Please POST & INFORM not HIT AND RUN.

originally posted by: Eunuchorn
A consistent meme on ATS seems to be "Its your responsibility to do the research!"

Frankly, it's entertaining how many people (OP/responders alike) seem to truly follow this dogma.

I think if you make a factual statement in a post, it IS your responsibility to be able to post corroborating sources. By the same token, if you start a thread for discussion, it should at least contain enough information that the reader would know if they're even interested enough to look further into it or not.

I'm not asking for an encyclopedia. Just a quote (or two) with a link (or two), or an embedded video, and a paragraph of your own that conveys your position on the issue. I sometimes fall short of this myself, usually because I'm in a hurry, but it would heighten the quality of ATS a lot.

I know if I see a thread with (as jude11 said) "So it begins...What say you ATS?" and the link to wherever, I just close it and move on.

a reply to: jude11

I understand what you are saying, and I agree. I frequently update older threads with newer, relevant information, and post links and a few sentence summation to satisfy the hit&run posters, as well as those who want to read the source material for themselves.

But I have the opposite rant: I take time to research, then answer threads with linked articles (sometimes even links to older ATS threads), and explain my position on the issue. Then ... nada. No reactions, no thanks, no comments.

As an OP myself, I know that every post doesn't need or deserve an answer. But beyond the one line, shoot-from-the-lip posts, I try to answer every post that has added depth and breadth to the topic, thru links and/or a thoughtful answer.

I put it in the realms of trolling. Make a statement and sit back and see your results with no intention of replying.

originally posted by: nerbot
a reply to: jude11

Oh, another Jesse Ventura thread....

Nailed it.

i hope im not one of these types, writing isnt one of my strong points and wtf is a twitter???

a reply to: crayzeed
I agree.
The NLBS for example has a dedicated forum and the topics only appear to be 'tended' when people agree with the OP as far as I see it.
I'm involved in one now, and when a created ATS 'brand' like NLBS is so slow with responses and/or sourced references when requested, it speaks volumes to me.

I find most folk here are decent when doing threads , i have noticed one or two post and run but i have done that myself .

But i try and answer as best i can when i can

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

I dont completely disagree, but sometimes the back & forths of whose responsibility it is to post citations & peer reviewed papers is more entertaining than the actual topic.

a reply to: Eunuchorn

I know. LOL.

But if I'm going to make a statement of fact, and someone challenges it, it's BAD forum etiquette (not to mention cowardly and lame) for me to say, "It's true! Look it up for yourself!"

What's even more funny is when you get a hit and run thread and the only people keeping the thread going are the participants bickering back and forth with each other over everything and anything that has absolutely nothing to do with the thread subject matter.

... and 6 pages later somebody finally pipes up and says, "Hey, have you guys noticed that the OP hasn't posted anything at all since their opening post ?"

Doh !

a reply to: jude11
Thank You for a courtious informative and much needed rant.
That meens I agree.
As for myself I would post and write much more if I could get spell check on this thing.

What I am saying is the quality of what is posted here should, as we all seem to agree on, be held to high standards.
As mentioned the current attitude towards communication is the Twitter attitude.
Even birds Tweet better than Tweeters, at least they have a purpose.
WIS