Not Really a Rant, More Like a Sigh. Where Is My Family?

Dear ATSers,

I suppose that salutation is a little old fashioned. And that is the subject of my sigh. Where are my "Dear ATSers?"

There is no doubt that the new ATS was the successful culmination of a lot of hard work and many improvements were made. But . . .

I feel more isolated, do you? I had been saving meaningful and touching U2Us for many, many months. Some of them were vital trophies, some were informative, but they all connected me to other members. They're gone.

I had a comment board on my profile where was posted my first words of encouragement from a Moderator, Hefficide. Gone. So are the Christmas cards, and some beautiful videos with other-worldly music. One more connection to fellow members disappeared.

I was proud of the list of people who called me a friend. Now I don't know who they were. I was especially proud of the one "foe" I had. It was from a person who was very disagreeable, but even that is gone.

I could check to see how my friends were doing and whether they had opened a new thread. Now, I have to rely on a weak memory and go searching for their work.

There may be even more walls between me and my ATS "family," I expect I'll notice them soon. Perhaps it was all for the good of the servers, or some other computer related reason. I'm sure the electronic side of things is running along with a cheerful hum, but I miss my family.

Can you help? Can you rebuild those connections I had with you? Or are these walls permanent?

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952


Just click your heals together three times...

Now say to yourself... "theres no place like home... Theres NO place like home"

reply to post by Akragon

Dear Akragon,

You're one part of my "family" I won't be able to forget. About your advice, however. It didn't work the first couple of times, then I noticed I wasn't wearing shoes and was unable to get a satisfactory click. The obvious solution was to put shoes on and try again. This brilliant insight was thwarted when I caught my shoe in the carpet and almost fell over. Funny as all get out, but still not successful.

Could you offer another, more practical, piece of advice?

With respect,
Charles1952

charles1952
reply to post by Akragon

 

Could you offer another, more practical, piece of advice?

On a more practical note, I added a link to your thread in the ongoing discussion of ATS.5/3 issues being addressed by SkepticOverlord.

The best way to get back the functionality you've lost is to lobby for its return! Best wishes.

charles1952
Can you help? Can you rebuild those connections I had with you? Or are these walls permanent?

There are/were several issues with the wall and friends on the "back end."

During beta testing, both private and open testing of the release candidate, this didn't come across as a major issue.

I've started to take a look at the code and consider how it should be updated to ATS.5/3. So it will return, I just can't give a solid prediction of timeframe right now.



Hold steady.

reply to post by InTheFlesh1980

Dear InTheFlesh1980,

Thank you for your consideration and your effort, very kind. I suspect my problem may be of a slightly different kind. I'm sure that SkepticOverlord and his crew could tell us that each individual change was beneficial, or necessary, or whatever.

The friends and foes, I've been told, have been removed over fear of stalkers, the U2Us were taking up too much space, probably some of the changes were made to speed things up, or work on phones, or whatever. I also expect to hear, "Give it time, you'll love it."

My sense of loss comes from the totality of the changes. Even the posts have a more obvious border and separation from each other, a subliminal separation from each other into our impenetrable cubicles. (I know I'm exaggerating a bit, but this is a rant, sort of.)

With respect,
Charles1952

I SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RESPONSE. I'm surprised that SkepticOverlord was able to find the time. The poor man must be swamped with work. I'm grateful for his consideration. Who knows, maybe I'm being oversensitive. But I feel a loss anyway. It may be unique to me. - C -

reply to post by charles1952


I agree with you, I liked my Old Profile, it explained Who We Are, My Wife and I.
We come from two very different parts of the world.
My comment section and the songs and comments there was very important to my wife and I.
I always thought that was one of the main reasons ATS seemed so friendly and personable to us.

I miss it and we miss our friends.

reply to post by charles1952

With the system being 100x more phone friendly, you can count me as a foe anytime. Until the powers ban me, I'm here to stay. My 2 replys a month will be triple that per day...

