Some new features on ATS (and soon BTS and PTS)

Because we're working on a slightly different system for podcasts and videos.

Oh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up.

ah!!

the stars are back!

I notice as soon as I post, the stars will already be there, sometimes two stars, sometimes 5. If we do the rating how is it the star rating appears as soon as I post?

I have pondered on the star topic when it was introduced and just reread every single post on every single page in this thread before replying. But let me hit the other systems first.

Flagging: I don't give out flags very often. When giving them out I am just as likely to flag a topic I don't like as one that I agree with. Often times I will only flag after making a few posts in a thread be it whether I debated or generally agreed with the topic at hand. My criteria leans more to if I visit the thread more than a few times, even to check on reaction of my opinion, it will get a flag. If I check the ongoing discussion in a thread without contributing to the discussion repeatedly it will usually get a flag too.

Tags: I have yet to tag a thread. Mostly because I am unclear as to why a thread should be tagged. Failure to read up on it on my part. On the to do list. Unfortunately preconception is that I will end up tagging more than flagging.

Stars: I follow the guidelines of quality of post but am guilty of not giving a star if I feel the post itself would only be worth 1-2 stars. Eventhough any stars are positive, I know that people do feel more disheartend when their post is a 1 star instead of no stars. Personally I held a 4 star average for a few weeks which is not too shabby given that many do not like what I have to say sometimes on some subjects. Proof would be the lack of productivity in every thread that I have started.

While moderator applause is a rather seperate beast from memeber opinion via stars. The arguement of stars being used as weapon can be made when in a particular thread a single post had applause from two different mods and a different post in the same thread also had applause. The two clapper post is rated at 3 stars the one clapper is unrated. Now in the past if I gave 4 stars to a 5 star post, it remained 5 stars, not sure if posts display an average or just the highest rank. And I am not sure if the Gold Star Average rounds down (3.4 stars=3 stars)

Now when a 2 clapper gets a 3 star rating and the GSA then becomes 3 stars when previously 4 stars, then maybe there is an arguement to be made. Personally I don't care about the star rating unless people use it as a disqualifier to the validity of a point. I have read in the past a comment made by one user to another about the low number of ATS points disqualified his point as well as his time being a member of the community. Needless to say I was far too miffed to make a response in the poster's defense lest I would flat out trample the T&C as well as maybe break a few real laws in my reply. I would hope I don't see the same thing pulled with the stars. As I do not recall names, so I have no idea if the attacked member stayed or not. Needless to say the reading of that one attack did cause me to leave ATS for quite awhile in disgust.

Yes, I did return, poo-poo my ideas and thoughts all you want. Heck I can even handle a direct attack and flat out flame. Might even defend the flamer should he get a warn or the ban stick for it. Then again I might not, feelings can be fickle after all.

Stars as a rating system are really not that great in my opinon as not everyone uses them or views them the same way. As for validation that your thoughts were read and at least thought about. Further posts in the thread will indicate it by direct quote, indirect quote or similarity of your thought resurfacing. Stars are immediate visual validation, but not everyone that thinks you wrote well will bother to scroll back up to click the star. Yep, I too am a victim of my own wordiness So I guess I would suggest the blue stars to also appear at the end of the thread for those of us that tend to ramble on or just happen to have a lot to say about something.

The more I see this star-rating system, the more I do not like it. I see several posts, who do not deserve one star at all, graded with 5 stars, which can only be used in the case of extremly excellent post, which denies ignorance in full - but in most cases (as I have observed), we are dealing with a group of friends, who are likely minded on a certain subject and they give each other 5 stars for posts, which are not worth one broken penny. So I am asking, why are these stars good at all? In a hot-fire-debate, where people just can not agree, they then give 1 star to everybody who is against their opinion, even if the post, they graded as a 1 star, is nicely composed and is denying ignorance. I for one think, that this is only a childish play, and it does not help this community to deny ignorance, as it should. And I think these stars should be removed. Thank You.

I don't know if anyone other then me has noticed, but some people seem to be getting 5 stars on every post they make. Now I can understand a few, but everypost? To me seems like people are cheating the system.

If it's a group of freinds then make it so that the more times they vote 5 stars for a person their weight of the vote lowers each time on the same person. That or take away the star system, there are far to many people who think that everyone of their posts deserve 5 stars, so they tell their freinds, "I'll 5 star your posts if you 5 star mine!" You've aided and abetted their online ego's that you have spoke against.

-Reform America

[edit on 2-6-2007 by Reform America]

Who really gives a crap? The stars are worthless except to those of such low self esteem that this is the only validation of worth that they are likely to get.

I gave it a chance. Those who read my earlier posts on this can see that I was in favor of giving them a chance. I have changed my mind, they're worthless. Now before someone yells sour grapes, my star count has remained consistent. Either no one bothers to rate me, my opinionated posts are equally disturbing/uplifting to everyone, or the rating factor is turned off for me. It just does not matter. I will say what is on my mind, and the stars will have no effect on that.

Those who feel vindicated by the stars, or hurt, are putting too much into some small and meaningless crap. Remove the stars, and let us focus on the content, not on who is cheating, who is lovable, who is obnoxious. We know who is what, and the stars are becoming a distraction.

I agree souljah.

I vote to remove the star system.

I think it was an idea that was tried but it failed. (In my opinion)

I'm not saying this because i have 2 stars, my opinion would remain the same if i had 5 stars.

I can see the mob mentality take over the purpose of the stars to being biased, to say the least.

Holy cow!! How did you read my mind? Are you telepathic?!! Yeah, to underscore your point, I agree this system needs to be taken to the cleaners! As of now there are too many blotches on it!

Cheers!

This star system is so biased it's not even funny.

Allow me to demonstrate.

Here we have a person who says this for example and gets 5 stars.



This person did not even read the article because the article did not speak about what the OP's previous thread was saying. Both threads were about 911, that's all.

The thread it self was not something that was previously posted by the OP, it was simply another aspect of why it's possible there were no planes on 911 but it did not repeat the previous thread.

This means that the person who gave 5 stars for that comment is just a person who wants the OP to stop posting threads and this is not by any means denying ignorance, not even close...

It's simply biased mob mentality.

So, i strongly suggest re-thinking if the star system is worth it or not.

I think it's doing more harm then good.

Looks like the Post Rating System is now on BTS and AP.
So get BUSY

Is anyone else getting this instead of stars when a post is rated?



Maybe I should have put it somewhere else, like the suggestion feature, but as this thread was readily available, I put it here.

I was just about to ask that in a suggestion...I thought I was the only one who saw it like that.

Maybe SO changed the star rating system into the sqaure one?

Mech is going to have to make a new smiley

5 squares!

Stars are showing up fine for me.
Are you guys still having the problem?

Yup...

If a post has no stars, I see the empty stars, but if I rate a post..lets say 2 stars, I see two squares instead.

Is someone trying to call me a sqaure?

Notice the sqaures...

[edit on 6/6/2007 by enjoies05]

yes, i still get boxes rather than stars.

Yep I get boxes. Which isn't a problem for me. Boxes, squares, whatever. I figured it was all part of some sacred geometry, fractal, Fibonacci thing.

So these stars are not showing up for you guys.

But the blank ones are?