Does ATS seek to silence approval?

On the frequent occasions where I feel I have read everything ever posted on the board...at least twice...I repeat the rotation with the addition of more obscure amusements... like stalking the threads of my favorite posters ... seeing who is online... and checking out who has gotten the most recent applause...

You can understand my complete horror and outrage when I noticed that the Applause List has been removed from the front page!!! Nothing... Nada... Zippo... the BIG Goose Egg...

What are you hiding, ATS????

Undoubtedly, you will claim it to be an unfortunate oversight during the transition to the new "look and feel" of the board...but I suspect more sinister intentions at play...

Perhaps, like this story, there is an attempt to hide an inflationary run of applause in the near future...

or, like this story, some palms are getting greased more than others...

What accounts for this new policy of opacity?






[edit on 12-3-2006 by loam]

You want to break that down into one sentance for the senial?

What happened to the "most recent applause" list that used to appear above the moderator list on the main page?

Originally posted by loam

What happened to the "most recent applause" list that used to appear above the moderator list on the main page?

Thanks man, listening to Chapelle, it is distracting.

I think this is a work in progress, code needs to be written. Remember, this is a free site, everyone has jobs to pay for their internet connections, hell, I'm still paying for my computer. Matter of time imo.

While we're on the topic of applause, it would be a great feature if you could click on the name and it would open the particular thread in question...

It would save time trying to find where the good stuff is happening each day.

[edit on 12-3-2006 by loam]

Originally posted by loam
While we're on the topic of applause, it would be a great feature if you could click on the name and it would open the particular thread in question...

Everyone and there mother has tried to slide that one in.

The problem is, what one person may see as deserving an applause, another may not.

You can imagine the bickering that would go on.

Also applause may be for a reason that is not apparent in the particular post that was applauded, like for instance adding pertinent links to a thread to add more information on a regular basis, or playing peacemaker on a regular basis, or just being a nice upstanding paranoid conspiracy theorist.

[edit on 12-3-2006 by sardion2000]

Applause is great...if I get one, it makes me feel like I've contributed something which was appreciated by the moderation of the staff.

It's not that I need it for some kind of confirmation...it just feels good when it happens.

I've been one of those who wished for a way to follow up on why someone got an applause...and there are ways to do it by clicking on the 'recent posts' button on the recipients last post...but, from there on you're down to judging what's the most likely reason...you never can be really sure.

But, then there's the bit where conflict could arise...

I've seen it a few times where someone will say..."geez, a mod gave 'whatzisname' an applause for that piece of bull pucky?".

Seeing who got an applause, if the function does return, should be almost impossible to trace to the applauded post...just to keep that kind of drama from happening.

Personally, if the 'recent applause' box doesn't return, I won't worry about it.

$0.01.72 USD
.

Now that you mention it, Loam... I haven't gotten an applause since the board update!

SpittinCobra and sardion2000 have excellent points. I KNOW people would be arguing about it.

But still, I'm jonesing for an applause. I need it!

Yay, me! I'm good!

As others have stated, I found the "recent applause" feature a rather convenient way to, at a glance, see the users who have been rewarded for providing commendable content to the ATS community. Though, as masqua has mentioned, the link to a rewarded post could very well bring about overly critical posts regarding a given post being more worthy than another. In my opinion, link to reward, should remain a mod only feature.

While I would truly appreciate the return of the "recent applause" section, if it doesn't come to be, then, I guess, "C'est La Vie". Growing pains are just that, a necessity that is often accompanied by temporary discomfort and discord.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
But still, I'm jonesing for an applause. I need it!

BH,
Based on the appearance of your post bar, I can see how that addiction may have come to be. Don't worry though the shakes are a part of the recovery process and do subside over time.

Just my $.02 on the matter.

Oh, alright, skip the link idea.....although you will note that I said link to the THREAD and not the POST in question.... Moreover, the board does this with WARNS and I don't see a cacophony of posts questioning those individual decisions...

