What Do Views Mean, Really?

[Zeta Kai]

Well, my Final Fantasy X d20 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4260468#post4260468) thread on the homebrew forum (which I still tinker with, from time to time) has received over 130,000 views, far more than most threads on that forum, & rivaling many the most-viewed threads on more-popular forums, like Gaming or Media Discussion. I'm not trying to brag, but I am rather proud of my little baby. But I was wondering what that view count actually means. Does that mean that over 130,000 different people have taken a look at that thread? Does is mean that the page has been viewed over 130,000 times total, by a presumably much small number of people, some of whom have gone back to look multiple times? Do my views of that thread count (after all, I've clicked on that thread hundreds of times to add content, edit content, or just check up on things)? Does the view counter tally another view each time one looks at a different page of the thread? Or does it only count that one has clicked on that thread, regardless of how many pages of the thread one has read afterward? Are "views" a universal measurement on forums, vis a vis counted the same way on all forums everywhere, or are there different standards by which one can define a view?

In brief, What Do Views Mean, Really?

[Nageto004]

Do my views of that thread count (after all, I've clicked on that thread hundreds of times to add content, edit content, or just check up on things)?


Yes it does That.

[Astrella]

I think it's the number of times someone connected to the thread as a new link. (Seeing as refreshing and such don't raise number of views)

[Renegade Paladin]

I think it's the number of times someone connected to the thread as a new link. (Seeing as refreshing and such don't raise number of views)
No, it counts every time the page is loaded; it just doesn't update in real time.

[Stormthorn]

No, it counts every time the page is loaded; it just doesn't update in real time.

I think its that too.


I'm not trying to Brag
Its ok, you can brag. Keep in mind that a heavily edited thread with a lot of content (so you need to keep coming back to it to read it all) will be its nature have a ton of views.

Now if your thread had that many views and all you did was make one post about an innocous topic (as opposed to both D20 and FF) THEN i would be throwing you a party with that many pageviews.

[Zeta Kai]

It seems that I'm not the only one who has some confusion regarding this issue. :smallconfused:

[Jimorian]

Just as an observational statistic, I've noticed that typically there are about 20 views per post in a thread. There are of course variations and exceptions, but in general, that will be the approximate ratio to expect. What that means is anybody's guess.

[Stormthorn]

I did some testing in an unposted in thead.

Your refreshes and your own entering the thread count.

[ondonaflash]

Just as an observational statistic, I've noticed that typically there are about 20 views per post in a thread. There are of course variations and exceptions, but in general, that will be the approximate ratio to expect. What that means is anybody's guess.

People will refresh a thread approximately 20 times to see the replies of others before getting bored and moving to another one. (That's my Thesis!)

[Rogue 7]

Or there are plenty of people who read and don't post, and then there are the lurkers...