well when it comes to innactive accounts it is the fault of the people in charge of it if they dont delete those accounts that have not been active for a while i'd say at least a year. this bring an interesting fact to mind, i created a login for scifi.com a while back like in 1998 and rarely ever log in there but they still have my login info active.

this brings me to this idea which i think i read somewere, site that are trying to get sponsors the must show that the site has a certain amount of activity and number of users is a part of this also so that could be one of the reasons why you have "dead people voting"

Wow thats crazy.Seems like a user should get kicked if not using his account over a certain period of time.

Somebody I know is a member here, but is partially sighted. This makes it hard enough to read the threads never mind replying as well.

I've been encouraging him and he's started to post a bit more often, but he's not a touch typist and and it takes time to learn the keyboard.

I can help with the typing, but if I do he's not learning anything.

I wonder how many more people have a disability or are so inexperienced at typing that it just takes them too long if they try to post.

A post that might take any of us just a few minutes to put together might take someone else half an hour. Imagine trying to keep your train of thought and how frustrating it would be if each of your posts took so long.

Originally posted by plumranch
OK, so I'm one of the 50%. I wanted to post and tried many times but I had no reply button and when I signed in still no REPLY button. Tried to reregister in same name, didn't work. Register under different name (moniker), now I can post. Problem solved, just don't have my old favorite moniker. Bummer. Tried to get ATS staff to respond to my problem, no response.

You need to make sure you don't have their cookies blocked. Tools...Internet Options...Privacy...Sites...make sure ATS is not listed as a blocked site. I did this at first and while it seemed like I was signed in I really wasn't.

If people would, I don't know... make some worth while threads, I'd post more.

I mainly stick to one thread, and respond to that, instead of posting the same response on a multitude of threads that discuss the same thing. Seriously... why should I make a similar response time and again when a simple search, or by simply reviewing the recent posts, can eliminate 70% of the threads?

I am a long time poster, been so since, what, 2003? 2004? If and when I feel I have something vital to say, something that I feel may add to a discussion (in one way or an other), I'll speak up.

...

I'm just waiting for the quality of posts to go up... I'm not worried by numbers or my social standing.

Would have to agree with previous posters that suggested it is mainly to do with unlocking advanced features and not feeling the need to post. Being able to view the avatars of others is a nice bonus to becoming a member. Another advantage is being able to show support for fellow ATS members by starring and flagging their threads, while still not wishing to actively participate. In addition, being a member gives one a sense of belonging to something without having to pay money like most other clubs.

After reading this thread, some users said they only signed up for an account after first spending some time as just a reader. I recently created an account to express my opinion on here as well as get further answers to questions that were never asked by others, but I too am a long time reader because of the vast amount of interesting topics. Of course seeing a thread labeled "Influence of Avatars and Images: are you affected?" I realized I was missing out by not having my own account and being able to view these avatars and post my opinions.

One thing I noticed about this thread is that trey85 dug this out of the archive as the previous post to theirs was 'posted on 18-4-2007 @ 11:41 PM'.
This shows that even though a topic and thread gets buried on this forum, it's never dead.

Edit: Long live ATS.

[edit on 1-11-2009 by Nematode]

Sometimes the avatars are mentioned and commented on.

Guests cannot view avatars or profile backgrounds right?

So that's one of the reasons that I can think of.

You can’t star or flag threads if you’re not signed in as a member. That would be a big one right there.

I first stumbled across the site years ago when doing a search on the Philadelphia Project and a few threads from ATS popped up. I thought the site was pretty interesting but there was so much to it and in those days when the economy kept me busy I really didn’t have time to read or post the threads.

Now I do! I am hoping if I keep posting the Powers that Be will get the hint and turn the spigot on the economy back on to get me off of ATS and stop posting.

So far this strategy has not worked, but I am sticking with it. If at first you don’t succeed try, try again!

Let me just state again in case the Powers that Be are paying attention, I will stop pestering ATS if you turn the economy back on again!

I lurked here for a while before I registered and posted anything. Yes, it's a better experience merely visiting the site if you're logged in.

Several times I was going to post something but then saw the information or idea I was going to post somewhere in the thread. And as I understand it- the powers that be here would prefer we not just say "I agree with (whoever)."

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
True, not everyone can afford the luxury of sitting and typing words on a computer all day, everyday. God,I feel like a loser.

[edit on 17-4-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Well it helps to have a gov't job and computer access.

My husband has a government job and computer access,his job
is also micro-managed.He even has to put down how much time
he spends away from his computer and that includes bathroom
breaks.
I am a stay-at-home housewife and I'm on my computer a lot,
like now!I spend about 2-3 hours a day on ATS.

Doing a little digging into the whole 9-11 thing brought me here to ATS. I used it then as a tool to get different viewpoints on what happened. I try to then take all of the information from all sources and sides and formulate my own opinions. I rarely post here as a lot of the posts are very high quality and very well researched. I just do not have the time available to actively research and post well documented and researched threads. I do now and then speak up and I really enjoy the Caption and writing contests.
I am logged in almost daily as I use ATS as a source for my addiction to news and current happenings. Just the sheer number of people from around the world posting things before our msm carries them gives me so much insight that it is addicting. I will admit that I do not buy into alot of the theories that are presented here but the information contained in this site is top notch.
So that is why i stayed an active member. To Stay current with immediate reports around the world and to see others opinions about things that most people wouldn't give second thoughts to. It is very eye opening and really makes you think about things from a different perspective.

[edit on 3-11-2009 by iggster]

I don't reply much because of the "no one line reply" rule. I often want to congratulate someone for an original post or tell them that I totally agree but I don't for fear of a smack down.

Wow

Old thread resurrection is a good thing sometimes.
I was a long time lurker before I ever signed up and then I found out people were using avatars.

On topic....

ATS is big enough to accommodate all types. Thread readers, thread contributors and thread starters.

We all play our part.

Only enough socks for two feet...

If you want to "congratulate someone for an original post or tell them that you agree", then you can send them a u2u. Or you can add a star to their post. Or you can flag the thread.

...Unless you also add something to the topic. In that case, you can post it together with your input on the topic.


Btw, posts that are on topic are not considered as "one-liners" even if they might be only one line. Adding "2nd line" won't help.

I suppose that some people are interested in ATS and the subjects that are discussed here, but they are too shy to actually voice their opinion.

So in turn, they create an account only to star and flag the topics or posts that they agree with, or interest them.

This is only true for those who create accounts and don't commonly use them, but actively browse.

[edit on 3-11-2009 by BlubberyConspiracy]

Aside from the reasons already mentioned, I'm sure a fair amount of people have signed up, then gone away, then come back and forgotten their user names/passwords and signed up again...perhaps multiple times. I'm also quite sure there are at least a few hardcore posters with several to a dozen or more seperate monikers for one reason or another... every board has a handful of those, and something makes me think this board has more than a handful.

[edit on 11/4/09 by silent thunder]

Originally posted by The Soothsayer
If people would, I don't know... make some worth while threads, I'd post more.

I'm just waiting for the quality of posts to go up... I'm not worried by numbers or my social standing.

You could always maybe, create some?

"Be the change you want to see in the world"
~Gandhi