Some Changes To The Flagging System Today

excellent (yeah, one line)

I'm not sure I understand some of the negativity.

Members have been asking for an option like this for as long as I've been on the boards, and probably before that.

IMO it's an effective and decent compromise to some of the more radical proposals like minus stars.

It's now up to members to make it work and not abuse the system, otherwise it will simply be taken away.

Of course there will always be petty and small minded people who abuse it, but I would hope they are in a minority and get fairly short shrift.

48hrs later i am still trying to decide if i should flag or un-flag this thread, thanks for the extra option...

If a thread is closed .. can we take our flag back ?
i think yes but im not sure

Why can't we star posts in threads like this, which would allow management to see which is a highly regarded or agreed upon opinion? I think the star tool would be most useful here for those running the website. Go figure, I guess what's good for members isn't for management?

Originally posted by MainLineThis
Why can't we star posts in threads like this, which would allow management to see which is a highly regarded or agreed upon opinion? I think the star tool would be most useful here for those running the website. Go figure, I guess what's good for members isn't for management?

Agree to this

Now i would gladly star your post but.. i cant

Originally posted by Ben81

Originally posted by MainLineThis
Why can't we star posts in threads like this, which would allow management to see which is a highly regarded or agreed upon opinion? I think the star tool would be most useful here for those running the website. Go figure, I guess what's good for members isn't for management?

Agree to this

Now i would gladly star your post but.. i cant

edit on 7/1/2011 by Ben81 because: (no reason given)

oh, right, add another stress related option to flag or un-flag now, have to star or un-star.......oh the e-drama is killing me...

But yeah i like your suggestion....

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


You know, members could just withhold their flags instead of jumping in without much thought. Threads blow up to huge counts for little or no reason. You've all seen it. Often it's simply the member throws up a news item without adding much to discussion. They simply saw and posted it first.

Wouldn't it be better to encourage patience and thought? Regret from haste is a very real part of life.

Originally posted by Hemisphere
reply to post by SkepticOverlord

 

You know, members could just withhold their flags instead of jumping in without much thought. Threads blow up to huge counts for little or no reason. You've all seen it. Often it's simply the member throws up a news item without adding much to discussion. They simply saw and posted it first.

Wouldn't it be better to encourage patience and thought? Regret from haste is a very real part of life.

You made me think of something
Since you cant edit a thread after 4 hrs
this should be the time frame to unflag a thread if you already have flaggued it
after that the option to unflag it .. will be disabled
that will assure that the OP will remain the same

To all those who have issues or negative feelings about this "unflag" thing, just do what I'm going to do...

Ignore the unflag feature and carry on as normal.

I love the new option to un-flag! Great idea. Next time an OP derails on the third page into a demented, racist rant, I can un-flag them....

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

Because of the value of the flag to the editorial flow of ATS, and the importance of the Flag to members who give them, we've now included the ability to take back a previously awarded Flag in the form of an "UN-FLAG" button.

It is very wise of you. I have thought about it myself . When you flag a thread and then OP sender decides to change the content . So , you regret the flag you have send.

Originally posted by Aggie Man

Originally posted by freakjive

Originally posted by XXXN3O


Is there not a slight worry that as members get over their initial reaction to a good thread, they may remove the flags if it descends into chaos as quite a few threads often seem too despite a really great topic (especially over the summer holidays)?

Will there be any mechanism to counter these types of happenings?

I wonder the same as well. Perhaps they can give the OP the ability to lock their own thread if the trolls cause a good thread to spiral downward. Once thread is locked, then no un-flagging. It's a long-shot, I know...but there has to be some mechanism in place.

That sounds like a jolly good idea to me actually.

Originally posted by MainLineThis
Why can't we star posts in threads like this, which would allow management to see which is a highly regarded or agreed upon opinion? I think the star tool would be most useful here for those running the website. Go figure, I guess what's good for members isn't for management?

This thread is posted under the Board Business & Questions forum, the ability to star posts has never been a function in this forum, has nothing to do with management. Check some of the other threads listed here.

As for the un-flagging, I like it. And I hope I never have to use it. I like to wait to hand out a flag, especially if I question the OP. I wait and see what other members have to say and do my own research. One or twice in the year I've been here wished I could take a flag back, now I can.

OiO

Am I the only one who thinks there's something terribly wrong with flagging a thread that gives us the un-flagging option?

My irony meter is buzzing like crazy.

I must've flagged and un-flagged this thread at least 100 times by now, but I just can't leave the flag be. It could also have something to do with the bright red shiny un-flag button calling to me with its evil siren song, saying "push me, push me"...

Oh well, I'll give it one more try.










Must resist urge to push big red shiny button...[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/59d8a0a45114.gif[/atsimg]

FAIL

Oops, I de-flagged it agi-i-in...

I think this is a good idea as there are threads getting flags that do not deserve them.

Especially those that espouse nonsense.

An interesting change but in the long run I doubt it will have a very big impact. The recent threads in the vein of "Here is my first post and my here is my gimmick" will continue to float to the top. Many people throw out flags like skittles at a candy factory.

I think its a great idea and one that has been discussed around here for quite sometime. Good to see that Grand Poobahs are listening to the little people. More than I can say about our leaders in Govt.

I would expect this new feature to raise the bar for thread quality.

Question? If a flag is revoked can a flag then be regifted again due to unflaggers remorse?

Keep up the good work!!

Good stuff! I will claim some responsibility for driving this effort

From This thread....

Man, and your post got about a zillion stars, too - so sad. There really needs to be a mod-edit or star-subtraction done to that post. Nobody does their own research, anymore. *sigh*
:
:

I just don't like it when - and, evidence is pretty damning, here - information that might very well be completely made up, or severely 'augmented' propagates its way quickly across the Internet.

At a later time, people may reference that it was used in support of another argument - precisely what you've done, here - people (some, like me) will note that many inconsistencies with it, and then say the WHOLE idea must be hogwash.

It doesn't help anyone. We owe it to ourselves to give these topics their due diligence, if we ever want the truth (no matter what it ultimately means) to be told. Dig?

great idea and great addition to the site ,, thank you ats gods