It looks like I created an account here about a couple of weeks after you did. I also started lurking initially, and I posted my first writeup about a month after that. In that time, I've written good answers and bad ones, and have been encouraged and derided (not always in that order!). But I like to think I've helped some questioners, and I know I've had a lot of fun, and learned some new tricks too.

The biggest benefit of signing up, for me, has been the ability to carry on conversations, both thru the CB and thru email with other monks. (I even met one in person.)

My only previous experience with on-line communities was on usenet, mumble years ago. That's where I learned to "lurk-n-learn": spend a little time in the community learning the ways before you speak up. But once you've done that, don't be afraid to speak up: the others are just regular people too¹, and flamewars don't hurt, they're just silly.

¹ Although the monastery is a much nicer place than the average newsgroup.