A Little and Unusual Post From Your Friendly Neighborhood Semper

HI FOLKS

As some of you may not know me, I'm Semper; grouchy, old, cantankerous Semper that hates change.. HATES IT I SAY

Yet ask yourself this..

Why do you come to ATS?

Is it for the pretty pictures?
Is it for the pretty colors?
Is it for the cute smileys?

Or is it to engage like minded people in intellectual conversation that stimulates your brain?

I know which one it is for me..

Ahhh Change

Everything in this world must change and grow or die. That is a simple fact of nature. ATS is no different.

Trust me when I say I resisted the change.. Right up to the last possible moment I used the old site. Now I am using the new site. Why? Because I don't come here for the design.

What SkepticOverlord has done here is nothing short of a miracle. He has taken ATS into the next century, using all handwritten code and ensuring all of our privacy to an extent unheard of on other sites!!!!

ATS now conforms to all current and future electronic devices. No matter if it is a cell phone, Android, IPad, Laptop or HUGE Desktop screen.. It all works.. WOW!!!!!

SkepticOverlord has opened up his private vault and allowed us to have input into site colors, smileys and other things YOU, THE MEMBERS, may feel is needed.. Name me one other board that has done anything even close to that!!!!!!

We have LIVE FEED

We have Our Own Social Page

And even a page where we can post what we want to see in the FUTURE

All in ALL folks "Not Bad" does not even begin to describe the amount of excellence that has gone into the site and all for what?

YOU

ALL FOR YOU, the MEMBER

Still Free
Still Excellent
Still Safe
Up To Date
Modern
Thought Provoking
and

Denying Ignorance every step of the way

I say

WAY TO GO ATS
WAY TO GO SkepticOverlord

Thanks semp, you old jarhead lol

reply to post by semperfortis


aww don't tell them the secret. I was loving the irony.

"I don't come here for the flashy design I come for the content, so Why THE F did they Change the Design!!"

makes me smile everyday.

Lol.

Kind of reminds me of being a nintendo fanboy.. "I don't care about graphics it's all about gameplay dude."
10 seconds later "Look at the new Zelda! OMG it's better than XboX graphics See SEE Nintendo is the best!"

ooo piece a candy.

Aww Semper... We all know you're just trying to get in good with the management.....errr...wait.. nvm.

Really? I was somewhat surprised this morning to open my inbox and find.....a friend notification! Low and behold, despite all the background noise and bug reports and headaches poor S.O. is jumping from like a firefighter in a forest fire, he's still apparently still finding time to keep working away on what people are most unhappy about losing.

The guy is the energizer bunny of designers. lol... He just keeps going and going and.....

It's an amazing thing to see on a site that is 100% free to members. Talk about dedication! Now, when do we get to see our friends lists again? (I know..I ask for the world, huh?)

I actually like the new dark design, it's easy on my eyes. Of course I am used to dark designs, I use my own custom photoshop dark design, zbrush is nice and dark, etc etc.

No matter the design,no matter the people , gold content contributors and trolls/ shills alike, I keep coming back here because this site bar none has everything I want to read in one place.

reply to post by semperfortis


Well spouted semper !!

Agreed - not expecting any arguments.

Just one question ... Does SO sleep ?

Ever ?

reply to post by semperfortis


I'm not going to lie, but the return of the "friends" section put a smile on my face.
Thanks S.O.!

reply to post by semperfortis

I know what you mean, on both counts Semper...
There is comfort in 'sameness' ...be it the bed you sleep in at night, or the user interface of ATS. When Overlord rolled out the new look, it felt like wandering around in a new land at first. But we humans are nothing if not adaptable. It does not take long for our brains to make the transition, building connections bridging the new look to the old, and pretty soon we're safe at home again! (I had a 'panic attack' when the old firehose vanished-- now I find I am missing it less and less.)

And yes, he has been quite open to input and the wishes of ATS members. There is no way to please everyone. We all need to remember that! Someone's got to decide what to include and what to shrug off. That person is S.O. and he's done a fine job. A real fine job.

Now, whoever is working on emoticons out there in the membership at large... I needed a thumbs-up at the end of the last paragraph! So hop-to and git 'er done!

reply to post by semperfortis


And you yourself have come a long, long way in all my 9 years as a member, grouchy is just a nice term, and no I am not been mean, I honestly believe you were long gone this days from ATS.

Anyway, while I am sure that this site is enjoying its new "looks" "technology", for those that are into all the new gadgets, for an old girl like me still holding to the old ways is just a novelty, that's all, amusing novelty.

Most sites in the internet now are changing to accommodate for all the new trends this days I guess for ATS was just a matter of time.

reply to post by semperfortis


I come here because i predict a coming social change in which religion will disolve and the ensuing destruction will leave people who operate sites like these with a neglegant weight tied around their necks.

People will willingly drowned in their delusions and hurt others to spite a world that no longer supports their fantasies. Sites like these will enable delusions and the spread of misinformation As well as facilitate coordination and cooperation between individuals who intend to harm themselves or others. When society demands answers a trail of blood will be followed back to websites who did not "deny ignorance".

The owners will claim freedom of speech and that will be the death of the first ammendment. The families of those who lost loved ones to delusions of alien reptile infiltrators or grandparents who lost children do to diseases because the parents believed in a vaccination conspiracy will turn their hate and anger towards the ones who provided the tools by which their family was torn apart.

Im going to sit here and watch it all happen in real time. I am going to rebuke the spread of delusion and comfort those who have lost hope.

If ATS wishes to avoid blow back they need to put in place official moderators whos job it is to educate, although that may just make you more liable. In the end would you rather been seen doing nothing or doing something poorly?

reply to post by semperfortis


You make some very good points, Semper. I guess I'm just way too artistic for my own good. You're right, the site works fantastically for what it was made to do. The transition could have gone a hell of a lot worse, but so far, the transformation has accomplished approximately what I'm guessing it was intended to achieve.

I do object to sacrificing the emoticons though. Right now, I really want to do that cheers smiley for SkepticOverlord. Is that too much to ask? To give the old codger a cold one for his good work? But nope. Guess I gotta wait for the upgrade to finish. I guess I'll make this my official vote to resurrect the cheers/beer smiley.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Let's see if this works:

reply to post by semperfortis


Fair point. ATS fundamentally is a tool and it allows us to share information and ideas. As long as it functions thats what counts.. Now I have got use to the new ATS I like it. Peeps dont like change and it takes a little getting use to is all...

Your right of course.

But I too hate change. I'm old. It is taking me sooo long to figure things out on here. Which in turn makes me feel stupid, which is the real reason I hate change to begin with!

Now, how the heck to you "chat"? Is that even an option anymore?????

NM, I found it. Apparently you must not be afraid to click buttons with reckless abandonment!!!!!

I have gotten used to the new design already.
HTML5 IS the future. Cant escape it.
And personally I come here to debate with like minded and not like minded people, people just like you semper.

reply to post by semperfortis


Agreed...

All in all not bad, not bad at all. *Can't find the thumbs up icon!!!

reply to post by SLAYER69


If this works will it do?

reply to post by intrepid



One of these would have been cool...

Smilies are dead. We need a sarcasm font.