New Minimum Character Count For Replies.

As I look through the forums, I've been seeing what has been a significant rise in simplistic one-line, atta-boy, what-he-said, and other very-minimal contributions as replies.

Since our previous efforts to remind members that that type of posting activity simply isn't wanted on ATS, we've taken steps to be a bit more proactive.

The quantity of minimal contributions has greatly exceeded what we can ask of our volunteer staff. Almost all current threads have posts that are very-nearly pointless contributions.

As a result, new code has been initiated in the Reply form that enforces an arbitrary minimum character count for all posts to ATS and BTS. The POST REPLY button will be disabled until the minimum character count is satisfied... once satisfied, you'll be able to post your reply.

This new system isn't perfect, but it is intended to serve as a more proactive "as you post" reminder that we prefer all contributions to be well-thought-out additions to the conversation. Post quality trumps post quantity in all regards.

Thanks in advance for understanding and doing your part to ensure each post matters on ATS.


edit to add:
Any member who inserts arbitrary characters or pointless thoughts simply to satisfy what are very small minimum character counts will be subject to warnings, post-removal, or worse.

[edit on 12-4-2009 by SkepticOverlord]

Could you please tell us exactly what the minimum character count is?

Hey SO....can you check out that other thread. I posted some very good possible issues that I would love to hear your imput on. Should I c&p them over to this thread?

Here are the links.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Thanks

[edit on 4/12/2009 by greeneyedleo]

It says at the bottom as you are writing how many more characters are needed before you can post. I show at the very begining needing 200 characters to post.

But as I said in another thread, people will become long winded and add many more words to a post just to get the characters.

Is it possible it could be less characters? 200 seem to be quite a bit.

My post here was not "available" until I was into my second paragraph.

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reply to post by mr smith123

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Now, what is odd, is it shows 75 characters to post, before starting, why is it changing? Is it a set amount with each post, or does it vary?

EDIT- Sorry, that was not meant for "Mr. Smith" to answer, accidently did a reply from his post.

[edit on 12-4-2009 by questioningall]

reply to post by questioningall

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It seems that if you use the "Post reply" button, you need 200 characters in your post. But now I used the "Reply to" button, and apparantly all the characters above what I wrote here also counts as part of my post, so I need less characters (75) before I can submit my reply.

pointless quoteing defeats the system - appologies but i had a point to make

Yeah I don't really like this idea. Some of my friends here can get their point across without writing an essay... so we'll be seeing even fewer posts from the older members now.

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Now, it says I NEED 200 characters ONCE AGAIN!! But I see others are able to do oneliners in this thread.... So, now I am aggravated!! I still NEED from this moment 36 MORE characters before posting!! ////

Just reached the posting available............... So WHY are some able to do ONE liners and I HAVE to post 200 characters?

That will tee people off, that some can get by with less and others HAVE to do MORE!

It should be one standard no matter how you hit the reply button.

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One other thing, if people are able to do one liners due to "quoting" others, I am assuming is why an above poster was able to one liner it....

Then there will be a Tremendous amount of "quoting" in threads now.

When I see what two hundred characters looks like in a post, then maybeI can get an idea of what is needed to make a post. Ok, I see at the bottom that I need fifty-three more characters to complete this post.



[edit on 12-4-2009 by virraszto]

But if i quote Hikix post I still need more............................!

So hows it done?

Edit: and why does Hikix´s post get removed?

[edit on 12-4-2009 by Fett Pinkus]

reply to post by ignorant_ape

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appologies for that last post folks - but i had a point to make

a character limit does not , will not and cannot make pointless praise , bitching , trolling or other zero contribuition crap worth reading

no - i dont know what the ansswer is - but i know dammed well this isnt it - mainly because i love brevity - and strive to make my point in the minimalist style

i previously suggested replacing the ` one liner ` infraction with a more meaningfull moniker such as ` zero contribution post `

now i suggest harsher penalities for ` zero contribution ` replies

the previous derisory punishment hasnt worked

this solution has already been shown to have a flaw - and zero contribution posts can still get through

so . as we cannot just do nothing - we need to up the ante - and start with daraconian punishment

1 day post ban for a 1st offence

7 days post ban for the second

perma ban for the 3rd

that will show you are seriouis

Click here for more information.

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My previous post was removed, so I will try to explain it this way:

It all depends upon what option you use when you are posting. If you use the "Post reply" button, you will need 200 characters. But if you use the "Quote" or the "Reply to" button, your box is already filled with some characthers when you start writing, so you need to type less characters yourself to reach the 200.

At least that is how the system seem to work right now, perhaps it will be changed.