PTS Applause: 1500 Points!

Dear fellow members,

To encourage a high standard of post quality and give all members an incentive to contribute their best to PTS, the Amigos have given an extraordinary tool to the PTS staff.

Effective immediately, and until further notice, all applause awarded by moderators, Forum Subject Matter Experts (FSMEs) and Councilors to posts on [email protected] (PTS) will grant 1500 PTS Points.

That's right: not 250, not 500, but 1500 points.

My friends, that's a lot of points -- and you can receive multiple applause awards for a single post!

PTS points can be used in the member store just as ATS points can, and soon there will be special perquisites which can only be purchased with PTS points.

Of course, points are by no means the only reason to give PTS a try. However, they are a wonderful way to let you know that we do value your input!

But there's always a catch: we only applaud posts we want to see more of on PTS.

We need posts which offer a high quality of discussion, analysis, research and debate to achieve our goal of becoming the best political discussion forum on the Internet.

So please put a little extra effort into that political masterpiece of yours.

Rest assured, if you contribute a post that makes us say "wow!", it will be very much appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

Majic

Political Board Leader
[email protected] (PTS)


[edit on 7/14/2006 by Majic]

Nice! very nice!

You guys are really going the extra mile this time

How much is that after taxes are taken out.


j/k That is sure to draw some attention.






edit =
Scratch that last remark(edited already), I see you have covered that in your post.

[edit on 7/14/2006 by Mechanic 32]

Originally posted by Majic
Dear fellow members,

To encourage a high standard of post quality and give all members an incentive to contribute their best to PTS, the Amigos have given an extraordinary tool to the PTS staff.

We need posts which offer a high quality of discussion, analysis, research and debate to achieve our goal of becoming the best political discussion forum on the Internet.

REPLY: Does this apply to those already posted?

Originally posted by Majic
But there's always a catch: we only applaud posts we want to see more of on PTS.

REPLY: And, I have to ask, will this be an unbiased decision? Can I give an example (link)?



(Mod edit: Fixed quote problems. Check this out: Can I Quote You On That? --Majic)


[edit on 7/14/2006 by Majic]

Saluting The Past

Originally posted by zappafan1
REPLY: Does this apply to those already posted?

Yes. Members with applause powers are free to applaud whatever they think is worthy of it, whenever they want.

In general, they will tend to applaud newer posts, but that's up to them.

A Bias Toward Excellence

Originally posted by zappafan1
REPLY: And, I have to ask, will this be an unbiased decision? Can I give an example (link)?

No. All applause decisions are discretionary in nature. There is no official standard for awarding applause.

The "bias" I encourage on PTS is toward posts which exemplify the kind of quality we want to see more of.

What and when to applaud is -- as it has always been -- up to the person giving the applause to decide.

Bear in mind that I strongly encourage mods, Councilors and FSMEs to applaud all high-quality posts, regardless of whether they may agree with the opinions expressed in them.

Speaking personally, I would say that most of the applause I have given as both a Councilor and moderator has been to members who disagree with me. I always appreciate a good post, regardless of whether I agree with it or not.

Respect for differing opinions is a core ATS value, and a core PTS value as well.

As for providing examples, I think the best thing to do is allow posts to speak for themselves, welcome applause when you get it, and not feel put off when you don't.

As a member, I was always thrilled to get applause. Ironically, however, I often got the most applause for posts I didn't think would get it.

You never know what will inspire someone to applaud you.

There's no formula for it, and that's the way it should be.



[edit on 7/14/2006 by Majic]

I wish I could applaud you, Majic! That was a great post!


Mods cannot applaud mods...

[edit on 2006/7/14 by Hellmutt]

Very nice incentive and one that many members will be more than happy to do their best to achieve.

Well, what can I say but "WOW"...

This is one heck of an incentive for quality posts in PTS...it's going to be a lively place, no doubt.

Is it me, or does this site look like it just doubled in size for everyone? Oh, I know, PTS was always there in a bit smaller version, but now we have several new forums to boot.

Great stuff!!!

my my, 1500 points my first thought was Majic must be driving Adm, around the bend, glad you did though because I think will certainly help encourage members to be more involved in P@ATS.

Originally posted by Majic
You never know what will inspire someone to applaud you.

There's no formula for it, and that's the way it should be.

And because there's no criteria or formula for it, that's why I don't use applause to guage anything other than "it's a particular mod or counciler who considered that I had a good post or point." Like you Majic, I have been surprised by the applause at some of my posts, but due to the system, it's impossible to tell why, exactly, I got it.

