Time for an ATS Hall Of Fame?

Some posts are simply outstanding.

Clearly, some posts have great thought and effort put in them. Lots of stars, lots of flags, lots of replies.

Should these posts be nominated for an ATS Hall Of Fame thread?

What do you all think?

Best post
Best thread
Most flags
Most stars

Opinions?

Edit to add this example:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 9/7/2009 by Genfinity]

More popularity contests?
I thought that was what all of the color coded whatsits were for.

Lol, I do believe this to be of significance as do so many members post solely to gain stars or flags... However, I do feel there should possibly be a recognition thread for such amazing contributors...

Some that come mind [of those who put thought into their posts] include phage, jkrog08, warrenb, themythlives, and zorgan. Sorry if I missed anybody but these were the first that come to mind.

I like your idea OP! Perhaps a master thread of some of the best ATS has to offer...

[edit on 7-9-2009 by tmayhew01]

I was thinking about an ATS label to put on certain posts on the other end of the spectrum.

like the " special needs" ribbon, the " wtf" button.

Maybe they could color code our names, for those of us who contribute wisely, new members, ... or trollers. So we have an idea of what were getting into before we click on a new thread. most of them are a waste of time.

sometimes I think the Hannah Montana fans just get lost online, and end up here.

but yeah, a hall of fame, for good contributions would be a good idea, ... so people who actualy " think" before they make a post, do research and have inspiring insight can be recognized, ... count me in friend.

I Move that Slayer69 be appointed for best Posts

Some of the best post that I have seen have not received very many stars or flags.

It seems the sensational and the ridiculous post have the star and flag attraction.

reply to post by SpiritoftheNightSky

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Unfortionately this is most often the case as the more thoroughly put together threads lack little room for naysayers to debunk and propagate their own opinions. Thus leading to less posts... which leads to fewer people ever reading the thread in the first place.

Its unfortunate, but is the reality of how threads work here on ATS.

Often times to get alot of stars or flags, ... someone simply puts up a post titled something like " why god doesnt exist' ... or " the bible, this or that"

it is true, the good posts dont get alot of attention [ like mine] haha.

Alot of the most popular posts, are the most irrational, and religious. As they go back and forth for weeks or months, trying to instill " the truth" .... and accomplishing nothing.

maybe a realtime thread would be cool, kinda like a chat.....but in a thread....maybe sorta like AIM but inside a thread. Only threads with a certain number of posts and flags/stars get it enabled....

There already is sort of a 'Hall of Fame.' Here are all the biggest threads and most discussed topics on ATS, however it's only tracking the past 24 months.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

If there's an all-time 'most discussed' listing, I have yet to find that link...it would be interesting to see.

reply to post by tmayhew01

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I don't think that it is always necessarily because people can't debunk it. (although I'm sure that is part of it)...
A lot of times I think it is because there just isn't much to add.
A lot of the really good threads, written by some of the people you mentioned and others, are presented as a case review... If this is the case, and they do a really good job, what can you say other than "thanks for the info?"
Or "ditto, I agree with this guy."

reply to post by JayinAR

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Agree.... that is another great point!

So what will be the first prize for this hall of fame each month.A dinner with the Russian president in red square.A nice oneway trip to area 51.Tour the white house in 50 seconds.Four movie tickets to the new movie the forth kind.Of course a hall of fame cannot be compleat without a hall of shame too.

It would be nice to have a list of threads by numbers of flags. numbers of replys etc

I would prefer to see a Hall of Shame. There is currently a system for rating posts positively, but there is no way to show dissapproval of what one says, except in a reply to their posts. By providing a way to rate post negatively we could possibly shame those who keep posting weak unsubstantiated crap into not posting any more, which would open the forum up to more constructive conversation rather than the back and forth political rhetoric.

Alas, but there is a hall of fame....

The ATS Book of Threads

And you can also sign up for the ATS newsletter that sends you the top flagged and discussed threads on ATS every week or so.

Hope that helps.

-Dev

reply to post by Genfinity

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Why not hall of shame

the worst hoaxes
the worst posters
the worst threads
the worst conspiracy theories

could fill up books on that

the 'best' on the other hand . . .

This exposes another habit of ATS members. We tend to frequent select forums instead and don't venture much from them. I fall victim to this habit, as I typically only post in the medical issues forum.

Unfortunately, some VERY good threads are made in the lesser visited forums and never get the flags/replies to be bumped onto the ATS home page where they receives their deserved attention.

So, if you want to change that, try and visit some of the forums you've neglected recently. You'll probably find that there are members you've never seen posting excellent material you might be very interested in.

-Dev

[edit on 6-11-2009 by DevolutionEvolvd]

reply to post by Evasius

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True, but the majority of all those "top threads of the last 90 plus days" that have 2,3,4, or even 500 flags are EXACTLY the ones others and myself feel NOT worthy of being a "hall of fame thread" as most (not all, but most) are just real provocative, speculative (very speculative), or political.

To be frank, the best and most professional threads I have seen (and discussed with many others) fall within the 50-150 flag category. We must remember that while flags are important and do give a rough, but somewhat biased break down of important topics, members here, just like anywhere else will tend to support the more entertaining, dooms saying, fear mongering, political, some "proof" of a UFO on video (when it is NOT).

ATS members (like mainstream as a whole) tend to want the "blockbuster" type of threads, which almost always have no real substance to them and are simply entertaining or a "phase". While the REAL and LEGIT threads with a lot of research and scientific data and lay out get over looked but by the few (compared to the totality of ATS members) who really are here for more than "lunatic fringe" entertainment.

So NO, the "top threads of the past months" is NOT a good tool and is extremely flawed IMHO, and the book of threads has not been updated in ages and still suffers somewhat the same issues seen with the aforementioned top threads. In my opinion a thread with 500 flags with nothing but a youtube embed and one sentence about something provocative IS NOT CLOSE to being worthy of any hall of fame.

Any type of hall of fame (which for obvious reasons I doubt would ever be implemented) should be based upon a ratio of relevance, applause(which are what REALLY dictate a "real thread" from a "counterfeit thread" {which I can not STABD by the way}, presentation, research, it's actual effect on the real world, and if it has a decent chance of being true, rather than lunatic speculation.) Replies mean NOTHING, and should not count, or if they do not much. I have seen threads with over 70 flags, plus 50 stars but only 2 pages of replies, all of which being "thank yous". THOSE are the perfect threads because all bases are covered, everything is in a neutral presentation, and not made in a troll-like manner or just to "start a ATS uproar."

Basically many of the threads that some would consider "hall of fame" material because they have 500 flags, 1,000 replies and the topic matter is VERY provocative ARE NOT the type of things a hall of fame is for. Those are for "Netflix" (using an analogy here ). The hall of fame threads should be the real threads that really helped ATS become more legit, that took the author a while to make and is presented in a scientific manner. Because many want entertainment over quality there is no good way to judge the top threads over the last few years.

Most top threads of the last months = Hollywood

All the top threads that are more important(as a whole to ATS and general USEFUL knowledge) but get overshadowed by the movie-like, entertainment aspect= Documentary

-Now which one would most choose?

Maybe something can be worked out on day, as a type of total ATS hall of fame directory. Because the threads I talk of, the ones that get way overshadowed by the counterfeit or entertainment threads are the ones that need to be read, NOT the others IMHO.

My .2 cents...

[edit on 11/6/2009 by jkrog08]

Holy crap that is funny.