Flagging Threads For Fun and Enlightenment

Flagging Threads For Fun and Enlightenment

After creating quality posts, Thread Flagging is the most important thing members can do for the overall quality of ATS. Your flags define the layout and presentation of new and popular topics for new users who encounter ATS, or, regular users who prefer the alternative layout.

For those users who come to the main home page first, the see a brand new layout that is dynamically generated based on the thread flags.
AboveTopSecret.com
Other than direct links to threads as a result of a search, this is the page most-often visited by new users.

And from the home page, your flags still matter as we also have new summary "home pages" for each topical forum. Some examples (linked off the home page):
9/11 Conspiracies
Aliens & UFOs
Breaking News (ATSNN.com now lands here)
Member Podcasts
and more

Each time you flag, you help to designation threads you feel are important, and ultimately arrange content on these new pages.

100% control over the site home page (except for the 2 staff picks) is now in the hands of our members.



Recall the older threads:
he ATS Thread Flagging System
Proposed ATSNN Changes
New "Main ATS Home Page" Built With Flags.

The system is pretty much complete at this point, with just some slight code tweaking and minor layout adjustments remaining.

*claps*

very cool, i like i like!

w00t!

I'm diggin' it! (No pun intended with "digg")


Much more reason I love this site!

This is truly the most interactive site on the net.

what i would love to see is a new home page for BTS / PTS so it would show the threads we have flagged (like the ATS one we have now)...

what are the chances this will happen???

Originally posted by they see ALL
what are the chances this will happen???

This will also be launched for BTS and AbovePolitics, but there are not yet enough flags to make it viable. Another week should do it.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
This will also be launched for BTS and AbovePolitics, but there are not yet enough flags to make it viable. Another week should do it.

awesomeness

thanks for the hard work

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
100% control over the site home page (except for the 2 staff picks) is now in the hands of our members.

Good deal overall, but I still see a couple things I'd just like to comment on, please:

1) SO, if there's a way to color all those forum links on the left of the home page for more contrast, I think it would help. At the moment the page has become so overwhelming with information and "busy" that the eye doesn't know which way to go! So a color coding of the forum links I think would set it apart a bit, as well as provide more contrast between the forums themselves, which now are tougher to find being all the same color. And I'm talking, you know, like Red for Aliens and UFO's, green for paranormal....You know the routine.

2) I'm still not sure allowing the OP author to flag his or her own thread is such a good idea, as it is a bit of conflict of interest. It also pretty much forces an OP author to flag it, to keep up with everyone else that is going to. For much the same reason you don't allow people to vote for themselves the WATS award, you might reconsider this. Unless it's just a crapload of work to implement...

Flyin' The Colors

Yeah, more pretty colors to help break up the thread listings would definitely be cool.

Now to go on a flagging spree on AP.

I like the idea of members being able to "flag" the threads that deserve attention.

But maybe, it should be reserved for members who have been around for a while and respect what ATS and its members are trying to do here.

How about a member has to have contributed , say a hundred posts or something like that or whatever.

I think that the people who have been here a while and stick around here should have more "control" or the ability to "Flag" a thread than someone who just came to this site.

I think "Flagging" should be an earned priveldge.



[edit on 24/2/07 by Keyhole]

Originally posted by Keyhole
I think that the people who have been here a while and stick around here should have more "control" or the ability to "Flag" a thread than someone who just came to this site.

On the other hand, have you seen anything oddly out of sequence on the new pages? Are unimportant or strange threads rising to the top?

If so, I haven't seen it yet.

I call that page the "front porch".
I always come in that way.

Lets me just say, curb appeal has REALLY REALLY improved.
It looks beautiful!

Is there a time limit for thread flagging? I've noticed that some older threads with 0 flags are now greyed out. What is the time limit if this is the case and not a bug?

Wot happened? I thought the "BBC News Reports Building 7 collapse 23 Minutes before it collapses." thread would be all big and bold at the top seeing as its got like 60 odd flags firmly planted like its the moon or something.

Is it broke?

Originally posted by Dae
Wot happened?

It's still in the top topics...


The top-most topic is a function of time as well as flags, the BBC thread is now too old for that spot.

Do you got a front page RSS feed setup yet?

Originally posted by sardion2000
Do you got a front page RSS feed setup yet?

I think thats what I was talking about. Im sure I saw titles to threads at the top, at the moment it says "Thread Flagging on ATS".

And the answer is no, I just checked.

I wonder just out of curiosity if you considered having the flag system work the other way, SO. As in, members only have to flag threads when they feel the the thread isn't good. Then the system could be set to just throw threads with the least number of flags to the top. Your thread gets flagged too much, it goes down. We already have a flag system for good stuff- the WATS. In fact, if the system was to automatically throw threads up top where a WATS vote had been given anywhere in the thread from a member to member, I'd be curious to see what the board might look like then.

What we need is a way to bury the bad stuff fast.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
I wonder just out of curiosity if you considered having the flag system work the other way, SO. As in, members only have to flag threads when they feel the the thread isn't good. Then the system could be set to just throw threads with the least number of flags to the top. Your thread gets flagged too much, it goes down.

IMO That would suck. It would enable people with grudges/agendas to bury stories in exactly the same fashion we see people doing on Digg right now.

I would have to agree with Imp on this one. It is much better to focus on positives than negatives. When we post a thread, we all begin as equals. If members deem our thread worth while, they can reply or simply flag it. This little vote of confidence can certainly push our thread onto other members, who may be interested in giving it a read. What the average member can not do is influence any negativity towards a thread. If they want to help out, they can reply or flag. If they want to be negative towards it, their only option is to ignore it. The T&C keeps them in line, so really ignoring it is their only option.

We are seeing a lot of negatives with Digg lately. Democracy done mob style.

Not flagging a thread, or flagging another's thread does nothing to harm any initial posts. Creating a system where we acknowledge the threads we have a strong distaste for, well... bring on the drama!


[edit on 4-3-2007 by chissler]