Out with the old ATS and in with the new, who is with me?!

I have visited this site daily for several years now, and rarely leave a comment. But since the topic is open, I must state my complaint about the recent INTRUSIVE garbage video ads that play every time the home page freaking reloads!! So, you're at the home page, the ad play and you have to hunt it down to mute the piece of crap, you continue on clicking an interesting article to then have to hunt down the new pages crap ad to mute it, then the home page refreshes automatically, then again you have to switch tabs to hunt down the CRAP irrelevant ad to mute it, AGAIN... I will say adios to ATS quicker than sh!t if I have to deal with this every time.

Another thing that I have long believed needed attention is the addition of some sort of "star down" feature, or a "flag down" feature. Why? Because it only takes, what, 10 kooks to flag some ridiculous crackpot article to get it at the top? And there are PLENTY of kooks here on ATS to always have this problem.
ATS polices the threads like I have seen nowhere else on any other forum, but can't do something about these issues? Get some quality and balance where these issues are concerned, ATS.

reply to post by Doodle19815


Yea... well.. you know... the old ATS was better. Sorry you didnt get to know it. If you did you'd be saying exactly the same thing.

Originally posted by Juggernog
My avatar will give you bad dreams tonight

Dude... Zombies to me are like a beautiful flower or a rainbow

I LOVE Zombies

Originally posted by nerbot
Hi Bro'

------------------

I am one of those who miss the older feel of this site and unless a person has experienced it they cannot say whether it was better than it is now, they can only comment on how they see it at present.

Sure, people will complain regardless of how long they've been here but the quality of content HAS degraded and it is also diluted with way more spam than was acceptable in years before.

ATS mods having to keep up with the site's momentum, issues and changes over the years shows just what an incredible job they do. Thanks.

I continue to lurk but will jump on heads that are not used wisely.

Long time no see mate... I mostly lurk too, have been pretty inactive (except music threads) for a while really.
And you're right man, spot on... you can only know ATS (or anything) from your own experience and from when you were here.

And yes... there have been many, many changes on ATS.

Some have been detrimental to the site and many have been fantastic.



Take it easy mate.

reply to post by Bodhi911


I also grew up in the '80's. it was rock and roll, bright colors, and men that looked like women. Those were the days.

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


What is it that was better do you think? Just curious of your opinion.

I see that your are still hanging around here. It must not be to bad.

reply to post by Doodle19815


I remember the old ATS quite well, with a seperate below top secret.

Yes, the old one was rather good, and rather simple too. I liked it.

But you know what? I also like how it looks now.

It does not matter what ATS look like, or becomes, I will always like it!!

vvv

Thoughts in 2010 when they changed ATS. (Can't get the video to work , but you can read the thoughts.)
www.abovetopsecret.com...

An old way to have fun with pics on the new ATS.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

First ATS pic ever.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

For those feeling nostalgic.

I will post more in a little while.....

Originally posted by blupblup

Originally posted by Juggernog
My avatar will give you bad dreams tonight

Dude... Zombies to me are like a beautiful flower or a rainbow

I LOVE Zombies

Lol, you gave me my first and possibly only laugh of the day

This society locks it's children away in institutions behind fences under armed guard and nearly total supervision for 18 years and that's a clear message that not only should children be "seen and not heard" and also, "we are not interested in seeing them either.

Yet page after page is devoid of any suggestion that the recent crops of kids have an education and plenty of evidence to prove that they do not. Meaningless social propaganda is their forte supported by belief that their opinion matters despite their obvious lack of knowledge and experience.

For awhile it's amusing to watch the youngsters demonstrate an inability to think and then prove that they can not, but one grows weary of children, and most oldsters are not able to appreciate apostles of the lowest common denominator. They are empty shells not worth filling.

Apparently the kids can't get that message, along with so many others: that we're not interested in hearing it or wasting time with it, and will just simple say "no." It's not difficult to see where this will end for the uneducated masses, but "who really cares what servants think about anything?

Unfortunately children, and the otherwise exceptionally ignorant, have access to the internet and have used it to alienate anybody with a brain..

Originally posted by Doodle19815
reply to post by FraternitasSaturni

 

What is it that was better do you think? Just curious of your opinion.

I see that your are still hanging around here. It must not be to bad.

True. But now I come here for 1 out of 10000 threads (which is really bad)... and even that thread, if its really good, its usually sunk or deleted.

And this actually more of a political nonsense forum than actually a "alternative think tank" like it was back then. Sometimes the name "above top secret" just means "copy and paste from a variety of news channels" - ok, gotta hand it to you - you do find every news channel condensed here, and its easier to read the "global newspaper" ATS is, than to have to go read them all individually, but like I said, its hardly "above top secret". Right now if it was a news website would be great... but I dont come here to see copy-pastes of CNN or Fauxnews, BBC or any major network.

A lot of the younger generation IS the problem here on ATS. Most are fixated to the computer and complacent to the real world, and think they have it all figured out. Their knowledge comes from Google and Wikipedia. And it shows! Their attitude comes from the newest release of Diablo 3. Most kids don’t think. They react! Life without the internet would drive most of them mad! I have to wonder how many kids these days have actually picked up a hammer, let alone put a nail in it. How many of our younger folk have actually picked up a screw driver or a wrench? How many actually know how to check the oil in a car? Most would be lost if they didn’t have a computer or the Xbox. If they didn’t have such things, they would be running around like zombies with no direction what’s so ever. Kids today would have you believe they know it all, but actually, they know nothing! Nodda! Your egos are astounding! AND it’s as clear as night and day!

