Poorly conceived threads!!!!

This is a rant about poorly conceived threads and their authors.

I absolutely hate it when someone starts a thread with
a. a tiny news blurb with no opinion or discussion starter
b. a single sentence
c. an obviously half-baked idea that they thought up whilst totally baked themselves
d. a "conspiracy" that is really just a lack of common sense
e. a subject that belongs in an existing thread but is only in its own thread to garner points.
f. atrocious grammar

Most threads on ATS are extremely thought provoking and entertaining. For the authors of those that aren't, THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK 'POST'. Don't just type something and then post it there to linger, serving only to use bandwidth and piss me off!!!

Hi sc2099 . I totally agree with your rant, but I've noticed that a lot of the time that is something that comes with experience and time here. When I look back on a couple of my first threads I would have been found guilty of this. But for the members that don't get it and continue to start threads such as you describe don't usually last long around here.

Rush

I am still afraid to start threads.. my first was stupid, and misplaced... but oh well.
I agree it prolly takes time to get in the groove here. I suggest starting threads about things you know, or things that really interest you, ones you are passionate about.. Someone else here would prolly love to chat about it too. I mind the many different threads on the same subject because I forget which one I was reading... but then they sometimes have a different take on it, or different people posting ideas on it...
I usually only read the first few posts on a lot of the boring ones... if that.

I've rushed to post new threads only to get a well deserved smack down. We need to PLAN new threads, as well as thoroughly search ATS/BTS for similar threads.

The moderators do decent due diligence, but we have to help. This is a fun and thought provoking site. Keeping it that way is up to us.

Keywords: Research and planning.

By the way, this is a good thread.

I've been here a little while now, and after the normal explosion of thread creating, I got fed up and have been posting replies only for about six months or so.

The good thing I've noticed though, is that most of the pointless and daft threads get put to sleep a lot quicker.

After the "boost" that ATS got after the big "shake-up", I think some of those newer members got little in return but ridicule and jokes and have either refined their thread concepts or gone away.

Still fun to kill a thread with a simple reply though. We need a few idiots here to keep it human.

Fun, fun, fun.

One thing about "those" threads to keep in mind. Or at least how I think of it.

I figure that chances are good that the people starting those threads don't know that they are creating bad ones. I figure that if you were to poll those thread makers that they would feel that their threads are good concepts.

The person posting the half baked theory on say "The Bigfoot - Easter Island connection and how it pertains to Zionism" (Note the preceding isn't as far as I know an actual thread but you get the idea) may actually feel that the theory isn't so half baked. Chances are that they think it's a good idea and want to explore it.

As far as not doing the research prior to posting the thread? I figure that in a lot of cases that they are so eager to get their idea out there that it probably slips their mind.

In some cases they find a thread that already discusses it and figures that a new thread based on the same idea might be worthwhile in case something new came up since the original thread was made.

Just my thoughts.

reply to post by sc2099


I was guilty of posting threads and just putting the info out, without starting a discussion on it, when I first started.

I have gotten better - there are many things I read, that I think would be good threads, but I have held back, due to the fact I don't want to be seen as just starting lots of threads either. I know those articles will be caught by another member and posted in a thread, because they are important.

Is it me or has the problem got worse over the past few weeks?

There seems to be more hoaxes and "I'm a xxxx ask me a question"
threads.

Also if I see another Obama thread I will scream

Spelling errors really annoy me; especially the easy words (weather/whether, your you're, etc..)

Also lack of evidence when making an argument. Some posters on here rarely present evidence for their claims, and I REALLY dislike the "I'm not going to do your homework for you" and "there's google; use it!" when faced with a question they can't/don't want to answer. Is it so difficult to research a little bit before posting?

**Note: the above of course, do not apply to everyone; I have seen some wonderful posts/threads on here too

Spelling and grammar mistakes drive me nuts.



Greetings

ps: I love these funny banana fellows LOL

[edit on 11-2-2009 by TheWriter]

You have set guidelines that you would like to see, and, they are indeed some great suggestions!

What I have seen, in the short space of one year, as I have read through the various threads, there are many who come in and make threads, violating many of the guidelines you have brought up, though, as time has progressed, for many, it has been a learning and growing process for them. Some have gotten better, and well, others are still stuck in newbie mode.

I think you described every thread I have ever made on here

Shesh, way to single a guy out sc2099!

Now to write some poorly conceived, badly spelled, one liner about some news article that has no relevance to anything.

I'm sensing one of those threads right now....I just can't seem to figure out where it is....

Hmmm....

reply to post by nyk537


Does that mean I should remove you from my friends list?

reply to post by whatukno


Aww WUK, you should know I never had you in mind. Perhaps I did have a particular poster in mind but they shall remain nameless forevermore LOL. I always enjoy your threads and posts

What's interesting to one person may not be to another. I've started a couple of threads in the past that I thought were really thought-provoking but apparently not everybody else did.

There are so many threads on here I can always find a few that interest me and I want to respond to. There's something for everyone. If you don't like one you don't have to spend time on it.

Sometimes there are long threads that seem really dumb to me, and short ones that can be real gems.