Is there any way to check if a specific user is currently logged in? I know that in the user profile there is a value for "seen", but it isn't always relevant (e.g., user logged out 2 minutes ago, but you see - oh, he has been active 2 minutes ago, so I can think he is still active, I will write to him). If it isn't I will write a feature request.

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I'm always logged in, since I never log out. –  hjpotter92 Oct 24 '13 at 12:16
the seen .... ago is cashed so sometimes it will not reflect the to-the-minute truth –  Richard Tingle Oct 24 '13 at 12:17
@Wooble SE uses also Javascript –  Ty221 Oct 24 '13 at 12:18
User can log in, visit a question page and leave the browser open for whole year without ever actually being near the computer. Does it mean he's "logged in"? Technically he is, but he's not active. –  Shadow Wizard Oct 24 '13 at 12:19
You can't see that besides the seen indicator in the profile which has a 30 minute update window. And I would not want to be stalked like that. –  juergen d Oct 24 '13 at 12:20
On my mobile I almost always have stack exchange windows open that I haven't actually looked at for weeks –  Richard Tingle Oct 24 '13 at 12:20
@ShaWizDowArd "Check if specific user is currently active" would be a better question then :). –  Henk Jansen Oct 24 '13 at 12:21
i dont want to be monitored and i dont want to have my every move recorded and stored somewhere...just be more patient people who are here on daily basis will come back and see your comment if you use the @ –  mehow Oct 24 '13 at 13:41
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2 Answers

up vote 5 down vote accepted

There isn't, and this wouldn't work well if it were to be implemented.

If a user was reading through a lengthy answer, for instance, they'd be active on the site, but there wouldn't be any way that StackOverflow could know that unless it monitored every mouse movement, page scroll, key press or eye movement a user made.

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I believe such technology is available, whats the name for it..... I I can't remember. I believe its important to install it without the user noticing because that would lead them to inconvenience themselves by uninstalling it –  Richard Tingle Oct 24 '13 at 12:24
You forgot one important thing: Stack Overflow also must monitor the user's thoughts, he might be just thinking about question or answer he saw, hence active. –  Shadow Wizard Oct 24 '13 at 12:49
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No, there is not.

The 'seen' field and the 'activity' tab on the profile is the only evidence you have of someone visiting the site.

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Stalking works as well .... nice pants. –  Bart Oct 24 '13 at 12:58
Really? You like them? I thought they made me look.. lazy. In bed with a cold today, I thought I could get away with them. –  Martijn Pieters Oct 24 '13 at 13:00
I guess evidence is too strong of a statement. –  Arjan Oct 24 '13 at 13:03
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