# status: offline



## fenixpollo

A question about the User Profiles: When I'm viewing someone's profile, it shows their last/current activity. Some users who are not online right now are shown as "Offline", while in other users' profiles, I can see the time & date of their last activity. 

Why the disparity, and what determines whether we can see when a user was here last?


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## alc112

what an interesting question!
I always wonder the same.


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## Whodunit

It's because of their "ghost mode". You can choose it in your User Control Panel>Edit Options> Login & Privacy 

>Use Invisible Mode (Make a tick or untick it). Some users have turned on invisible mode, so you can never see them online, unless you're a moderator. If you turn on invisble mode, you'll see a red lamp next to your nickname, instead of a green one as usual.


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## Phryne

Whodunit said:
			
		

> It's because of their "ghost mode". You can choose it in your User Control Panel>Edit Options> Login & Privacy
> 
> >Use Invisible Mode (Make a tick or untick it). Some users have turned on invisible mode, so you can never see them online, unless you're a moderator. If you turn on invisble mode, you'll see a red lamp next to your nickname, instead of a green one as usual.


   Yes, but that's not the question. 


 Some of those with the invisible mode appear to be "offline" while in others’ profiles, it doesn't say the word "offline" but instead it reads "Last activity: Today 12:00 pm".

WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY???


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## Agnès E.

Because the status of members being online is not immediately updated. The system is designed to update it every xxx minutes. Thus a person can appear with a green light in a post and be actually offline (the most acurate info being the one appearing in the user profile).
It's perfectly normal!


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## Phryne

Agnès E. said:
			
		

> Because the status of members being online is not immediately updated. The system is designed to update it every xxx minutes. Thus a person can appear with a green light in a post and be actually offline (the most acurate info being the one appearing in the user profile).
> It's perfectly normal!


 Thanks for your answer, Agnes. But what we are talking about is that many foreros have chosen the invisible mode and that in spite of this, not all of our profiles have the same "status". 

Check my status: I'm offline and it clearly says when my last activity in the forums was.

Check the status of any other who has also checked the invisible mode: Cuchu, for instance. It never says the last time he was online. Special powers, maybe? 

saludos


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## fenixpollo

Thanks to Al, Who, Agnes & Miss Ph for responding! I'd like to do a little trouble-shooting with you, if I may. 

None of you are online right now. In your profiles, I can see the "last activity was xx:xx" for all of you _except Phryne_.  Have any of you activated Invisible Mode?

Just to clarify, I'm not asking about the disparity between the green light next to a username in a thread vs. the "last activity" time shown in the profile.... I'm asking about the disparity between different users' profiles: why some show a "last activity" time while others only say "Offline." It sounds like the answer might be, in fact, _the invisible mode_. 


			
				who said:
			
		

> If you turn on invisble mode, you'll see a red lamp next to your nickname, instead of a green one as usual.


 But I have never seen any "red light" instead of a green one or a grey one next to a user's name in a post.


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## Phryne

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> None of you are online right now. In your profiles, I can see the "last activity was xx:xx" for all of you _except Phryne_. Have any of you activated Invisible Mode?


 I have it checked! Maybe that's why you see me offline and no activity mentioned. However, I see the last activity in my own profile and not on others. Strange...





> Just to clarify, I'm not asking about the disparity between the green light next to a username in a thread vs. the "last activity" time shown in the profile.... I'm asking about the disparity between different users' profiles: why some show a "last activity" time while others only say "Offline." It sounds like the answer might be, in fact, _the invisible mode_.


I guess you're right. It's all about being _invisible..._


> But I have never seen any "red light" instead of a green one or a grey one next to a user's name in a post.


Check the invisible mode yourself, and you'll see the light in green next to your Pollo name. 

saludos


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## Whodunit

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> Just to clarify, I'm not asking about the disparity between the green light next to a username in a thread vs. the "last activity" time shown in the profile.... I'm asking about the disparity between different users' profiles: why some show a "last activity" time while others only say "Offline." It sounds like the answer might be, in fact, _the invisible mode_.


 
Indeed! That's what I was trying to say. 



> But I have never seen any "red light" instead of a green one or a grey one next to a user's name in a post.


 
Turn on "Invisible mode" and tell me what you can see next to your user's name in this thread. When I did this, I saw a red light.


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## fenixpollo

Phryne said:
			
		

> I have it checked! Maybe that's why you see me offline and no activity mentioned. However, I see the last activity in my own profile and not on others. Strange...I guess you're right. It's all about being _invisible..._ Check the invisible mode yourself, and you'll see the light in green next to your Pollo name.


So, maybe what we need is more detail about invisible mode.  If you are invisible, does that mean others can't see a green light and your status in your profile is always "Offline"?

I tried it, Who, and I see a red light next to my own name now.  Maybe this is to indicate to me that I'm invisible.  What do you see next to my name?


