An open message to you all "Since when did this website become.....

Oz I know where you're coming from mate.

It comes with the territory I'm afraid and it is depressing in a way, to the point of not giving a damn.

I hit this wall recently, July in fact.

Now I know my little rant has nothing to do with the hate on ATS but it does show that we all go through this frustration stage.

Now, if you need to step back from ATS for a while to reset, so be it.
As much as I will miss your posts, I would rather see you disappear for a short while and come back invigorated than to burn out completely.

We've already lost too many good members due to "brain farts", we don't need to lose more.

Anyway, I have kind of forgotten why I was replying...I think I have waffled off topic a bit here..hate threads...ignore them!

reply to post by neformore

If thats the case - and you aren't just here with the intent on spreading baseless hearsay and lies, then please feel free to lodge a complaint with Spinger or SkepticOverlord via the complain/suggestion button that you will find on the left hand of your member account settings screen, and explain to them what the problem you percieve to have is, and I'm sure that they will investigate it.

Ehm, I responded to your lie. If you hadn't lied. I would not have responded. I have no further intention.

And please, spare us the "it would do me no good because...." - if you don't have the power of your own convictions on this, then it proves you are lying.

BS, we both know it would do me no good, if it would, those members wouldn't have been banned in the first place.

Nice try.

If you aren't prepared to do that, then I await your apology for your baseless accusation, and I'm sure the people reading this thread will look forward to seeing it too.

You just can't hide your arrogance can you?

People look forward to my apology to you? Because they love you and are laying at your feet?

Get real.

reply to post by neformore


Only if your 100% certain they are lying and as I would assume you have not been involved in every decision to ban a member, then I would say you have 00% chance of knowing they were lying..

Whats the motto, deny ignorance??

I find it hilarious that this thread has descended into what the OP was complaining about, somewhat of a self fulfilling prophesy!

Anyway I'm off on the quest for invaluable knowledge which can still be found on this site! Enjoy ranting at each other see you around...

reply to post by CynicalM


As is said repeatedly, every staff member sees every action carried out on an account.

reply to post by Big Raging Loner


Self fulfilling prophecy?

More like the haters doing what they do best.

Derailing and hating.

reply to post by neformore


Hmm, then if Mods never do anything wrong why have some been removed???

BTW, no one expects mods to be perfect.
In fact its more annoying when they pretend to be...

Admit mistakes and learn like everyone else.

Well said, OZ. I do fully agree. S&F for you.

The reason I came to ATS was that I could find many good posts from knowledgeful persons that presented very interesting material in the topics at hand. There are also a couple of of the forum "debunkers" that are doing a good job to present the facts as they see them. This makes a good and interesting discussion. There is no limit to the info some of the posters have been able to dig up sometimes.

However, the last year I have seen many good threads "polluted" as you describes; hate this and hate that posts and posts that don't contribute anything to the topic at all but making the good posts vanish in a long list of "empty" non-contributing posts. Sometimes a good thread becomes more or less a competition of winning or loosing on who get's the most supporters - the OP or the debunkers. And in the end nothing is contributed to the subject.

I really like those that do contribute in any way to a topic, and presents valid info to the topic or uses solid reasoning or facts to debunk the topic. Everything else is a theft of my valuable time. There are too many threads where you have to browse through several pages of "junk" before you find a poster that really contributes to the topic.

This post doesn't contribute much new info to this topic either; It's just my opinion...

I hate to spend time on hate...

reply to post by OzWeatherman


I am new to ATS, and quite frankly there have been a few threads which I have also found disconcerting, and quite frankly I've been a bit afraid to reply to them.

It's refreshing to read this post.

Cheers.

The illogical thing is trying to regulate what emotional state someone should be allowed to post under. And how does the reader know ?

If someone really does feel anger and hate while arguing with an anonymous username on an internet message board, then shouldn't we feel sympathy for them ?

Originally posted by neformore

Originally posted by Seventytwo
I'm just saying do not give them the avenue to vent their frustrations out on Mods because it will only end up in a Ban. and we don't want that

The post removal, subsequent U2U and points deduction should make them think, should it not?

Quite the opposite, they will get frustrated thus lose most cognitive ability.

So, as far as abusing the volunteer staff by U2U goes - why should ATS staff have to put up with abuse from people who simply don't give a damn in the first place?

Nobody should have to put up with any kind of abuse, and that's my whole point: if they've had warnings temporally ban them for 24 hours and do not allow them to abuse the volunteer staff, hopefully the member will calm down and accept the decision.

When people get angry for whatever stupid reason they tend to say stupid things then later regret it, so it would I thought be in everyone's interest to nip it in the bud and mute them for 24 hours.

If they are still that belligerent then what more can you do other than banning.

