My problem with the ATS Forums

www.rateitall.com...


its only the internet don't let someone drive you away no matter how much they suck.

here have a dancing banana

Personally if somebody is laughing at us because of some " point-thing " who cares? I don't They could give me a million points and my little name would just be as it is now. I'm not going to buy stuff or whatever you know? I just like to read and write, not set-up a cyber studio.

The Golden Law

From the AboveTopSecret.com Terms And Conditions Of Use:

Originally posted by SimonGray
By becoming a member of these domains, you agree to the following:

[...]

2) Behavior: You will not behave in an abusive and/or hateful manner, and will not harass, threaten, nor attack anyone.

Every ATSer has one thing in common: we have all agreed to honor the T&C by being members.

As both a member and a moderator, one of my top priorities is ensuring that members give each other the respect they deserve and refrain from name-calling, insults, profanity, harassment (including forum and U2U stalking), bigotry and general abuse.

We're all human, and everyone has a bad day now and then. Heck, I'm known to be a little snippy myself on occasion. *cough*

It's only natural that in an international online conspiracy community there will be strong differences of opinion, disagreements and arguments on many different subjects.

On ATS, critical examination of every topic is part of the culture -- no opinion is too sacred to be challenged -- and that can lead some individuals to become defensive.

As passions flare, sometimes a member will temporarily lose perspective and begin mistreating other members.

When a member slips up and becomes abusive, we try to work through it using the tools at our disposal, make sure everyone understands how to resolve the problem and move on.

But anyone who is in the habit of mistreating fellow members has no place in the ATS community.

Overall, my advice is to try not to take any of this too seriously. After all, it's just the Internet, and there's no one here but us ATSers.

However, if any member feels they are the subject of abuse from anyone or sees a post which clearly violates the T&C, please let us know by using the Suggestions button (be sure to include a link to the post or thread so we can find it).

We take the well-being of our fellow members very seriously, and anyone who wishes to be an ATSer is well-advised to do the same.





[edit on 4/14/2006 by Majic]

Being pretty new at posting here myself, I've seen a few posts that aren't the friendliest but the mods are on top of pretty much everything... it's vigilance really, and I've never seen any serious elitist attitude from the senior members here.

Remember it's impossible for moderators to read every post, imagine what is must be like for them on a busy day, yikes... Do you guys get paid? Hahah.

Also most of the time a little sense of humor can go a long way, most people trolling or making things up can be picked out and shrugged off immediately. All the good guys are looking out for each other, even if they disagree on some topics.

B. Sage

The Sweetest Reward

Originally posted by B Sage
Remember it's impossible for moderators to read every post, imagine what is must be like for them on a busy day, yikes... Do you guys get paid? Hahah.

Our payment comes in the form of love from our fellow members.

Well that and the all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar in the staff cafeteria.

You're absolutely right: we try to stay ahead of the game, but can't anticipate every problem and can't read every post. And though we try to keep an eye on things, we can still inadvertently overlook problems.

Which is why helpful members are an integral part of keeping ATS from falling into the morass so many popular forums seem to end up in.

Ultimately, moderators are just ATSers with extra buttons who have volunteered to work a little harder to help keep ATS the best it can be.

But the staff alone can't possibly make ATS what it is. That's a job for all of us.

So if you see any problems, please let us know.

We're here to help.




[edit on 4/14/2006 by Majic]

Originally posted by Dr Love
I would hardly call anyone with 10,000 points "experienced" or "elite".

There's members around here with over a 100k that walk around with a drool cup.

Post good quality stuff and you'll get noticed.........or just be handsome with a tight butt like me.

Peace

Geez, do you have to be so offensive? I'll have you know i dont need a drool cup, thank you. Talk about offensive....

Fact is no one wants to get banned, so reporting misconduct is the way to go. I've never reported anyone personally, so I don't know how it works. Maybe I've been reported...

??? Has anyone ever reported me ???
Don't be shy...you can tell me.
I apologize for all past, present, and future annoyances.

anyways,

STAY!!! chill in bts for a few days and when you sober up--you'll be a hardened ATS'oholic.

If someone reported you, you'd know it!

I try not to insult anyone and try to have respect (even if i want to paint a beard on their avatar)- Those feelings do go away.

Why hold a grudge? I dont.

I just spent time doing this for the ats conspiracy thread but i think ill post it here. I won’t change whom it was meant to be for. BTW Umbrax, i noticed from the day you started here you got on well it’s not the same for everyone. some people here imho do get picked on. some more then others. But thats just life.

Altogether now ahhhh. Its tough here on ats really tough, as some of you have pointed out there are high levels of intelligence on this board. It takes a lot of persistence to keep going on ats. I have lost count of all the times i thought to myself "right, that’s it, i hate you, im never coming back" but i always do. [sucker]

Lazymind if you don’t come back you have let them beat you, yes there is an ats conspiracy but you don’t have to be part of it, you don’t have to play to it. There are lots of good people here on ats. And there are some bad. some that will try to get you to react. Don’t, stay cool, and post on!

You remember this saying "don’t let the bastards get you down" and there are some real bastards here. And they will orchestrate and conspire with other bastards to get you. And they have many methods.

Don’t forget this is a forum with all kinds of people. Some here would like you to believe that everything is rosy in ats land, but its not. It gets rough just like the real world.

