Rehashing old threads, whats the deal people!

OK, I'm going to be quite frank about this and just lay it out.
This is a trend that has really gathered steam in the last six to eight weeks and just snow balled, now I'm not going to openly accuse people of sorting through archives and picking threads with mass flag and star counts but really,really it is starting to become obvious now and the worse thing is people just start pumping it back up again, when its basically a re-run for a flag and star grab. It boggles the mind.
I have no problem referencing a thread or paying tribute to a thread but, but there is a definite difference.
this is a web site we meet here to exchange information, your stars and flags are not exchangeable for anything nor do they mean anything to anyone, if you feel it is appropriate to rehash something that is three years old or more that gained over 100 flags and stars just to see how it fly's for you now and play dumb to the fact then I'm sorry your wasting our time.

Explain, are you talking about having an old thread added to. Or are you talking about a new thread with old subject?

The irony is that threads like THIS have been popping up more too

I'm talking about almost complete mirror image threads to old archived threads

a reply to: Biigs
and why wouldnt they, after all when you get sick of watching re-runs you complain for a while then switch to another channel

This subject may have been discussed before. I'll have to check and see how many flags the threads got before.

a reply to: rickymouse
dont worry rick i checked the archive you had a few big threads back in 2013 you may see again real soon

I think the opinions expressed by PlayerOne are legitimate.

I believe that we are indeed seeing a trend whereby threads of the exact same content are being posted, not even 6 months after a previous one, authored by another member, was shared on this site. I see such action undertaken by both, new and old members alike. So it isn't like they wouldn't know.

Yes, there seems to be problems with the search engine, but it is uncanny that threads with specific content (and a lot of attention), are being reposted by other members 6 months, to 2 years later...

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

And a specific example for ATS scrutiny would be........

Example or it isn't real, just sayin.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

a reply to: myselfaswell
as this is a rant I'm going to do the research for you, but its kind of obvious. you yourself have been around since 2011, a seasoned warrior on ATS and should know the "pics or it didn't happen" comment was walking "the fine line" in a thread not to long a go.

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

This is my very first post on ATS as I have been 'watching' for many, MANY years just reading and taking in information. Made an account and almost posted the other day but decided not to. I just wanted to say I love how quickly there are so many naysayers - always. Obviously this is necessary for MANY topics on this website as it is for conspiracies and naysaying is very much needed along with an open mind but seriously? The sky is blue - pix or it didn't happen. Really? I agree, as someone from the outside, that this IS happening. Whether it's a search engine problem or not - it is happening, period. Thanks.

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

If a member believes that an old thread subject, has been allowed to fall by the wayside, I can appreciate someone reminding us what it is all about. There are UFO cases which have been discussed hundreds of times in different threads, and countless threads have sprung up over the years on topics ranging from the JFK assassination, to the War in Iraq, and even the Waco incident.

However, normally speaking a new thread on that topic would have to contain either some new evidence on the subject, or a unique perspective on the original data, provided, and researched by the author of the new thread, in order to make it worth while. It is down to members to alert mods when they see blatant plagiarism occurring. If you do not speak to a moderator about these things, then they will not be noticed or dealt with in the main, unless it is so blatant that the extremely busy mods and staff cannot fail to spot it.

Do your part. Rather than rant about it, just report instances of repetition of threads to the moderators. If nothing happens, THEN rant!

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

I wish the star and flag thing didn't exist.

I'm not sure I follow so I'll make these comments ...


- If you are talking about people going back and 'bumping' an old thread forward ... I do that a lot because there are some great older threads that people here haven't seen and I know they'll like them.

- If you are talking about people going back and ripping off someone else's thread ... taking all their information and making a new thread on the same information .... then I'd alert the staff. Hit the alert button on the 'new' thread and reference the old thread. Tell the mods you think it's a rip off thread. Let them handle it.

a reply to: OrphanApology

Why is that Orphan Apology?

I find the system very useful, in that it allows me to monitor the quality of my contributions, as per the opinions of my fellow members. Being awarded a star for a post, means that the user who awards the star, either found my post useful, or agreed with its sentiment, or merely appreciated the way it was composed. Flags are awarded to threads on a similar basis. This means that what I have access to, is instant peer review. I find this very helpful when posting responses, and authoring the occasional thread, and I think this site benefits from that function.

That does not mean that I create threads and posts with stars and flags in mind, because I know that there are some topics, and attitudes that I hold, which will not gain me many stars and flags, and if one is going to be a member here at all, one must occasionally step outside the prevailing social conventions which hold sway over a topic, and speak ones mind, regardless of the response. However, in the main the stars and flag system is useful to me, and I for one do not want it to change, or be removed.

originally posted by: OrphanApology
I wish the star and flag thing didn't exist.

I don't like the star system. It's broken anyways so it should be ignored. The flag system I understand. It tells ATSers what threads are really interesting. I'd like to see stars and karma and all that disappear though.

a reply to: TrueBrit

While I understand what you are saying...

The only way I would be okay with the system is if they allowed for you to give negative stars and flags as well.

Feedback goes both ways. Unfortunately with this system it rewards members and has no repercussions for ridiculous content(or unpopular).

a reply to: FlyersFan

I guess flags would be okay as well. But honestly those aren't needed either.

You can tell how many members are interested in a topic by the number of comments as well.

Topics with better designs tend to get people popping in just to compliment the topic creator.

a reply to: TrueBrit
A rather condescending reply don't you think. I am simply pointing out a trend i am seeing, it is my right to bring this to the attention of the site population and for them to decide themselves, maybe now they will go to the archive list and make a list of which old threads from the last four years will be re posted.
Maybe that would be a cool thread I could call it the dead pool with a list of threads that will most likely be covered.
Yes i feel this is a problem the more people that know and can identify it the better and the more mods will get annoyed by alerts hopefully.

a reply to: OrphanApology

So you are saying that without a negative star metric to balance the system, you believe it has no value? Let me ask you this then. When you see a post which you believe to be in error, or of a low quality, do you not point that out to the member responsible in the thread?

Sometimes, I will see a post which irks me in a thread, and I will respond to the points made in that post, or explain what is wrong with it, or the premise upon which it is based. That is constructive, because it offers the person to whom I address those comments, the opportunity to respond to my criticism, and the opportunity to learn from it. If all I did was to negative star their post, and move on, they might end up with a fat batch of negative stars, and no idea what it is they did to deserve them.

However, on the other side of the coin, if a member posts a great response to a thread, then it would be idiotic for people to have to express their agreement by posting rather than starring, because then threads would turn into a mess, with people congratulating one another all over the shop, rather than actually discussing the issue at hand.

I think that there are some damned good reasons for the way the site works, and removing stars certainly will not improve matters. In fact, it could make things a damn site worse than they are!