Look at your members in a psychological way and understand it's personalities.

Passionate, determined, anti-authoritarian and opinionated to the max!!
their embers are always burning and it doesn't need much of a spark to set off any of these character traits.

This is not a Forum about Gardening utensil, this is a forum that discuses serious issues that effects real life's, so add this to the mix.

Just be more understanding and open minded, mute the member to protect them and to protect your volunteers of the abuse from someone who's just lost it.




[edit on 063131p://f54Saturday by Seventytwo]

Originally posted by Seventytwo
reply to post by badw0lf

 

That was not my point...

A member may not agree with a decision that a Mod is correctly obliged to make, this wounded member then u2u's the Mod in a disgruntled manner

Now the obvious will happen and the member will get Banned.

If a member brakes the rules then do not give them the avenue to vent his/hers frustrations, send a no reply message explaining why and mute them for 24 hours, everybody has a bad day and most would probably regret and see clearer when they calm down.

But as has been pointed out. that is not the case. At the very least, unless it was a very severe breach, a warning is given, then a post ban. This is where a member has the responsibility to explain themselves to the mod or have another mod listen to their complaints.

Usually (as I am perfectly capable of knowing as it happened to me) the mod/s will be very accepting if the reasons are valid. A post ban means just as you think - a time out, so the member does not post further bad day sentiment.

No one is banned right off the bat for having a bad day, unless they really go at it.

You may see someone post banned and then suddenly they are outright banned - this is simply due to them taking it further in U2U and not accepting responsibility for their actions.

This it not to say Grovel and beg... it is simply to accept someone breached the T&C and action was taken - which we ALL agreed to when signing up.

Bad days are not against the T&C. Ban manners and behaviour are.

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by Big Raging Loner

 

Self fulfilling prophecy?

More like the haters doing what they do best.

Derailing and hating.

And your post was "loving" and on-topic?

Self fullfilling indeed.

reply to post by OzWeatherman


OzWeatherman.....

I empathise with the point you have made in establishing this thread.

Ironically, I can see a particular member in this thread who is "hating & derailing", as he has in many, many other threads.

And you know what? .....that's a great shame because there are some fantastic members on ATS who do some brilliant work.

I will stick my neck out & state that the main reasons ATS has achieved so much are the very high quality members such as your good self & the very strong & effective management & moderation.....may it continue!

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

Originally posted by boondock-saint

Originally posted by Argyll
No offence .....but why do you post in a "poem" style?.......3 or 4 word per line?
again no offence just wondering, as it makes the continuity of your posts hard to read

lol, I get about 1 u2u a week asking me about this, so since you have numerous stars over my post formatting, I will relay what I say in my u2u responses.

lol, well you're not the first one to
write me about that and as I tell
the many others who wrote to
me before about it. It is an eye sight
deficiency for me. I have bad eyes
and have my text enlarged on my screen
so I can read it. I have an unusually low
resolution on my screen. Most people
use 1200 or up, well I use around 800
so I can read it. And when I type messages
I keep hitting the return key to keep it all
on the screen so I don't have to use the
horizontal slide bar all the time. So to me ...
it is everybody else who types funny
I'm very sorry that it annoys you so bad.
My best advice is to just not read my posts


that should explain it

[edit on 14-8-2010 by boondock-saint]

But this does not explain the content of your posts... I smell shenanigans!!!

JUST KIDDING .. and I wont do it again 8]

We should use our words more... explain how you feel fully.
Now I'm off to colour my toenails.

reply to post by Point of No Return


Thanks for proving my point.

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not


Sorry I must have missed the "hate" post by a member..

It's a thread that needs debating, or deleting depending on your opinion, but I have not seen hate..

BTW, in a lot of ways I agree with the thread but thats because I dont like some of the threads and hate posts, just as you dont.

My only issue is that all has been passed by ATS or it wouldn't be there to complain about..So its all an opinion, not a T&C issue..

reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

Ironically, I can see a particular member in this thread who is "hating & derailing", as he has in many, many other threads.

Oh please, and this qoute came forth out of love and on-topicness?

We are all doing it, and if you have something to say to me at least look me directly in the eye, and don't hide it in your post you wrote around it.

I responded to a qoute made by a mod in this thread, if you think I'm derailing, please go whine to that mod.

I agree with some of the earlier posters in this thread, who say ''be the change you wish to see''.

If you don't like someone's post, ignore it and don't perpetuate the problem by replying to it.
If you find a poster and their views particularly objectionable, then put them on ''ignore''.

It really is that simple.

There's no need for all these ''Drama Queen'' antics, nostalgically claiming that ATS is not like it was in ''the good ol' days''.

[edit on 14-8-2010 by Sherlock Holmes]