C'mon people, do you really think we can't handle this functionality? Given the ever increasing size of the board, I don't often have time to wade through the mass of "light-weight" threads to find the good ones. The Recent Applause list was the way I chased quality threads... It was also a great way to learn about new blood....Now I'll just have to resort to stalking specific member's posts and only eventually stumbling upon the good stuff....

BH,

Save this pic and use it like methadone....





EDIT: SkepticOverlord & Springer... why so quiet on this one? Can you offer any hope???




[edit on 12-3-2006 by loam]

Originally posted by loam
Oh, alright, skip the link idea.....although you will note that I said link to the THREAD and not the POST in question.... Moreover, the board does this with WARNS and I don't see a cacophony of posts questioning those individual decisions...

I think that the difference is that with warns, the rules of the board are clear. It's there in the terms and agreements. Applauses are a lot more ambiguous by definition.

Actually, WARNS are just as ambiguous as they are almost always edited by the MODS....

I think you all are being a wee bit protectionist, don't ya think? I mean, no one complains about who got WATS, do they?

Moreover, if you are inclined to take on why someone got an applause, my bet is you will have long engaged in posting behavior that already identifies you as a pain in the butt.

I don't see the negatives outweighing the positives, here, in my opinion.

Originally posted by loam


I don't see the negatives outweighing the positives, here, in my opinion.

Sure, you wouldn't be dealing with it. 99% you wouldn't even see.
The staff would.

Isn't the proof in the puddin' ?

Did the staff have this problem with the "Recent Applause" list before?

I'd be curious to hear from the MODS....

As I have the ability to issue my own applause, I have never had anyone complain to me directly about my choices.

Sorry, SpittinCobra, I'm not convinced the problem you suggest would ever materialize.

Originally posted by loam
Moreover, if you are inclined to take on why someone got an applause, my bet is you will have long engaged in posting behavior that already identifies you as a pain in the butt.

In my opinion, it would be more an issue amongst the newer members, just as many often fail to understand the reasoning behind a warn they have received. It doesn't take much of a look around the boards to see examples of members, more often than not newer members, receiving a warn in a given thread, only to have the next page or so of posts addressing the who, why or what necessitated their warn. All the while, if they had taken the time to read the T&Cs, and posted accordingly, the situation could have been avoided and the thread could have progressed towards relevant discussion. Loam, I'm sure you have seen such unnecessary derailments, resulting from situations that could easily have been avoided or handled by more appropriate means (i.e. U2Us, etc). Instead it often results in why me, whoa is me and the mods are unfair and biased. All the while, detracting from the topic being discussed. Heck, I witnessed several noteworthy threads that simply died as a result.

[edit: ?sp]


[edit on 3/12/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

No need to be sorry, opinions are like A##holes, everyone has one.



[edit on 12-3-2006 by SpittinCobra]

Originally posted by sardion2000
Also applause may be for a reason that is not apparent in the particular post that was applauded, like for instance adding pertinent links to a thread to add more information on a regular basis, or playing peacemaker on a regular basis, or just being a nice upstanding paranoid conspiracy theorist.

[edit on 12-3-2006 by sardion2000]

This is true. There was a thread about a week ago that was nothing more than sniping and I came across a post that the member editted his remark out and put in, "Not going to take part in this." I applauded that. I saw it as a positive action.

Originally posted by loam
Did the staff have this problem with the "Recent Applause" list before?

I'd be curious to hear from the MODS....

Not at all.

See my post above. We are going through a HUGE overhaul. It takes time for everything to be taken care of.

Golly, doesn't anyone understand appluases yet?

They are simply a pavlovs dog program that insures that saying nice things about the Mods, and admins avatars is rewarded...

Lookin good there SO... love the shine...

(thanks for the appluase)

seriously though... it would be nice to see the list again...
All in do time though... I know...

And thanks Mods, for all the extra effort to get the new board done

[edit on 13-3-2006 by LazarusTheLong]