Are you ready for the invasion? (of NOOBS)

You know they are coming. You can almost sense it. The "noobs" are coming, the "noobs" are coming and they will be coming here to ATS/BTS. What changes to ATS/BTS need to take place to preserve this wonderful site from deteriorating into "just another forum"?

What am I talking about? Well you all know that ATS is going to have a television show based on conspiracy theories, UFOs and the like. We all know the power of television and, considering that the average TV viewer are prepubescent teens, you can just imagine the influx of noobs to this site. I liken it to an invasion of barbarians. Yes, a horde of noobs will invade this site and unless there are some protocols developed, I can easily see that the boards will be filled with topics that reach levels of "inaneness" that the site will become "just another conspiracy site".

What sort of suggestions can we offer to help preserve "our" site?

Some suggestions that I might offer are:

- a more comprehensive membership application. Perhaps a long list of questions to be answered will be perceived as a "test". This might dissuade the "kids" who have seen the new ATS show from trying to join.

-a probation period might be in order where noobs are monitored to be certain that they do not contravene ATS rules and regs

-perhaps a special "noobs" forum could be developed. Once a noob has made a sufficient number of posts, they can gain access to the "regular ATS/BTS boards"

Any other suggestions? Or am I the only one who has reservations about the barbarian hordes of noobs at the gates?

Oh great another AOL invasion. I say we line them all up and :bash: and if that doesn't work(as it usually doesn't n00bs require a bit more then summary execution) Then we gotta bring out the and as that usually doesn't work either as they'll just go to a friends house to open another account and then we'll have no recourse then to :bnghd: and and finally

ATS TV Show? What channel is it on? What night? Also, everyone was a NOOB once, why discriminate?

It wont be that bad if there is a huge influx at once it might feel suxorcito. but. tocks.



they will filter out eventually some will just lurk well most will lurk as always.


but the moronic ones will either learn teh game or get banned at some point lol they always seem to get banned some how.

Originally posted by DevinS
ATS TV Show? What channel is it on? What night? Also, everyone was a NOOB once, why discriminate?

First, the ATS show is not on television yet. it was announced a while back that ATS and a major hollywood production company were in serious talks to present an ATS television show later this year. We still have no additional word on this but I suspect we will be hearing more about this soon.

Secondly, as far as noobs go, you are right, we were all noobs once. But we were noobs because we came to ATS looking for information and to contribute our opinions on topics that interested us. With a television show, one can easily expect an influx of noobs who are coming here simply because there is a television show. TV , for the most part, is mindless entertainment and I expect that there will be A LOT of mindless noobs coming here for no other motivational reason than the fact they just saw a tv show with the same name as this site.

I know that I came here because i have interests that ATS has nurtured and developed. I am sure that you have come here for the same reason. But just imagine all of the twelve year olds who come here because they saw a tv show that talked about flying saucers or aliens? Just think about all of the new "do you believe in flying saucer" or "how tall are the aliens" threads that will clutter the boards.

I don't object to noobs. I hope that new people with opinions and a desire to research, learn, debate and discuss will come here. I only have fears that the noobs that do come here will be coming here because they saw "cool stuff" on a tv show and they want to join in on the conspiracy bandwagon.

Ain't Skeered!

Devin, a large influx of people trying to learn how to communicate on a message board, all at one time...that can be a real treat.

While I can see where you are coming from, the motto of the site is to "Deny Ignorance"...

The more people come here, the more informed people there will be. Isn't that the idea here? To make subject matters that seem 'out of this world' or 'pure fantasy' a topic of legit discussion?

I know personally, I'll get talking to people and the military industry comes up. Most people have NO CLUE what kinds of things the DoD has no problem throwing millions or even BILLIONS of dollars at. A few weeks ago a friend mentioned anti-matter, and I commented on how the USAF was working on an anti-matter weapon. He kind of laughed as if I was joking. I had to sit down at his computer and show him links for me to believe me.

The more people the better, IMHO.

The only request I would have is that they attempt to use periods and paragraphs... I have been to sites where people do not, and I must say I hate it with a passion.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Ain't Skeered!

Devin, a large influx of people trying to learn how to communicate on a message board, all at one time...that can be a real treat.

Any chance that might make you miss a particularly delightfull sig TC????? ***whistles***

Uh, Skeptic(The costumed freak, as J.J. from Spiderman would say) has the Ban hammer right? And if people don't learn they get squished like a little bug.:bash:

And if they flame... they get

And for my last use of a emoticon... chill out about a NOOB invasion, a site can't live without new blood.

I'm a bit on the border on this one... n00bs. Been there. Done that... Heck, we've all been there... So, some future brilliant posters will at some stage be a noob... He or she will just have to work his way up to being brilliant. What worries me is that if the hordes arrive, things will get pretty impersonal here. Everyone will be just a number, and you'll have to be exceptional to be "noticed" (if that's why you are here), and the chances of talking to members on a personal level and make friends will become even lower than it already is...
And I can already see the amount of hoaxes popping up from nuts seeking attention. It's already hard enough to spot the valid stories from the BS.

But I guess time will tell and the rules of engagement will be tried and tested.

Personally I like this idea:

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
-perhaps a special "noobs" forum could be developed. Once a noob has made a sufficient number of posts, they can gain access to the "regular ATS/BTS boards"

Well we were all noobs before but the noobs invasion will ruin everything.
there will be topics of useless subjects and I hope this wont become a place with a bunch of spam.