Lurking
<messaging, jargon> The activity of one of the "silent majority" in a electronic forum such as
Usenet; posting occasionally or not at all but reading the group's postings regularly.
This term is not pejorative and indeed is casually used reflexively: "Oh, I'm just lurking".
Often used in "the lurkers", the hypothetical audience for the group's
flamage-emitting regulars.
Lurking and reading the
FAQ are recommended
netiquette for beginners who need to learn the history and practises of the group before posting.
