Don't know how long it's been like this, but people's IP address is displayed at the top of every comment. Apologies if this is a silly question. (I'm not a professional IT person)

EDIT: Wait, I've just noticed this only happens in the Admins section. So maybe it's fairly safe anyway.

Also another question, when someone leaves the forum (but doesn't log out), how long is their username still displayed for?

I think it's only for the sections of the forum you can moderate? I can't see IP addresses on here anywhere.

Yes, only moderators see the IPs
And only "old" admins are actually moderators on the private section, new ones were added as 'virtual' ones, as that option was added later on the forum.

I guess that the timeout for people on the site is something like 5 minutes.

You mean the forum, right? Because I thought you could be logged into the site but not show up on the forum. I just ask because often I see your name and I wait for a response to a comment I've made but I don't get one.

Yes, I meant on this site, i.e. the forum
The site is not linked to the forum.
I check often the forum for new messages and I usually reply immediately.
But I check the site only once a day (or less, e.g. on weekends).

Any chance of reducing the timeout to instant/immediately? It's just annoying at times seeing someone's name, hoping they'll reply but then they go.

I do not have control on that.
And maybe people are actually on the site when you contact them, they simply do not want to reply right away
(also, if they do not go back to the forum home page, they do not see that they have a new message...)