why you don't see as many interesting posts anymore on ATS
I will admit that when I first found ATS several years ago it was a really fun site. It was full of not only breaking alternative news, but also
speculative news based on either supposition, or some scant evidence posted online or in less than credible news sources.
ATS is still a very good site, but after posting many threads and thinking I may be making a difference in trying to help those who are seeking either
answers to life, or the mysteries/conspiracies that promulgate online and by word of mouth, I'm becoming much less motivated to post things I feel
are important, or even debate those with opposing views. Why should I? After a few days it just gets buried and forgotten because their is no way to
vote the best replies and threads up and view the same.
I think my lack of motivation is due to several reasons. For one, many really good replies or information gets posted and becomes very hot for a
period of time, but then as the thread grows, all of the great replies get buried amidst general banal banter, or even nonsensical psychobabble.
I would love for my post to be able to count for something, not saying I'm anything special, but some replies by members are so good that they
deserve special mention and attention. But their replies are usually buried because of all the interest and huge amount of replies, and all of the one
or two line replies by those who are also interested in the original thread but don't have much to say other than an agreement or short quip.
This is why I have for the most part stopped posting threads, and I think many of the former very popular thread starters are also cutting way back.
After all, shouldn't the great threads and replies be singled out and shouldn't we as members be able to choose to view these great replies without
having to read through hundreds of pages. From a standpoint of sense, it makes no sense to allow such interesting threads & replies to be buried after
a few days because of either the sheer amount of responses, or some other current thread taking precedence.
So again, I suggest the site admin or the person who wrote the code should allow for a system of tabulation of the great threads and even the great
replies. These would be chosen by the members by a system of tabulation voting icons across the top of every post that says vote for - best reply,
worst reply, most interesting reply, replies by experts, replies in favor of post, replies against post, replies by my friends, replies by my foes,
etc.
I also think posts that are very special should also be tabulated and placed from most popular to least popular. This would in no way diminish the
forum, since the v viewer could also choose to view the thread in the original format with replies in order of appearance and not ranked.
Again, this site has become too predictable, and it feels like I'm wasting time viewing the same answers and replies over and over, without any way
to separate the very good replies/posts from those that really add nothing.
It would be great to click an icon that allows one to view the most popular posts/replies in order of the popular vote. The members would only be
allowed to vote say three times for each category to limit self promotion of posts - threads
Also, I have noticed that many of the anonymous replies never get posted because of the policy that if the posters IP address is recognized as a
registered member, the post wont be allowed to be posted. I ask again, why is this the policy on a site dedicated to many conspiracies? It seems this
is one of those same conspiracies being perpetrated by those in charge and that policy. Any registered member who has some really juicy news that
could could possibly endanger their life would obviously want to post anonymously.
So let the computer scramble the recognized IP and then allow those recognized anon posts to be posted. The programmer could cover themnselves from
any liability because the computer would then delete any record of who posted the reply.
The anonymous posts wouldn't have to be posted with the identifying IP address as logged on the server, but the IP could be scrambled and then the
anonymous post allowed to be posted.
I grow weary of all the improvements many are suggesting which never seem to be acknowledged as something that possibly could happen.
That is why I left for a good while to post on GLP until it was sold to those who censor posts that rock the boat or ruffle feathers.
Until these changes are made, I will refrain from starting very many threads, because it really isn't going to make a difference after it gets buried
after the initial interest with no record of how popular the members thought it was.
Well that's my vent for the night, let me know if you agree or disagree.
In answer to all the people who answered me before my thread was closed.
In answer to exuberant1 who stated thus:
Like I could use my vote if I had one to vote your reply as not important...right?"
And I could gather twenty friends from school to vote every post you made as being unimportant....
Every day during computer Class, I could come on here with my friends and suppress people who I disagree with...
*Think about what you are asking for. It is silly and will be abused.
Do you think you and your friends are the only one weith votes who would agree with you? I think it would balance out.
In answer to ravenshadow13 who posted this:
nod* I agree. They have something similar on Yahoo Answers and I think that it is abused there... I wouldn't want to change the environment of
ATS to something with "voting." We have flagging for decent threads that are actually decent and members' profiles show how many flags they have.
Isn't that good enough?
Actually, no it isn't. There is no way to find threads from months ago unless you know the title. The logging of the most highly regarded threads
whether current or years old would be a perfect way to find those older but very important threaD because the copmputer would log them by category by
the chosen viewing preference we choose to view.
And in answer to super moderator kinglizard, thank you for making my point for me without even realizing it by posting this:
By keeping all member suggestions in one place it allows staff and owners the ability to quickly and thoroughly access all member
recommendations when considering board changes. Otherwise many suggestions will be very difficult to locate considering the size of this
board.
[edit on 6-1-2009 by TH3ON3]
seriously give some of these ATS veterans something to do with all of those points,
there is some people with like over a million. 