And honestly i have seen members join and go through exactly what you have, and you know what, some of those members are now mods.

Power crazed mods.

They exist. And they flaunt their power in the face of us mere members by doing things like being off topic and its all blarzay in their clique, i know that’s how it feels. But then they are mods, believe me, a lot of them have earnt that right, and not all of them do it. If you see them doing it then use the complaints option. Or diplomatically object in that thread when they do, if you really feel the need to do so.

Diplomacy plays a big part on ats. It helps to be diplomatic. And it helps to stay calm, and collected, don’t jump in, its what the bastards want you to do. I swear they probably keep score.

So there you go Lazymind i just spent 3 hours of my holiday weekend trying to convince you to stay. Maybe you wont but then maybe there are others here that also feel the way you do and maybe they will see this and decide to stay. Maybe my 3 hours wont be lost for no reason. Who knows its all a mystery to me.

I'm very much a lurker. I've visited quite regularly since I registered, but I refuse to post in every topic I see just for the points. Currently, I've been without RATS access for months. It was always my favourite part of ATS to browse, but now I need to post-grind just to access it :S

As ATS has become more famous, its attracted some.... interesting people. Quite a few kids, a couple of insane lizard-men people (we love them!) as well as some very intelligent users. A few days ago I was very tempted to go on a posting spree so I could get RATS access, but I restrained myself....

The best thing about ATS is, from a lurkers point of view, theres endless reading material and always something new. A few annoying kids and a lack of access to RATS isn't going to put me off of abovetopsecret.com though.

Well Switchblade, points are not everything, nore is post count, I have been here longer than Umbrax but he became the mod, why? maybe because he made cool avatars, maybe because he has a higher post count, more than likely because he has better input on this site and better quality posts.

Yep, I can be considdered Insane Crazy Lizardmen since I do believe in the possibility of Reptillian beings, not necesarilly controlling our government though, but everything is possible right?

Bottom line, respect comes with quality posts, something I rarely do aparently, but I still deposit my 2 cents...

I have grown this unusually thick skin, some how it prevents most weak ass flames from being able to penetrate, its a must have for the intarweb, irl, imo, btw, fyi, diaf, no wait don't diaf.

Developing a Thick Skin:
How to Accept Criticism

Thick skin- that is the key.

You will learn. I had to. I remember a couple of well-deserved unsavory comments

But you learn from that. By the way constructive criticisim is always welcome!

I would rather get a u2u setting me straight, than a posting for all to see.
That's when the rest lose respect.

Another thing- be yourself. Whacky? good. We can use some sense of humor around here. I never let go of my bizzare sense of humor. I realize when some threads are extremely serious and when you can infuse it with something to lighten it up.

If you're the serious type- good. I can use something to bring me down to earth once in awhile.

It takes all types.

I assure everyone points are NOT a sign of an "elite member" there are no "elite members". There are members who "get it" and seek to promote the discovery of the truth through civil collaboration and then there is everybody else.

Look at my bloody points, I am positive I am no "elite member"!

ATS is just like anyother community, in RL or cyber. If you have the ability to attract someone's attention and interest with what you have to say you will rise above the fray. There are ways of doing that, good research, presentation and manners or helping others come to mind immediately.

If you find you have difficulties in RL with communicating and getting along with others you may find you have the same issues here. In my life I always try to look at myself first before I start thinking everyone else is wrong or the situation is bad.

Springer...

Ok, after all of the discussion here, and some u2u contact, I am feeling much better about this board.

I believe I'll stay.


(by the way, Kode, it looks as though your labors were not in vain. Thanks)

I'm so glad you decided to stay! Congratulations on what I think is the right decision!

I would just ask that in the future, if you decide that ATS is not for you, please just leave quietly and with dignity so as not to make a dramatic exit and perhaps give the wrong idea to very new members. Of course you don't have to comply, but there's nothing wrong with me asking, right?

Good job and congrats on growing your skin just a little thicker! I look forward to your contributions to the site!

Originally posted by SwitchbladeNGC
I believe I'll stay.

(by the way, Kode, it looks as though your labors were not in vain. Thanks)

Glad to hear it. And kode summed it up very well, imo. The only thing I can add is, don't get too upset about moderator inconsistency. I know they are human, and probably don't get a training manual, but there is a wide range of mod reactions to the same stimuli, which can be confusing and frustrating to new members, as well as not-so-new members.

Originally posted by SwitchbladeNGC
Ok, after all of the discussion here, and some u2u contact, I am feeling much better about this board.

I believe I'll stay.


(by the way, Kode, it looks as though your labors were not in vain. Thanks)

Very glad to hear it SwitchbladeNGC. Thanks dude.

I've honestly reported more mod's for misconduct then members here on ATS lol. Only twice and both times were just simple mistakes. I've only seen one member here on ATS with a serious elitist attitude and he has not been around in a long time. When we get new mods some of them go a bit overboard trying to prove their worth (an annoyance not a problem) but other then that this is one of the best boards (member and moderator wise) if not the best there is.

[edit on 14-4-2006 by d1k]

Too bad, you face little agressive posts/posters etc and decide to quit. I understand you expected a little more kindness but why quit if this place is the one that suits you, just keep trying and ignore those e-bullying you.