ATS has, and will continue to be, a site that makes people think for themselves IMO.

I'm like that 'slow' cousin that everyone has, I promise to say stuff when its the least appropriate.

I'm so slow, I forgot my password for the account I created in 2007...

guohua
reply to post by charles1952

 

I agree with you, I liked my Old Profile, it explained Who We Are, My Wife and I.
We come from two very different parts of the world.
My comment section and the songs and comments there was very important to my wife and I.
I always thought that was one of the main reasons ATS seemed so friendly and personable to us.

I miss it and we miss our friends.

edit on 17-9-2013 by guohua because: (no reason given)

I miss the videos and thoughtful U2U's from you and some others !!!! So happy to see you are still here!!!!!!!!

reply to post by charles1952

Could you offer another, more practical, piece of advice?

I can surely try...

Lose the carpets and get hardwood floors...

Perhaps Anti-Social Media is the solution to your quandary?

reply to post by Night Star


Hello My Friend Night Star, it is sooooooooo verrrrrrrrrrrrry goooooooooood to see you again.
I'm glad to see your here still too.
Miss your warm and heart felt comment to us. It may sound odd or funny to some people, but as you get older and my husband and I are older than most here.
Friendship and kind words means a lot to us and Yes, we go back a reread them and often check in on your friend to be sure their still posting and active.

ATS has lost that family feel, it's kiddish, more of,,, what's trending.

@ Night Star and Sonnny1 and NavyDoc and seabag and xuenchen and randyvs and burntheships and Public Enemy Number1 and Wrabbit2000 and my other friend I can't remember because of the friends list being lost to time.


A little song from My Sisters,,, well at lest one is my Baby Sister.

I just wanted to offer a quick thank you to those who understand my feelings on this subject.

I suppose there are different types of people here with different goals. Perhaps some just want to have the opportunity to put their words out, sort of like internet graffiti. Maybe some like getting into fights to achieve some kind of dominance over others.

For me, the most important thing is the person behind the keyboard. Let's talk, get to know each other, explore ideas, sympathize when the world gives us a blow, even share some secrets over U2U. For whatever reason, I'm feeling a bit disconnected and lonely now.

reply to post by Night Star

Hello, my long-lost sister-elf, Night Star!!!
And Charles... I think you were on my friends list. You should have been if you weren't. Can we be friends?

reply to post by new_here

Dear new_here,

Can we be friends? It depends. Are you a crazy screamer, full of hate, who won't listen to anyone else? I'm sorry to say there are some. If you're not, I welcome you with open arms (If that's how you welcome elves, I don't know too many.) Oh, and if you're married, forget the open arms business, I don't want to get into trouble with Mr. Elf. (Unless he's working at the North Pole, in which case I'll take the chance.)

This is a strange thing to say, but this thread gives me the vision of a tiny young plant, putting out delicate roots, and starting a new life. Thanks.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952


I liked the friends list.

I would "friend" members whose threads I enjoyed. I would then every day check the "Friends Threads" feed in the ribbon that use to be at the bottom. Now I can't keep track of all the people I "followed" other than the ones I've "Stalked" on here since day one.

I woud like that feature back out of everything.

charles1952
I just wanted to offer a quick thank you to those who understand my feelings on this subject.

I suppose there are different types of people here with different goals. Perhaps some just want to have the opportunity to put their words out, sort of like internet graffiti. Maybe some like getting into fights to achieve some kind of dominance over others.

For me, the most important thing is the person behind the keyboard. Let's talk, get to know each other, explore ideas, sympathize when the world gives us a blow, even share some secrets over U2U. For whatever reason, I'm feeling a bit disconnected and lonely now.

My husband told me you were feeling a bit disconnected and lonely, Don't, there are many of us here just reading and waiting for the powers to be to remember that, Trending is just that, a Trend.
The people who use lap tops and deck tops and that can't sleep or work nights or are just Bored and Lonely and Don't want a F B account live with-in the halls of ATS and don't require the longevity of Battery Power.

