The ATS Issues Thread

You both have good points, and yes the Mods here are great and generally on top of things (yes, I've applied for membership in the butt-kissers club but I'm being serious here), but what I've seen is that when the Mods (appropriately) close a thread down, there's more hullabaloo and outcry and accusations of unfairness, personal agendas, and conspiracies (GASP! Conspiracies? Oh, surely not).

Plus, it seems at times the mods are inclined to give a member generous 'benefit of the doubt,' or enough rope to hang himself with, which works out pretty well for everyone but can sometimes drag on for pages. Not criticizing anyone, just saying.

How about if only members with a certain number of points (or posts?) can give threads a negative mark? The Trolls and hoaxers are rarely here long enough to get many points, and it would give newcomers a little time to understand the system before they can use it.

And I'll be the first one to agree that NOT feeding the trolls (i.e. not replying to bad threads) should work (shoot, I wrote a post about it!), but the trolls are feeding each other! And then we have our population of ..well ... I dunno what to call them exactly .. people who seem to live for the opportunity to belittle, insult, poke fun, and cry hoax, fake, dumbest idea ever, you're mentally challenged if you believe this, and so on and so forth. The hoax threads and the BS threads get more replies of this type than good threads get real replies! Which makes all the "hot" threads the worst ones.. Then there's the apparent competition for being the first one to cry "hoax!" and expose how it was done.

Well, if nothing else guys, thanks for the opportunity to get all that off my chest. Whew!

reply to post by sean_uk


I think, and I could be mistaken, so bear that in mind...please, that the "Hot Topics" is merely a counter. Zap onto a thread often enough and bingo, there it is...nothing to do about that really. More work than is strictly neccessary to my mind. Or, the more exposure a hoax thread gets the quicker it dies its unmourned and unlamented death.

Originally posted by sean_uk
I flagged alienj's thread & posted a reply, saying that I agreed with what he said... only to find out that the thread had been closed

If this is the new ATS attitude, then I think that people will go elsewhere

...the thread wasn't simply closed. The closing Mod also included the url link to this very thread 'ATS Issues Thread'. Discussion wasn't stopped - it was merely directed into this thread so as not to clutter up the main forum with thread after thread.

Its not about attitude - its about order.

Originally posted by sean_uk
To be honest, it just needs inteligent "common sense" moderating. Most of the Truth Seekers on ATS will see a thread & know, or suspect straight away that it is an obvious HOAX - so why can't the MODS take action quickly?

One mans 'intelligent common sense moderating' is anothers Nazi Jackboot lynchmob.

I have a list as long as my arm of u2us busting my short and curlies from people who thought my closing a *Hoax* thread was in some way stopping peoples freedom of expression, voice, opportunity to investigate, accusations of shutting down *the truth* due to some conspiracy of ATS Staff (hey, it IS a Conspiracy Website after all so I guess that one is to be expected).

I also have an equally long list of u2us from members who are thankful those threads were shut down.

...I guess its about holding fire for a while, see where something goes, and if its nowhere fast then pull the trigger. To some thats too fast - others its too slow.



Peace.

Most total registered members online all at once: 495 on Jul 29 2008 @ 21:20 GMT
Most registered users ever on ATS in one day: 3,862 on Jul 30 2008 @ 00:10 GMT
Most new posts on ATS in one 24-hour period: 6,690 on Jul 30 2008 @ 00:10 GMT

Breaking records these past couple of days.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Bill I don't know where to post this cause everytime I try to start a thread it gets shut down. I believe the flagging system that you have in place is a good start but is not the end all to our problems. It seems to me that it is very easy for a person to get one or two flags and then get his thread pushed to the front page. I believe just as there are positive flags there should be negative flags so a person can even out the post and ones that are blatant hoaxes can go to the wayside where relative topics can be pushed to the front. I believe in this site and I believe there are alot more good seeds here than bad seeds. The good seeds just don't have the tools to help control the out of control hoaxes that make this site look like a joke.
One other thing I might add, instead of moderators taking the stance, "I'm the boss shut up and do it my way", or replying to you with an aggressive stance, why not have them come from a the perspective - the customer is always right. I have had a few run in with moderators and they all have come at me with a demeaning posture right from the start. I think manners can work both ways and just because you may start by treating the customer or poster as he or she is right, you can still moderate and uphold bylines.

Hi, I have a problem with this Twitter thing. Why encourage users to gain points by joining a social networking site? Perhaps its just me that has an axe to grind with facebook and co. I point you to this article.

Pentagon sets its sights on social networking websites
technology.newscientist.com...

Add that to the fact that your information is worth money to these corporations and the more info they have on you the more the adverts on the site will be targeted towards your buying habits.


You could of just said to users , hey we are on twitter, coma and join us. But giving points away, in my eyes, is encouraging them to join and that breeds skepticism of ATS which is not good!

Sure its the quality of your posts and not how many points you have that makes you a good ATS person but how many people look through old posts to form an opinion of someone before listening to what they have to say? Its the points you glance at.

I'm such a ATS addict and I just don't think its a good idea to be associated with social networking sites, they are the scurge of the internet in my opinion.

Quick other gripe, a negative points system to weed out bad posts would be a great idea.

I have finally gotten over 200 posts and I want to CHAT.

Please fix the Chat.

Thank you.

Originally posted by beefeater
Hi, I have a problem with this Twitter thing. Why encourage users to gain points by joining a social networking site?

...

I'm such a ATS addict and I just don't think its a good idea to be associated with social networking sites, they are the scurge of the internet in my opinion.

