being dominated by regulars but don't worry about it, if you have something you'd like to add then don't be shy, just do it. The worst that could happen is a few people disagree with you.
So why was ecc out of reach all those times in the last week admin ?
Jean.P:
Phil, only if we had a living, breathing Admin maybe we'd find out.
philbravery:
Thats funny ...the general concensus is that Taliesin/you are the newbie user /mod
icnif77:
You watch ... !
... while you're crossing the alley!
My mom might be somewhere close -by, too!
philbravery:
Someone doesn't want this answer to be seen.....maybe something to hide?
icnif77:
Once, I told ... :
''User-Mod should remain incognito, unless she/he wants to elevate 'myself' over the regular users without such a 'strong-arm-y!''
I hate repeating ...
I participate in the answers section because it feels more like real people having real discussions. The articles section is more often than not of Buzzfeed quality and not substantive (ten types of expats in China, which one are you??). Therefore I don't really pay much attention there.
Does this question and the one "where did you go "sound like admin questions to you guys?
I have been reading eChinacities for a couple of years. I never check for any jobs and usually read about the problems that expats like me have. I don't really answer much because there are other users that seem to know more than me. When I do see fighting and trolling on the answer section then I tend to rather log off and continue my day. The fighting and insults that users used to give each other really put me off but things seem to have calmed down over the past couple of months. I'm all for peace and I hope that my answer here does not offend anyone. Have a wonderful day and I hope that in future we can all learn to trust, honor and respect each other more.
Jean.P:
Monkey, I think your views are also held by quite a number of other people that use this site and don't want to get muddied up by the infighting. Hopefully we are soon moving towards a more congenial and welcoming atmosphere here.
Me?
Everybody knows, I will open 'Retail-Outback-Store', soon ...!
ambivalentmace:
just what we need in China, more water buffalo steaks tougher than a lesbian tongue, how exciting.
icnif77:
You just lost all 'concessions' at buying your first raincoat-o in my Outback-y!
I actually joined up originally just to tell a guy in the article section how full of shit he was. I didn't even realise there was an active answer section at that point. Up to then I had just been dropping in occasionally out of boredom. I found the answer section later.
I almost never look at the articles or front page now.
Hi2u summed it up well I think. This place feels like real people having a real conversation about real stuff, not just visa problems and contract issues, although that's obviously ok too.
I was / am an active member on another couple of China sites for a long time but they just got boring and lame. Dave's in particular, it's ok as a source of info I suppose but other than that it's boring and repetative. After the 400th question about the same visa issues or new guy stuff with the usual shills answering I just can't be arsed even checking in anymore, and they don't allow you to talk about anything not China related so that's basically all there is to the site.
ECC at least has variety and constant activity so you know there will always be something new here and enough interesting stuff to keep me checking in and commenting.
Real people (well mostly..) talking about somewhat interesting stuff.
I am no business owner, I am no employee, I am nothing —just a piss ant narcissist putting on a show, pretending to be whatever would grab attention. My conduct is loaded with proof of hypocrisy that shows I didn't really believe in the things I professed to believe. No narcissist does. We all are shallow as a puddle because we care about nothing but our image.
Jean.P:
Yes, yes, we know all that about you, Vik. But why do you use this site?
To ask serious questions
icnif77:
Stop using Sunblock & Save our marine ecosytems from harmful chemicals!!!
... & die from skin cancer, instead!
Hail Ecosystem!
It very easy for 'marinated-people' to state that!
Whities, we all suffer from uncontrolled sun exposure ... buTT, we all have means to lay on the beach and you 'marinated' miss the point to do the same, he he!
tfuller87:
The melanin-deficient races should relocate back to the Caucasus Mountains if you cannot co-exist with the sun. Yes, I am very aware that your people suffer from severe sunburns and melanoma if you are out in the sun however it is not fair to the poor, little helpless sea animals who have to suffer the consequences of you hopping into the sea with harmful chemicals on your skin. My Activism is for those poor helpess animals not you. You are invading their habitat. The melanin-deficient races used to live in caves so maybe that is the best habitat for you.
Right now, it says there are 3 users and 32 guests. Most of those "guest" viewers are probably not individual humans, just bots and spying algorithms operated on some gov't (or Facebook?) metadata-collecting computers. If you've ever logged in to a super quiet form, you will see how this is done. I infrequently use sorcerers.net's forum, because I wrote a gaming guide years back, so I check up on comments in the forum from time to time.
From the main forum page, I can see that the Icewind Dale 2 subforum is dead (zero viewers).
Then I visit it, check the latest comments, then I go back to the main forum page, because I want to see another subforum. But hey, what just happened?
1 member and 8 anonymous "people" are viewing the Icewind Dale 2 subforum. What a coincidence.
Don't be too peeved by the fact that your viewing activity is followed by around 8 different metadata-tracking systems - it's not a China thing, or even an ECC problem. This is just a part of life in the information age, with reactionary institutions & governments lagging behind in showing responsibility and accountability.
Jean.P:
Good insight about the count disparity between users and guests. Coin, you've been active here for a long while. What keeps you coming back?
coineineagh:
Even though I'm in Germany now, my Chinese family still gives me a sort of expat experience. And the reverse culture shock of seeing how badly things are done in Europe has me fascinated. I'm as critical of European culture as I am of Chinese. And ECC has potential to offer more life clues, insights and previously unseen truths.