I find it interesting that the 3 amigos could have setup a system with that applause to directly encourage the kind of posts they want to see, with definable criteria for the applause, but instead have chosen not to. And with the removal of who got applause from the front page, it is now a very non-public matter, between the only the staff and the recipient. I believe the rest of the staff can see who applauded who, unless they have changed it, but that is only my guess.

I happen to be in agreement with loam on the issue, that taking it off the front page pulls what little reference we had to some of the best posts daily on ATS. It is an issue I feel the staff should reconsider when they get the time, but I won't second guess them for the reason they did that. It just is what it is.

What would be most excellent - the post that has been applauded has some sort of flag on it, so we can all see the types of posts that are encouraged and generally thought of as spanking.

You may be missing the point TA. Applause, and points given, are for work that advances the site. It doesn't have to be public, like when someone gives a WATS vote. I have NO idea why that has to be made public. Why not just send a u2u to the member thanking them for a great post, instead of posting it on the board.

Advance the site, get applause. I'll give you an example. Once I came across a heated thread and amongst all of the turmoil I came across this post. It had been editted to read, "I'm not getting involved in this crap." WOW, this member thought about the site, not the BS that was going on in the thread. Applause.

If you take it in the "spirit" of "what's best for ATS" I'm sure the applause will flow. Remember, this is our site, all of us. The members make it.

Originally posted by Majic
Dear fellow members,

To encourage a high standard of post quality and give all members an incentive to contribute their best to PTS, the Amigos have given an extraordinary tool to the PTS staff.

Effective immediately, and until further notice, all applause awarded by moderators, Forum Subject Matter Experts (FSMEs) and Councilors to posts on [email protected] (PTS) will grant 1500 PTS Points.

That's right: not 250, not 500, but 1500 points.

Excellent! Now I can finally afford that... I mean, I can use the points to buy that... with that many points I can certainly... hmmm...

Applauses are highly subjective and not always a guide to the best of the best. I've been applauded on more than one occasion for answering a riddle correctly on BTS. Seriously. Not that I didn't appreciate them at the time, but they were most definitely not the kind of posts I would have expected to get applauded for.

If there were any kind of standard criteria for applauses, then I could see a list on the front page maybe being a good idea. Until then, it's probably best to leave it off so that people aren't wondering why the heck someone got applauded for knowing that a pound of feathers is heavier than a pound of gold.

You know, the drama factor.

Originally posted by intrepid
You may be missing the point TA. Applause, and points given, are for work that advances the site.

Wow, ok, so we have a definition of what applause is given for now? Lol, I thought that Majic just said "There's no formula for it."

What's The Point?

Originally posted by Enkidu
Excellent! Now I can finally afford that... I mean, I can use the points to buy that... with that many points I can certainly... hmmm...

Aside from the little perks already in the member store such as upload space, Really Above Top Secret (RATS) forum access, custom backgrounds and other mini-profile decorations, etc., there are other goodies and capabilities we're planning to add in the future.

Now granted, right now that's all "vaporware", but it's still never a bad idea to have a few points socked away for a rainy day -- and on PTS, if you post something impressive, you may well be able to sock away quite a few in short order.

And what's coming? Who knows?

Maybe a special Commemorative PTS Hypnotoad figurine (all glory to the hypnotoad!).

Actually, I do have some cool plans, but need to play things close to my vest right now.



P.S. And TA, the mystery of applause is just that: a mystery. There's no formula because different "applaudors" value different things. We give them the ability to applaud because we trust their judgment.

Hmm, I guess that part isn't a mystery.

Just sayin'.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
Wow, ok, so we have a definition of what applause is given for now?

Nope.

What you have now is Intrepid's criteria for issuing applause.

Well, i think its awesome!!!

PTS is on its way to becoming the hot forum it was meant to be.

(Haven't read the previous posts)

This should be an excellent boost for the PTS forum. Good job, guys/girrrrrls.

Originally posted by Duzey

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
Wow, ok, so we have a definition of what applause is given for now?

Nope.

What you have now is Intrepid's criteria for issuing applause.

Well yeah, I thought of that too, so... I suppose it'd be too much to ask for each applauder to list what criteria they're using, maybe in a new thread? I mean, just to be fair to those who are trying to conform to advancing the site and all.

And btw, in regards to the 1.5k points for PTS applauses, hasn't it been tried before and noticed that points rewards don't have all that much affect on turnout? (i.e., some of the contests that have been done.) Don't get me wrong, I think it's great and all, but it seems to me that quality posts and content are the big draw here, not points or applauses. They are for me anyway, so I'll speak for myself.