1 line threads.

I think there's been a handful of times I've shot a one-liner out, but I try to avoid it if at all possible. It seems to me though, as someone above pointed out, that it's all in context. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if someone posts a thread that just states:

"I think it speaks for itself: cnn.com..."

I really doubt the mods are going to hit them too hard. Or a reply that just states "Can you elaborate further?" The examples given about "Do aliens have feet" are good ones--if you have a question about something or are wanting to start up a discussion, you should be able to give a few sentences at least about why you want to know, what kind of background you're setting up for the discussion, etc.

I think the same goes for the caps in the topic line. If it's something that is really big then it needs the extra emphasis. "ALIENS DON'T HAVE FEET" should get de-capped, "BUSH ADMITS REPTILIAN BACKGROUND" should stay (if it's true, at least.)

Just my thoughts. Love the site as it is, although setting up some kind of guidelines like above (the structured posting) would be great if there was a way to make it work for everything. Maybe a couple of different types: article, question, discussion setup, etc.

How come sometimes I see moderators posting one line responses with "..." or just a face???

Originally posted by balon0
How come sometimes I see moderators posting one line responses with "..." or just a face???

Sometimes we just have to take care of business.

Not to mention that we have more than 1 forum to take care of.

Remember the staff here is in place to make ATS enjoyable for everyone.

That first one was a 1 liner on purpose. I hope everyone got the point.

Originally posted by intrepid
Sometimes we just have to take care of business.

And I thought that Wall Street Journal subscription was for current events?

I see the light now.

House Broken Monkeys, not just for rubbing their nose in it anymore...

Sometimes only one sentence is all that it is needed. What about those who are not so educationally or intellectuallly sound. Isn't this excluding them?

I will agree one liners can be a nuisance. But when that one liner is a questing due to not understanding can excluding such be that beneficial to the site?

I would have to say I disagree with the site policy on one liners. There are exceptions and I don't like people to be excluded who may not have the capacity of writing as some o the other learned members.

Last I checked, we didn't have any two year olds here, so we are all capable of forming multiple sentences that relate to each other in some fashion or another. You'd be surprised how much difference it makes.

If you've only got a short bit to say, and it's not something like that will actually flesh out a discussion, maybe it's best to convey the message in a u2u or wait for more posts so you can have more to reply to.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer
Last I checked, we didn't have any two year olds here, so we are all capable of forming multiple sentences that relate to each other in some fashion or another. You'd be surprised how much difference it makes.

If you've only got a short bit to say, and it's not something like that will actually flesh out a discussion, maybe it's best to convey the message in a u2u or wait for more posts so you can have more to reply to.

It's that kind of attitude ( comment. )that makes those who did not complete schooling or for medical reasons, dyslexia, brain damage, a whole host of things that can effect their ability to learn, comprehend or simply write etc, or are not able to have a full education feel inferior. That makes my blood boil at the insenstitivity of such comments.

I doubt you have been in situation where you cannot read or write. Or even experinced what it feels like to be unable to write long wonderful smart mouthed posts like yours.

A 2 year old might not be able to read and write sufficiently and then there are adults who cannot either. Elitism nothing to be proud of, when it closes its door and its back to the rest of humanity. It's one are I dislike and dislike in people who express it over others.

Put yourself in the postion of somebody who wants to join in and cannot because of rules like that. Exclusion is not a nice place to be put in. Neither is smart mouthed commenting about 2 years. How would you like to be compared, as you did, to a 2 year old because you can't string 2 sentances together? When all you posses is the bear minimum to get by with. Don't come back and say they are not on the net. Because such people are.

Does 2 lines make for a discussion anymore than one liners? No, there is no difference. So why allow them then over one liners?

i think the point is, one liners just like- take up server space or something unnecessarily. ok, so one liners won't bust the terabytes, but imagine if all members posted just one "one liner". thats gonna build up eventually, but still, sometimes just one liner is all you need really. i suppose seeing both points will get htis. maybe if the relevance of the one liner is examined, because i've seen a few where they just say something completely off-topic. an im like wtf is the point? but anyway, theres my 10 cents

i agree with Queen of the Dammed, i was doing research the other day, and unbelievably, only 25% of the worlds' population can read & write. this DOESN'T include other conditions like Dyslexia. this is based on education alone, only 20% can fully read and write to a standard judged by age. true, about elitism isn't it? the best can only get better, but won't help those unfortunate get on the ladder.

I'm trying to say this in the nicest way possible because it is a serious issue that you brought up, but it wasn't what I was referring to. If, however, you are incapable of stringing together two sentences in your head, then perhaps a webboard is not the best place for you. Especially one that tries to deal with very serious, long-winded issues. I don't pretend to be an expert on mental impediments, but I would think you might be better off in an environment where you can get help to try and overcome your difficulties.


longy4eva: Speech isn't an issue since we're all typing. But not being able to read is different. If you can't read, the internet is going to be very hard unless you have very, very special software and a lot of time. Besides, if you can't read/write there are better uses of your time than anything online. What better way to Deny Ignorance than to learn to read?