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## Phryne

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> So, maybe what we need is more detail about invisible mode. If you are invisible, does that mean others can't see a green light and your status in your profile is always "Offline"?
> 
> I tried it, Who, and I see a red light next to my own name now. Maybe this is to indicate to me that I'm invisible. What do you see next to my name?


 Your light is gray!!! You _look _"offline".


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## Whodunit

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> So, maybe what we need is more detail about invisible mode. If you are invisible, does that mean others can't see a green light and your status in your profile is always "Offline"?
> 
> I tried it, Who, and I see a red light next to my own name now. Maybe this is to indicate to me that I'm invisible. What do you see next to my name?


 
Your light is grey, mine is green (because I'm visible). I can't see you in the Who's online window and below the forums in the main menu.


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## fenixpollo

Thanks, Who and Miss Ph (that's pronounced Miss _Eff_, right? ) for confirmation.

Now that this chicken understands the concept of invisibility, I'll just wait for official confirmation from the powers on high that those users who have chosen to be invisible are shown as always Offline.

Thanks, guys!


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## Whodunit

fenixpollo said:
			
		

> Thanks, Who and Miss Ph (that's pronounced Miss _Eff_, right? ) for confirmation.
> 
> Now that this chicken understands the concept of invisibility, I'll just wait for official confirmation from the powers on high that those users who have chosen to be invisible are shown as always Offline.
> 
> Thanks, guys!


 
Do you really need a confirmation from the majority? You have us. 

Furthermore, the "ghost mode" or "invisiblity" is mostly chosen by moderators, in order not to make us see that they are moderating. Do you understand? Some mods want to work behind the scenes; otherwise, we could see "modifying posts" and some mods are bothered when we can read that.


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## Benjy

thanks for giving me a good chuckle 
yes we of the shadowy cloak and dagger world of modding prefer to pass unnoticed 

i am just on invisible because be i turned it on a while ago to try and sort something out without being bombarded with pms by people who think they have a right to a reply 

i think you will find its the same for most other mods as well.



			
				Whodunit said:
			
		

> Do you really need a confirmation from the majority? You have us.
> 
> Furthermore, the "ghost mode" or "invisiblity" is mostly chosen by moderators, in order not to make us see that they are moderating. Do you understand? Some mods want to work behind the scenes; otherwise, we could see "modifying posts" and some mods are bothered when we can read that.


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## lauranazario

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Furthermore, the "ghost mode" or "invisiblity" is mostly chosen by moderators, in order not to make us see that they are moderating. Do you understand? Some mods want to work behind the scenes; otherwise, we could see "modifying posts" and some mods are bothered when we can read that.


I do not agree with this statement which expresses an *assumption* on your part. 

The invisible mode is a vBulletin feature available to all WR members, who may wish to use it as a matter of personal choice.

Saludos,
LN


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## cuchuflete

Whodunit said:
			
		

> Some mods want to work behind the scenes; otherwise, we could see "modifying posts" and some mods are bothered when we can read that.



This is a ghost speaking.   I am veeeery bothered when Daniel can see me modding

In fact, I use invisible mode because when I'm visible I get hundreds of PM requests to do SP=>EN translations for newbies, and courtesy demands that I answer each and every one of them. 

Even if you are signed on as invisible, you can be detected...and that goes for mods, too.  I won't tell you the secret.  You just have to get to know the forum software a little.  A friendly forero pointed it out to me.


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## Whodunit

Benjy said:
			
		

> thanks for giving me a good chuckle
> yes we of the shadowy cloak and dagger world of modding prefer to pass unnoticed
> 
> i am just on invisible because be i turned it on a while ago to try and sort something out without being bombarded with pms by people who think they have a right to a reply
> 
> i think you will find its the same for most other mods as well.


 


			
				lauranazario said:
			
		

> I do not agree with this statement which expresses an *assumption* on your part.
> 
> The invisible mode is a vBulletin feature available to all WR members, who may wish to use it as a matter of personal choice.
> 
> Saludos,
> LN


 


			
				cuchuflete said:
			
		

> This is a ghost speaking. I am veeeery bothered when Daniel can see me modding
> 
> In fact, I use invisible mode because when I'm visible I get hundreds of PM requests to do SP=>EN translations for newbies, and courtesy demands that I answer each and every one of them.
> 
> Even if you are signed on as invisible, you can be detected...and that goes for mods, too. I won't tell you the secret. You just have to get to know the forum software a little. A friendly forero pointed it out to me.


 
I'm glad you could smile a little about my attempt to explain the function of invisible mod(e). Now I eventually know what you are talking about. By the way, I'm not the one who only sends PMs to you if there's a green lamp next to your name. 

Cuchu, do you mean even I (not being a mod) am able to see what you are currently doing? I know mods can, but me too?


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