So you're feeling in a Cloudy Mood?
Let's Brighten that Mood with music.

charles1952
reply to post by new_here

 

Dear new_here,

Can we be friends? It depends. Are you a crazy screamer, full of hate, who won't listen to anyone else? I'm sorry to say there are some. If you're not, I welcome you with open arms (If that's how you welcome elves, I don't know too many.) Oh, and if you're married, forget the open arms business, I don't want to get into trouble with Mr. Elf. (Unless he's working at the North Pole, in which case I'll take the chance.)

This is a strange thing to say, but this thread gives me the vision of a tiny young plant, putting out delicate roots, and starting a new life. Thanks.

With respect,
Charles1952

Charlie,
I'm a bit wacko, and I only scream when someone walks in the room when I think no one is home. I am NOT full of hate. I am so full of love, that I love hate, and plan to love it to death so it will go away. Yes I am married but I am a natural-born hugger, so we have a conundrum on our hands (arms?) However, the proper way to welcome elves or fairies (that's me- I got so excited when I saw Night Star I forgot) ...is with butterflies and rainbows in an enchanted forest at twilight, or with morning dew glimmering at first light. Well, I like to sleep late, so let's stick with the twilight. (Leave the vampires behind, please. Not my cup o' tea.)

Welp, that's all there is to it. Simple as that. So do ya wanna be friends? Do ya? Huh?

charles1952
I just wanted to offer a quick thank you to those who understand my feelings on this subject.

I suppose there are different types of people here with different goals. Perhaps some just want to have the opportunity to put their words out, sort of like internet graffiti. Maybe some like getting into fights to achieve some kind of dominance over others.

For me, the most important thing is the person behind the keyboard. Let's talk, get to know each other, explore ideas, sympathize when the world gives us a blow, even share some secrets over U2U. For whatever reason, I'm feeling a bit disconnected and lonely now.

OK, Charles, Listen, we'll be going back to China next month for a while and I'll be visiting friends in Beijing, but I can drop you off at my watering hole sense you can't come with me where I'm going.
Here, here's a little Youtube show for ya.
My wife and her sisters music is nice but we're GUYS!
You won't be bored.

See, there's no reason to be down and depressed, Stick with me youngster

reply to post by new_here

Dear new_here,

The important part first. I would really love to be your friend, let's remember each other. I really appreciate wacko. It fresh, imaginative and necessary. The ability to love is wonderful from so many angles, I may give you the job of watching to make sure I never say anything hateful.

Now for the problems.

Do not let my mother know that you called me Charlie. I don't care, but if she ever buys a computer, gets on the internet, joins ATS, and sees that post, she'll blister your wings at a distance.

Yes I am married but I am a natural-born hugger, so we have a conundrum on our hands (arms?)

Well, I don't know. Don't let your husband see this. [( HUG)] If you don't tell anybody, I won't.

However, the proper way to welcome elves or fairies (that's me- I got so excited when I saw Night Star I forgot) ...is with butterflies and rainbows in an enchanted forest at twilight,

Please send me a Google map of your nearest enchanted forest, and I'll see what I can do. The butterflies won't be a problem, I have several dozen trained from the cocoon. The problem's going to be the rainbow. At twilight? Do the laws of Physics allow that? Would you be satisfied with a bunch of glow-sticks?

I'm going to miss the vampires, though. (I have two tuxes, and it's nice to get out for a formal occasion) But for you? I'll do it.

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by charles1952


You got to learn to let go of the past so that you can grow. Even very meaningful things. They can keep you trapped in the past. They're still in your memories forever, so anytime you want to reflect just remember them and those people. It will be okay, and it's time for a new chapter in ATS, I realized that with this new look and feel. It's different. But you know, change is part of life, that's all there is too it.