Does 2 lines make for a discussion anymore than one liners? No, there is no difference. So why allow them then over one liners?

A "one-liner" does not necessarily correlate to one line. It refers to a post that provides nothing. It adds nothing, and in fact detracts from the discussion. This is most easily accomplished by providing a one line reply via something along the lines of "I agree" or "You're wrong" or the spposedly helpful "This topic has already been covered." You can easily achieve a one liner with multiple lines. For example, a thread about growing tensions between Palestinians and Irsraelis might have a reply that could spend three lines telling a bad joke, a useless pun, discussing something off topic, etc.

Originally posted by Longy4eva
i think the point is, one liners just like- take up server space or something unnecessarily. ok, so one liners won't bust the terabytes, but imagine if all members posted just one "one liner". thats gonna build up eventually, but still, sometimes just one liner is all you need really. i suppose seeing both points will get htis. maybe if the relevance of the one liner is examined, because i've seen a few where they just say something completely off-topic. an im like wtf is the point? but anyway, theres my 10 cents

They take up no more server space than great long overly winded posts. One worded posts fair enough. Though they have their moments of fun. If the rule had been please make precise concise posts, then that is would be another different matter.

Just because you say WTF does that mean the everybody must say WTF as well? Aren't off-topic posts, OK I'll admit sometime they are well off the beaten track but... not everybody has the same view point or thought patterns. Some I doubt are even human

Diversity is the spice of forums. If we all thought and wrote the same. Then forums would be pretty boring if not obsolete by now, would they not? One persons WTF is another persons idea (insert some word here to suit.)

It pays sometimes to step outside yourself and see the world from a different set of eyes. Not literally I mean.

yeah, i know what u mean, but its the... ill try and think of an example, there was a discussion about 9/11 and how in the videos there appeared a fuel tank attached to the fuselage of the boeing, which shouldn't have been there. and one person wrote something along the lines of "oh well, doesn't matter". it was just a pointless post which was not needed. i suppose its just about getting points now with most people really.. yet sometimes, people would rather say one line and get their point across efficently than writing 3 unneccesary lines.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer
I'm trying to say this in the nicest way possible because it is a serious issue that you brought up, but it wasn't what I was referring to. If, however, you are incapable of stringing together two sentences in your head, then perhaps a webboard is not the best place for you. Especially one that tries to deal with very serious, long-winded issues. I don't pretend to be an expert on mental impediments, but I would think you might be better off in an environment where you can get help to try and overcome your difficulties.

By 'you' I presume, you mean generalised you and not me specifically here?


So what you are saying and advocating here is. That ATS is not for those person who have a learning/mental difficulty? They have no right of business to be on a site like this. Irregardless of their personal opinions and choice of subjects they may or may not be interested in?

That is what comes very strongly across from your post.

Not all posts here are long winded issues or serious for that matter. Bit of a contradiction there. Just because your writing skills may not be up to a high standard as ATS demands, does not mean you don't have an opinion on said subject matter.

Not all those who have education all difficulties are THICK, STUPID SLOW or IDIOTS. That is a bigoted shallow held view by those who seem to think they are above such persons. That ticks me off.

Queen, I think you may have taken this thread the wrong way. I am refering to 1 line threads, not posts. A new topic opened up like, "What are the bad values of coffee"? It offers little for conversation and could easily be answered with a Google or ATS search.

Queen, I'm moving to u2u to further discuss this. I'd rather not have misinterpretations taking up board space.

When Enough Is Not Enough

I will admit to being put off by the one-liner rule. Hard to believe, isn't it, in light of my loquacity?

The truth is that in many other forums, I am the master of the one-liner. Sometimes a single line says more than a whole paragraph.

Now I am verbose -- perhaps too verbose. Why? I too have gotten the 20-point wrist slap. More than once. Old habits die hard.

My solution? The Edward R. Murrow approach:

Tell the people what you are about to tell them.

Tell them.

Tell them what you just told them.

And now my life is much richer for it.

So...... people.... Do aliens have feet?




Sorry....... really

[edit on 31-5-2005 by Kushi_Master]

What's My Line?

Originally posted by Majic
I will admit to being put off by the one-liner rule. Hard to believe, isn't it, in light of my loquacity?

My how things change. That was me before becoming a mod.

Oh yes, us mods know what it's like to be on the other end of ATS justice, too.

With time and experience, my opinion has changed.

Now I think it's a good rule.

But I decided to give this thread a bump to add a little more context to the discussion.

Especially since I have learned the fine art of...

Avoiding One-Line Post Warnings

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Was it really worth it, for everyone to make an ass out of themselves?

Might I remind you that making "an ass" of oneself is subject to opinion. And opinions are much like, well ... asses, everyone has one.

Also, I would think that a Moderator would have more tact than to call members of their forum an "ass".

reply to post by diehard_democrat

Nice thread. It was entertaining to read thru. While I don't neccessarily agree with one line posts, I do agree with your sense questioning for reasons that every rule has an exception, whether it states so in the Mod's handbook or not. Some people just refuse to look at things objectively.