Yet there is this interesting fact. Looks like networking tends to work its way into most gathering places for people.

Online Social Networking Comes To AboveTopSecret.com

Today we're finally launching a much anticipated new feature for ATS that has been the one lacking item in our long list of free member services, integrated social networking. All members -- regardless of status, post-count, or term of membership -- are assigned a new extended profile with features similar to the popular "MySpace", but refined with a few unique features for AboveTopSecret.com

I (blank)ing Agree.

Fix the (blank)ing chat.

What the (blank) is wroung with it...

If you hate the way ATS has become.... then try R.A.T.S....

it's better.

thanks....


EDIT: And please fix chat!!!

[edit on 9/8/2008 by C0bzz]

(Just making sure I post it in the right place, so people still can reply. I do think this website is great..)

Rules and regulations, sure there must be some, also on this website.

However, it disturbs me that there is a strange way of making decision what is Off Topic within a thread.

Posts get deleted, while other posts, reactions on the so called Off Topic posts remain within the thread. According to me the thread will become incomplete, as some 'information' is being deleted by a moderator.

I am just wondering without any offence. I also have been reading the terms and conditions that count for this website. Mainly I agree on them, however I believe that moderators should not make a decision too easy on what they find is Off Topic within a thread.

Thank you for reading and possible relpy.

reply to post by Storm_Indigochild


Hi Storm_Indigochild,


Moderators are still essentially human.

As such we certainly do make our mistakes and fumble the ball occasionally. We try not to - but again, humanity suggests we're not going to necessarily make the right call 100% of the time.

Humanity also suggests that other peoples perspectives of our call isn't going to be right 100% of the time either.

One mans trash is another mans treasure.

At the end of the day it may not be a perfect recourse, but its an available one: Complaints/Suggestions

The Complaints/Suggestions Process is one that people can have their say directly to Staff - can let us know if they feel we've made the wrong call on something.
I know people may have the perception of "Why bother, it'll just get filed in the cuber-trashbin anyway". Which I guess is to be expected given this is after all a Conspiracy Website ...but the only voice that is truly not heard is the voice not spoken.


Peace.

Hi why is my U2U application not above on screen anymore??

reply to post by alien


Hi Super Moderator Alien

Ofcourse, sure, mods are human too. I just wanted to state my opinion and do not find it neccesary to have an 'official' complain going around (yet, LoL..)

Reading this forum and the many subjects it offers, I also came across similar opinions from other members. I believe it is really neccesary for moderators to think twice (and to know or read more about a discussion going on) before they use their 'power' to delete/censor certain posts.

I was hoping in some way that this forum website is really a place where people with all sorts of opinions can speak freely, ofcourse within the rules of the the terms and conditions this website offers for users.

However, rules can be 'broken' and discussions can light up some 'serious' fire and reactions. Rules can also be applied with a certain kind of wink..

I suggest that a warning may be stated first, for example to open a new thread for the hot discussion that started within a thread and that is going Off Topic. But just a simple and easy regular 'delete' is not gonna help any debate.

Thank you for your reply..!

Ps. I am happy to see that in some threads my suggestion of a warning was taken seriously..! I want to thank for this proper way of handling.

[edit on 11/8/2008 by Storm_Indigochild]

reply to post by mind is the universe


They changed the layout. You have to now click on "memcenter" and Private messages (u2u).

-ChriS

Originally posted by yankeerose

Talk about what ATS management wants you to talk about, or the thread will be closed. Any future threads will be dealt with immediately.

I have heard this being brought up for years. I mean, hell. An old ats member used to refer to the staff here as 'nazi's'.

While I think that ATS used to be run that way, a hell of a lot has changed.

Heres a question to ponder..

If the ATS staff is so corrupt and bias, why do the people that have been banned in the past, or even any one at all still come here and contribute?

I have watched people get banned for some HUGE T&C violations. Making a huge scene as they left. "I will never be back to this place" yada yada yada. Only to retun the next day with a new account.

So, dude, after plenty of warnings and closed threads, it might be time for you to stop blaming the ats staff for the problems and take a look at yourself to see if the problems lye with you.

-B

Can we get a quality control person to read through and allow threads to be posted on the front page?

Im tired of crappy half thought our threads ending up on the fron tpage because everyone one is flaming the OP and their thread.

It would be nice to have the best threads of ATS show up and give us a good name.

I hope this is the thread I need to ask this. Or I should say, offer a suggestion.

I'm currently enthralled with the thread regarding "Stargates are Real". It's a great read, and I almost obsessed with reading it.

While I can notate different pages that have posts that interest me, with that many posts it's difficult to navigate to a specific post that I may want to comment on at the end - if no one else has/does before I get there. I just started today, am up to the 10th page but I think I've still got a long way to go.

On another forum I go to, they number each post. It sure would make it a lot easier to navigate back to a certain spot if they were - especially on threads this long.

Thanks,

Judy

Also, when I've tried to edit one of my posted messages - there's no save button. Only edit and preview - so no changes can be made - or rather saved. That's why this is an additional message and not an addition to my previous message.

Juedz

Originally posted by juedz
While I can notate different pages that have posts that interest me, with that many posts it's difficult to navigate to a specific post that I may want to comment on at the end - if no one else has/does before I get there.

There are two ways to do this, and I'll demonstrate with your post above.

First, is the single-post option, at the very top of each post is a link labeled, single, it opens a new window with only the content of the selected post showing.

Next, is the jump-to-post option, again at the to of each post is another link labeled, this post, which takes you to a specific post, within context of the thread, and jumps your browser's scroll to the post.