Can We Please Have The Option To Collaborate On Threads?

Hey ATS,

A lot of individual threads are packed with great material and interesting sources, and i was wondering if there would ever be the chance for two or more members to create threads in collaboration with each other.

I don't know how the mechanics behind such a thing would work when put into place, but i think it would be cool if two respected members were able to collaborate on a great and interesting topic.

There would obviously be some problems involved (such as the S&F system), but for the material itself, the members could write specific sections and join them together to create a coherent and well researched thread. I think that if the idea was refined further and actually put in to place, it would encourage civility and connection between members while raising the "bar" of threads in general.

What does ATS think?

Sounds cool but i think it would turn into forum gangs.

There isn't really anything stopping you from doing that now, if all you're concerned with is the presentation and discussion of the thread--"getting the word out", if you will. But if you're more concerned with how to assign stars and flags to multiple accounts so you both get the credit and recognition for it, I'm not sure that's really in the spirit of what goes on here.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for giving credit where credit is due. But ATS already has enough of its own micro-clique popularity contests going on that something like that might just lead to, as stated above, "forum gangs" more interested in their WATS scores than in denying ignorance.

But it would be cool if there was a way to minimize the potential of that happening. I'm not sure how it all works with the code and all that jazz.

Yeah, that's 100% possible already in some respect, in all honesty.

THe only thing, as mentioned is the flags as only one member could actually post the thread. Now if you were to do a series that you could altnernate ownership of OP's with each other and certainly link to the other material.

I would assume the kind of 'collaborative' thread that would be ideal for this would need to be coded directly by SO into the existing framework. Seems that it would be quite complicated. As there is an overral re-design of the website that is ongoing, perhaps it will be something to add in the future.

This thread has been used for many years for member suggestions and SO certainly draws from that pool when making changes.

~Tenth

It would probably be a giant headache with the star/flag assignment for each author. I cant think of a way it could be done.

In the past when we have collaborated on a thread.. we have each taken a part of the story and contributed to the thread in subsequent posts. Sometimes the OP got the most stars and flags, but when you are passionate about the subject matter.. do the little valueless stars and flags really matter? I would think that was a small thing, but maybe thats just me.


Gangs and cliques?? Please. Just because more than one person doesnt agree with you, it doent mean that is a gang or clique. If youre talking about the parroting herd mentality.. welcome to the real world as manifested on ATS. LOL! Im sure there are small issues with this, and fan clubs here Ive seen myself, but give me a break on the gang nonsense. If you think a gang is persecuting you on ATS.. then alert a mod. Im sure theyd appreciate the alert to be a little less than paranoid ranting hysteria though. If there is gang stalking, this is a message board.. it would be more than simple to prove.

reply to post by tothetenthpower



Something Ive always wondered about this software... mine doesnt do this.. but can stars/flags be manually added or removed with this software? Be a headache I imagine...

reply to post by Advantage


Ums, not that I'm aware of.

It happens when you get banned I'm pretty sure thats automatic, and any member can -unflag- any thread they've given one to.

Stars are permanent as far as I can tell. TBH we don't handle of any of that stuff, that's all owner/admin. All we do is help moderate content.

~Tenth

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by Advantage

 

Ums, not that I'm aware of.

It happens when you get banned I'm pretty sure thats automatic, and any member can -unflag- any thread they've given one to.

Stars are permanent as far as I can tell. TBH we don't handle of any of that stuff, that's all owner/admin. All we do is help moderate content.

~Tenth

Thanks! Makes your job much easier then for sure! I was thinking of a manual way to do it for collaboration.. but you lucked out.

reply to post by daaskapital


to state the blisteringly obvious - EVERY thread is already a collaborative effort

We desperately need some way to better search the threads. The only sane idea I can think of is to think of ATS as a wikipedia and re-design ATS into a wiki-based information source.

I'll just post this as a bookend to the thread in case anyone else was interested in doing collaboration or research threads.

Rising Against has started up a specific forum for researches on specific topics. And these are collaboration threads!

He has a thread here on "Scholar Status and You"
www.abovetopsecret.com...

A second thread created was "Research Forum Member's Thread"
www.abovetopsecret.com...