To Cloak Or Not To Cloak

[Lion Spirit Walker]

With no real point to my question other than simple curiousity, do you preffer to be visable in MW or invisable?
I understand why Admin & Mods would need to remain invisable. But as members what might prompt you to choose one over the other? Be it for a single visit or as common practise?
As a reminder, there is nothing more than simple curiousity in my posing this question.
...
For myself it is visability that I commonly preffer. More out of habit than anything else. In addition, I've found it helpful in allowing others to 'see' me here in the event that they might like to leave a VM or PM and get an immediate response.

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[Kiran]

Well I used to be invisible but feel its better for people to see me online if they have any queries etc.

On a side note....I see lots of angelic script there hehehehe

[Jester Black]

invisible, here and everywhere else that allows me. since the days of the EMB, Ive had an online stalker who checks the different boards i frequent to see if Im online. Id rather they didnt know

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Pardon me, I hadn't though of the 'stalking'. And I completely agree. It simply isn't cool at all.

invisible, here and everywhere else that allows me. since the days of the EMB, Ive had an online stalker who checks the different boards i frequent to see if Im online. Id rather they didnt know

[Lion Spirit Walker]

LOL. Okay. Inquery??? 'Angelic Script??? LOLLOL. Hahaha.

Well I used to be invisible but feel its better for people to see me online if they have any queries etc.

On a side note....I see lots of angelic script there hehehehe

[Kiran]

LOL. Okay. Inquery??? 'Angelic Script??? LOLLOL. Hahaha.

[God's Toy]

On every site I'm a member off I'm always visible but here on mw I'm invisible as sometimes I need to get my head into 'code mode' and being distracted leeds to mistakes.

On www.wearetechguys.com I'm visible as for one thing very little to do code wise and also good ole Mr B is the co admin there so we can share any outstanding workload there if needed.

I do like to peep at all the members hiding in invisible mode on mw! lol like I see you but do you see me ? our friend LSW likes to have the forum to himself at night but sometimes he's not alone... lol.

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Hahahahaha. Ok GT, your freaking me out now. LOLLOLLOL.
Hahahaha.

[Narnia]

Normally the cloak is on, on every site .... but recently at MW the cloak has been off ...

And GT ... I know you're always around ... cause your presence is felt!!

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Hahahaha. I'm still laughing over his comment. LOLLLOL.

[Anjou]

On almost everywhere possible. Mostly off here.

[Jester Black]

I do like to peep at all the members hiding in invisible mode on mw! lol like I see you but do you see me ?

youre a regular peeping toy arent you! lol

[God's Toy]

You know it. See? I'm always lurking in the shadows just watching and waiting...



Oh and peeping too!

[SoulChild]

I knew I was right when I felt you peepn gods toy! That's why I stay visible! like said above, just incase someone wants to in box, they'll know I'm getting it right away. God's Toy, I am glad you know that I actually come around often! But I don't always have time to post. I also come to read some of my favorite threads "Inspirational Qoutes", and "Wisdom of Nasagardatta"

[Lion Spirit Walker]

I honestly appreciate all of the responses. I've often been curious simply about why or why not use 'cloaking', but as is my habit I just am and don't use the option.
It is a fun thought to ponder though.
GT, I'm still chuckling. Hehehehe.

[Samael]

You know it. See? I'm always lurking in the shadows just watching and waiting...



Oh and peeping too!

Ghost shadow

And to answer question, for me it depends on the mood I'm in.. Sometimes I wanna be invisible and sometimes I'm very outgoing..

[Kiran]

Hmm...just thought I would resurrect this thread.....as I have friends who post that I would like to reply to but cannot as I do not know if they are here or if someone else is lurking....

If nothing to hide...why go invisible? This site is safe and small enough for us not to have the whole stalker issue...different if there were thousands of members.....
Just my tuppence worth.....like has been said here... Admin I get....but if someone new has a question, or joins...it would be nice to see a mod or friendly face.....in my experience as Mod for many years.

[Mr B]

In my honest opinion...? Everybody is free to do what he or she wants Lorri. Why you cannot reply is something i don't get really...... It's just like with an email, you don't see if that person is online or not where you send it to.

If nothing to hide...why go invisible?

Guess you're 'pointing' at me?

[Kiran]

In my honest opinion...? Everybody is free to do what he or she wants Lorri. Why you cannot reply is something i don't get really...... It's just like with an email, you don't see if that person is online or not where you send it to.

Guess you're 'pointing' at me?

Not pointing at anyone hon...I usually see you as visible here. It was directed at anyone...and no-one in particular...just an observation. I get messages from people as to why I didn't reply but if I do not know they are here, I am not going to reply immediately as I am often in work here so don't always have time to reply right away.
Also just a note that on all the other sites I am involved with, the Mods are visible...it acts as a deterrant to spammers if they see a heavy presence and also is a friendly thing to see when people join up....as we discussed once before when I was a Mod here.

If I had something more direct to say dearest, I would just say it

[Jester Black]

Hmm...just thought I would resurrect this thread.....as I have friends who post that I would like to reply to but cannot as I do not know if they are here or if someone else is lurking....

If nothing to hide...why go invisible? This site is safe and small enough for us not to have the whole stalker issue...different if there were thousands of members.....
Just my tuppence worth.....like has been said here... Admin I get....but if someone new has a question, or joins...it would be nice to see a mod or friendly face.....in my experience as Mod for many years.

There are a lots of reasons to cloak, my dear. As Ive already mentioned, Im always cloaked, here and everywhere. In fact, if I cant cloak, I dont join. Part of that is that I do have something to hide, mainly myself from a stalker who's relentless if they know Im online. And unless you have been stalked you have no concept as to the lengths to which they will go to find you. In fact, my staker once sent me a GPS image of my home with me standing in the back yard. My addy is not published ANYWHERE on the net, but they found me!

But thats not the only reason. I conduct a lot of my business and ALL of my art on this rig. Privacy here is essential. Security is mandatory.

I often have messenger conferences with colleques, clients, and regulators on this machine. As Im often communicating in places like afghanistan, haiti and other places where phone lines are undependable to say the least, this is a life saver. But if Im not cloaked when doing that, everyone and their mother sees me and wants to talk. Not very efficient when youre trying to negotiate a contract or the like.

As I mentioned, this is the heart of my recording studio. I have tons of recording software, virtual instruments and a massive array of hardware hardwired into this puppy. This is the cauldron from which the Black Ether project emerges. In fact, this is custom built for that very purpose. Some years back, I was busy doing multiple takes on the second guitar parts of Jerusalem's Cry. During the session I was logged into the EMB in the background as I often did as I generally draw on things like that for inspiration. I was clearly visible. As always while recording, I was cloaked in my messenger programs. Only my stalker dropped by the EMB, saw that I was online and then made the right assumption that I was cloaked in messenger and just went ahead and messaged me. Well that interrupted the signal flow of the ongoing recording and corrupted the entire file. I had to re-record a song I'd spent weeks on from scratch. As it turned out, Jerusalem's cry turned to be perhaps our most popular song, BUT the version I lost was better. Art is like that. it has its moment where it peaks and can never be reproduced at that level again. I lost that moment forever and as popular as that song is today, Ive always regretted it. The fact that it was the stalker is coincidental. It could have been anybody and it had actually happened previously with friends.

Ive been totally cloaked ever since.