Is the "Who's Online" page important...

That's quite a bit of a generalization, in my opinion. I am a member on plenty of high-traffic forums that are extremely welcoming to new members, whereas on many of the smaller forums I visit, introduction threads go unnoticed for extended periods of time (even when activity elsewhere on the forum is fairly steady).

 

True, I'm generalizing based on my own experience.

 

I tend to stay on it to watch everyone on my own forums. :p
On other forums, I begin to stalk the person I just sent a PM to or the entire community if I made a new thread (to see if they are viewing my thread/PM), lol.

 

I'm guilty of doing this, as well. :lol: