Originally posted by MemoryShock
The unofficial policy is actually that we'll allow a thread in the Breaking Alternative News forum (if it is Breaking News) and a "duplicate" in its' topical forum elsewhere on ATS.

All other duplicate threads, regardless of other forums, get closed and re-directed to the original thread in the topical forum.

We do the best we can however with a discussion forum this size and the varying schedules of our Moderating Staff, duplicate threads do indeed fall through the cracks.

In this instance, if you see a duplicate thread, please alert us and we can go forward as appropriate.

Thanks!

Thanks mate, I know it's hard, and easy for me to sit here complaining when I don't have an inbox full to the brim with idiots like me making work for you!

And I also appreciate that if we used our search button a bit better, that would also help!

But I reckon a zero tolerance policy would be the best idea, just my humble opinion of course!

Edit to add, I just wanted to point out that I am grateful, from the OP:

I appreciate the job the mods do, and I know they are busy, I really don't want to make the job harder for them, so it it possible to make this self policing (just an idea to ease the work load!?).

[edit on 7-11-2009 by kiwifoot]

[edit on 7-11-2009 by kiwifoot]

mate, I'm putting that in my signature!

thanks!

Originally posted by St Udio
i like the choice option...
and not having to reluctantly reply to the first (and only) thread created by the news vultures on this site.

Are there really members out there who refuse to star flag or reply in a thread just because they don't like the OP as a person?? I would think most members here are above that kind of high-school crap.....

Wouldn't this lead to absolutly nothing to talk about.
Besides once a thread has gone away and died who cares.
The real psser is when a thread you have going ends up with one or two
just like it the next day. So they can suck away from your thread.
I mean that is really weak.

[edit on 7-11-2009 by randyvs]

if you have an issue with a duplicate thread because it is indeed duplicate and is sayingthe exact same thing in the same ways then fine, delete it.

but if there is something different about the new thread and that subtle difference is just enough to get a bigger reaction and more activity then i say let the duplicate live and kill the original thread. keep the more active one and stop being jealous because the original thread was a bust and the duplicate was a bang.

its not a popularity contes people, its about getting people to think, spreading information (hopefully good info and not malarkie) and denying ignorance.

Originally posted by wx4caster
if you have an issue with a duplicate thread because it is indeed duplicate and is sayingthe exact same thing in the same ways then fine, delete it.

but if there is something different about the new thread and that subtle difference is just enough to get a bigger reaction and more activity then i say let the duplicate live and kill the original thread. keep the more active one and stop being jealous because the original thread was a bust and the duplicate was a bang.

its not a popularity contes people, its about getting people to think, spreading information (hopefully good info and not malarkie) and denying ignorance.

it's nothing to do with popularity. There may be many reasons an initial thread doesn't work, time of posting, title of source material, poster, and yes analysis/comments on the piece.

But if the original is 'shooting in US' and the second one is 'massacre in cold blood in NY' which one will take off?

That happens through no fault of the first poster, and isn't fair.

I might add, that it helps to come at this issue from knowing how it feels, to have been in the position often where a duplicate thread has been made and yours forgotten, simply because the alternative news title has to be quoted directly.

I guess it also depends on how often you contribute, the more you do, the more it will happen.

Originally posted by MajorDisaster

Originally posted by St Udio
i like the choice option...
and not having to reluctantly reply to the first (and only) thread created by the news vultures on this site.

Are there really members out there who refuse to star flag or reply in a thread just because they don't like the OP as a person?? I would think most members here are above that kind of high-school crap.....

no sir...it's not about cults-of-personality... its about the 'spin' of the thread

if the author reports only the MSM 'snippet', without interjecting some sort of personal viewpoint (which may creative, or be in opposition to my/other's viewpoint)
then the thread is nothing more than the need to be first ...
which is not necessarily the same as being a conscientious/dedicated 'citizen reporter'...
(instead, the thread starter may be considered a 'DITTO' machine)


Indeed... there is a fine line... but the ATS population of readers-posters will flesh-out the 'reality' ... if that makes sense



[edit on 7-11-2009 by St Udio]

If the information of a thread gets out there in one way or another I don't think it really should matter. I'm having trouble understanding how one person's work is more important than another's, when it is the material and not the author that is relevant.

Originally posted by heyo
If the information of a thread gets out there in one way or another I don't think it really should matter. I'm having trouble understanding how one person's work is more important than another's, when it is the material and not the author that is relevant.

I mean no disrespect by this, but unless you've been in that position, or you regularly make threads and it has happened to you often, you probably won't get it.

I think it's a no -problem. Sometimes there are multilple posts. Even when you search, you might not find the other posts, so you create your own. So what?

Yes, it may cause a topic to be discussed in more than one thread, but is that such a bad thing? When topics remain in a single thread, that thead tends to get hundreds and hundreds of comments, making it extremely difficult to wade through it or to find newer comments. For example, recently there was a thread about microtremors at Yellowstone. It was started as a new thread, even though a previous one had existed. The older one was hundreds of comments long, which would have made it quite difficult to find the newer entries. A new thread was entirely appropriate.

And then, how do you even judge whether a thread is a "repeat"? What about same news item, but completely different take, different news source, idea of a conspiracy versus news, etc.? Where would you draw the line?

I could see where someone just posts a link and leaves it at that, if someone else does exactly the same thing, it's useless. But then, I'm in favor of requiring people to get the ball rolling by offering some sort of opinion or thoughts about any threads they start, anyway. But really, unless someone is just doing pure copying of another thread, I don't see much of a problem with having a few threads about the same things.

i really dont think that posting an article found on the internet is very original.

and i cant understand your frustrastion and anger.. you did not write the article nor did you go out and search for this news, other than a few strokes on your keyboard.

it always happens with big news, people see their opprtunity to score big here on ats by posting it as soon as it is out.

why should anyone be given huge amounts of points for posting something first?
and a few select sentaces to fill out the posting requirement.

what i really hate is. when people who are real researchers(do more than google "ufo" and copypasta wiki), acedemics who write proffesnional quality articles, and hugly original content,only for it to get 7stars and a few replys. that pisses me off.


[edit on 8-11-2009 by MR BOB]

Duplicate threads are annoying for sure.
However, what I find even more annoying is when a thread reaches so many pages, that people don't read them all, but post.
The proof is when you post a view on say page 4, and then someone posts exactly the same view about 2 pages later.

Originally posted by MR BOB
i really dont think that posting an article found on the internet is very original.

and i can understand your frustrastion and anger.. you did not write the article nor did you go out and search for this news, other than a few strokes on your keyboard.

it always happens with big news, people see their opprtunity to score big here on ats by posting it as soon as it is out.

why should anyone be given huge amounts of points for posting something first?
and a few select sentaces to fill out the posting requirement.

Well I guess I'm guilty as charged since many of my threads are just as you describe - some hot news item with minimal additional contribution from myself.

I mean, here I am, devoting countless hours of my time and my life watching and listening for hot news or content to post on ATS, thinking I'm doing my small part to help make ATS the absolute #1 alt-news site in the world. Countless hours of time that could instead be spent at an actual paid job, or travelling and seeing the world, or going out on the town making friends and partying and getting laid and actually having a life.

But maybe you're right, maybe I really am just a "news vulture" trying to rack up huge amounts of points by being the first one to post hot news. Greedy, greedy little me, for shame!!! Maybe I should just forget about it and give up and go away, yeah? I'm sure a lot of people would like that, eh??

i'd like to see the death of this topic... not needed let the moderators do their job.


no offense. just my opinion