And WHY did you put this thread together? I can only assume you did so because of the other guy who put up the other thread saying otherwise? Get over it!

reply to post by Propulsion


I put this thread together to stand up for us newbies, actually. It wasn't any other one thread that sent me into a spin, but all of them combined. It is like listening to your spouse gripe about your sibling. You love them both, but you eventually have to stand up and say enough is enough!

I love the older members here but the constant chatter about the old ATS finally made me stand up and say, this is how it is, get over it.

No, I don't think I will change anyone's opinion, and I don't care to. I ranted, said my peace, and blew some steam.
That is after all, what I will accomplish, and I am okay with that. Luckily for me ATS offers me the chance to do that.

Hopefully, the new ATS members don't feel like they are missing out by joing the "new ATS". It still has plenty to offer, in my opinion.

As far as kids go, like I stated earlier, I love them. I may be only 31, but I see children as the future. They are quick to learn, and easy to mold. I think if they are here it is fantastic. They are seeing things earlier on than ever before.

Conspiracy was never talked about in my household. I was flabbergasted at age 20 when I was waitressing and I overheard two older men debating the moon landing. I had never heard that the moon landing could have been faked. (I have no opinion to offer on that by the way, it is just an example.)

If they are here learning that stuff at an earlier tender age, good for them. It will make them question politics, NASA, assassinations, and pyramids and perhaps they will seek answers.

Yes they create lot of "noise", no doubt about that, but we are also teaching them as they read along.

I just think it's fun watching ATS evolve over the years. Watch members come and go, watch some rise to the top, fun to watch the site develop into different areas, new features and designs. It's a very interesting website to be a part of. And I'm glad I could watch it for this span of time, and hope to continue to watch it grow. ATS has come a long long way. A lot of good and some not so good. But it's always felt like a big family throughout.

reply to post by frequentflyer


Hi, i come to ATS every single day since before becoming a member. You can call me a new member. I read more then post anyway.

I'd love to hear from the veterans what was better, and what could we do about make it as good as before.

Originally posted by Juggernog

Lol, you gave me my first and possibly only laugh of the day

Glad to be of service

reply to post by Doodle19815


I try not to take anything that's said not personal, sometimes though depending on the mood, it can strike you as bad. I lurked here for many years, and finally jumped in rather late. There's still nice people on here and intelligent thinkers. So, try not to take it personally, as I do.

I rarely post or visit here anymore, have sinced moved on to other websites, but I was visiting last night reading the ATS rant thread and wanted to comment. Then I realized the thread was closed (lol big surprise), and passed out. This morning I was going to see if it had been opened or if a follow-up had been authored, and low and behold here we are. A positive spin ATS thread.

I started surfing ATS around 2005, researching various topics, and it was a very interesting website. Over the years it's decline has been obvious. Inflated membership numbers to promote the "company" to gain better and more lucrative advertising deals (thank god for Ad Block Plus and NoScript or else I would have probably left around 2009 when ATS did that whole stupid Robbie Williams thing).

ATS used to be a decent forum system, but now when you are logged in there is no sidebar showing the latest topics (at least on Chrome). That's why I stopped logging in, cause there was no way to search other content in the sidebar. Now, on Chrome (Windows) when I'm not logged in, the sidebar jumps to the bottom of the screen.

It's just a poor design overall, and while the homepage may look nice remember this; every time that page refreshes, the owners get another pageview. ATS's numbers are so inflated it's absolutely hilarious. They force the home page to stay open while opening new threads in a _blank target window...wow...this way, the home page just keeps refreshing while your browse and read another thread, giving them more page views. They are that desperate for pageviews/hits to promote their website to advertisers. It's declined a lot in my opinion, and the design and structure has become laughable, although after the three amigos took over was when it really started going downhill imo.

I never had a problem with the mods, I thought they did an okay job for the most part. Some of them, in the old days, would get personally offended and delete threads on some sort of vendetta. I can't speak for that now as I never visit here anymore, but from what I saw in late 09/early 10 when I was still coming here it seemed to have improved. Oh yeah, then they closed the anti-ATS thread. Well, tbh, it's their website and they can do what they want with it. It's decline will continue though, but I'm sure they'll inflate user numbers by self-registering accounts. The numbers last night were only 55% of registered users had posted, and even of those most were under 20 posts. It's no surprise, but whatever. That's all I have to say, I'm sure I'll be banned, but I never really come here anyways so whatever. I hope you guys can find alternative forums to post on, there are plenty out there that are much much better than ATS. Godspeed.

reply to post by Propulsion

Most would be lost if they didn’t have a computer or the Xbox. If they didn’t have such things, they would be running around like zombies with no direction what’s so ever. Kids today would have you believe they know it all, but actually, they know nothing! Nodda! Your egos are astounding! AND it’s as clear as night and day!

And just whose fault is this, the kids or the parents. I'm 52 yrs [of age] and I assure you that kids are (in a large part) a product of their environment. Were they expected to raise themselves, because after all.. isn't it the parents who bought all of those X-Box games. We are to lead our young and they should in time, exceed our own intelligence, not be stunted by it.

Peace