The number of profile views of each user is no longer visible. Why has this been removed from MSE?
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13$\begingroup$ A related announcement on Meta Stack Exchange: Some changes to the profile while we make it responsive. (Already with score below $-100$, so it wasn't received too well.) $\endgroup$– Martin SleziakAug 6, 2021 at 17:43
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3$\begingroup$ Ok,@MartinSleziak Thanks for the link. $\endgroup$– jasmineAug 6, 2021 at 17:51
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21$\begingroup$ I am displeased with this (network-wide) change, and I wonder if MSE can revert back to the old version. $\endgroup$– JoeAug 6, 2021 at 20:56
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18$\begingroup$ @Joe i am also displeased .Old version was awfully good. $\endgroup$– jasmineAug 6, 2021 at 21:45
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3$\begingroup$ Is there now an alternative way to roughly gauge a user account's (a) age and (b) recency of activity? Merely reducing the precision of this info, and/or adding an option for users to hide it... would actually have been an improvement. $\endgroup$– ryangAug 7, 2021 at 3:59
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3$\begingroup$ @RyanG You can see such data in the accounts tab of the network profile. (This is mentioned in John Omielan's answer to the question linked in my first comment.) Also using SEDE you can find values of the data in the Users table at the time when the database was updated the last time. $\endgroup$– Martin SleziakAug 7, 2021 at 5:36
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1$\begingroup$ Here are examples of such queries for a single user and for several users. $\endgroup$– Martin SleziakAug 7, 2021 at 5:36
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3$\begingroup$ Also for those who have the mobile app, the number of views and last seen are still retained. $\endgroup$– TheSimpliFire ModAug 7, 2021 at 6:19
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2$\begingroup$ I didn't even notice. This happened recently, not during my "sabbatical"? I do look at profiles, but mostly I'm interested in the questions or answers someone has posted. Speaking only for myself, I find the number of profile views not very meaningful or interesting. $\endgroup$– Robert SoupeAug 8, 2021 at 22:05
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$\begingroup$ @RyanG You can see oldest question/answer, no? Oldest comment? $\endgroup$– Red BananaAug 14, 2021 at 21:37
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1$\begingroup$ @RedBanana Yes to oldest post—although Martin's suggestion right under my comment supercedes this. (As for oldest comment, I'm unaware of any comments-search or comments-history-by-user on MSE.) $\endgroup$– ryangAug 14, 2021 at 21:50
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2 Answers
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This is a network wide change announced here. Site moderators are unable to revert changes to the software, so math.se can't get it back unless it comes back for everyone (which seems unlikely).
answered Aug 7, 2021 at 14:00
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A bit long method but it would help you to see Last Seen, profile views and member since then you can open this and click on Copy Snippet To Answer and then replace the second line with
const params = "?order=desc&site=Mathematics&filter=!40D72h-7nG92Z1_td";
Then run the snippet and you can see all the three Features.
For reference-
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2$\begingroup$ I recall staff from SE mentioning that it was mostly a vanity metric. Through SQL code and other kinds of codes it is still possible to retrieve that. In any case, I agree with SE staff to remove all kinds of useless vanity metrics and focus more in content of questions and answers. $\endgroup$– MittensAug 11, 2021 at 3:21
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41$\begingroup$ @OliverDiaz, showing "last seen" is not a vanity metric. Many of us use it quite frequently. In particular, it is extremely useful when deciding whether to respond to a comment (or even a question). If the person hasn't been seen for years, it would be a waste of time; if they are still active it would be a good thing to do. $\endgroup$ Aug 11, 2021 at 13:22
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$\begingroup$ Like I said, you can still access that and other metrics though SQL code and other scripts. For the majority of users who post and answer questions, those numbers are irrelevant. $\endgroup$– MittensAug 11, 2021 at 13:40
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2$\begingroup$ @OliverDiaz, still access yes, but too much trouble to be worth my bother. There will (and already has been) a reduction in my responses. $\endgroup$ Aug 11, 2021 at 17:56
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$\begingroup$ @RayButterworth: you say you use them frequently, so it should not be an obstacle to use SQL scripts (which are more powerful as you can get as many records as you want). I know of many external researches that get record from MSE in their studies of the size as a social network. If you are here just to question and answers I don't see the need to het those metrics. It may be contra as invasion of privacy. $\endgroup$– MittensAug 11, 2021 at 18:01
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4$\begingroup$ @OliverDiaz, I never said it would be "an obstacle". I said it would no longer be worth the effort. Before: one click to see and one click to return. After: use SQL scripts. $\endgroup$ Aug 11, 2021 at 20:49
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4$\begingroup$ @OliverDiaz I disagree with you about useless vanity metrics $\endgroup$– jasmineAug 12, 2021 at 18:32
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1$\begingroup$ @jasmine: That was the determination of SE staff. I am no employed by SE or its affiliates. In any event, if you are doing research about SE (or MSE for that matter) there are tools to get all kinds of info. If you are a user who like me is only interested in helping others with questions, and posting questions, that metric and other metrics such as reputations, lats-time seen, years of membership, etc are irrelevant. $\endgroup$– MittensAug 12, 2021 at 18:37
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14$\begingroup$ But some time , i find it helpful whether i have to comment on an answer or not. suppose that the user is not active then it will be useless to write comment on their answer @OliverDiaz $\endgroup$– jasmineAug 12, 2021 at 18:53
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2$\begingroup$ I need the vanity metrics as an affirmation of my self-worth. Now that I can no longer see how many people have looked at my page, I must rely on my rep score and that mysterious influence metric to get myself out of bed in the morning. $\endgroup$ Aug 20, 2021 at 18:52
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$\begingroup$ @RonGordon: Is the fact that you earned the "populist" badge any consolation? :) $\endgroup$– JoeAug 21, 2021 at 19:44
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