The New And Improved "Way Above Top Secret"

Originally posted by Implosion
Point being, applause seems to me, to be recognition that someone with the power to award thinks along the same lines as you. As it is handed out by relatively few, you can make posts that many find to be outstanding, without any recognition whatsoever.

True, but anyone who is registered can give out flags, which results in some threads having really high numbers of them. It just seems strange that it can be down to flags alone, rather than flags and something else. Of course, someone can make threads which all have really good effort put into them by other members and could get flagged because of a brilliant debunking of the issue, but the person who started the thread, with perhaps 5 lines, gets the recognition.

Implosion,

I don't think applause should be in the mix at all. There are many people who post great contributions to threads, and have little applause, and many who post a lot of rubbish, and have lots.

That's true.

I have brought that fact up several times to no avail.

Why not, keep it the way it was, and use the flags and/or applause to break any ties?


Also, a rare WATS winner doesn't seem like a big issue to me. Makes it more prestigious, in a sense, no?


Perhaps, with a little fine-tuning, we can get back to having a monthly WATS winner and still maintain the award's original intent/status.


Just trying to kick in some ideas here, SO; not giving you a hard time or just bitchin' for the sake of it. WATS winners, to me, always seemed to be well deserving of the honor... not as likely, or obvious now. (imho)


Regards.

this should be fun...

IT FIGURES!! I started a thread asking for MORE WATS votes and look what happens?!?! You take the few I had away!

It's a conspiracy against me ... I just know it!

Anyways - congrats to JacKatMtn.

Congrats BTW to JacKatMtn

No offense SO, but I hate this idea.

I know a ton of members who don't like to make threads, but they are excellent posters.

Now, how am I gonna vote for those members when they make an excellent post?


[edit on 1-5-2007 by thehumbleone]

Congrats to JacKatMtn.

WATS was going nowhere and needed a change anyway, better to consolidate rather than having too many features.

Good to encourage new content.


[edit on 1/5/07 by SteveR]

Wow some of you are very serious about your reccognition. Maybe the administrators should listen to you and come to some sort of compromise. Many of you have obviously worked long and hard to pull together threads in such professional and well researched and thought out manner.Honestly that was one of the reasons I stayed here. It is definately a great place to rise up above the mundane and grow. I agree that if its an all out go for the flag race the quality of posts will suffer. I now will have to take more seriously the posts I choose to flagg, because it is often not the thread starter that I am flagging...

Clearly the problem is that the quality of a thread isnt linked to the number of flags . I know of one thread that is twenty pages of high quality discussion and yet the thread has only been flagged about eight times.

There seems to be several problems with this idea as I see it.

1.) It turns it into a popularity contest. The people with the most buddies will be the winners, whether they are good posters or not.
2.) It seems to establish a system where based on playing the odds. Start as many threads as possible, good , bad or ugly, so you have a greater chance of getting flags.
3.) It will overlook those who may have really good input, but not as much time to put in to the board. Some people have lives outside the ATS board (family, work, etc,).
4.) Most of the flags seem to be aligned with certain areas of the ATS. Alien posts seem to get the highest number of flags, but not everyone is interested in alien thread posting.
5.) Is it possible to deduct for 'warns', etc? It seems to be a bad idea to award people who don't follow the rules of the board. Like a penalty system for bad behavior.
6.) It will be a test of who can U2 the most friends to solicit flags for their newest post. More threads + more friends = more flags which = awards.

Even if you stick to this award system, maybe a separate award system can be established to recognize quality rather than quantity. Each mod probably has their own favorite area of interest. Maybe the mods can suggest a monthly 'poster' for their specific area of interest as the poster of the month based on their quality (documentation, ethics in posting, respect in debates, etc). This type of award might help some of those that don't have the backing necessary to ever hope to get an award in the arena described above. Also, those that just post, but don't necessarily like to start threads could also be recognized for their input. You could stipulate that mods could not nominate the same person more than once a year to avoid favoritism; just as a precaution.

Like previously stated here and by others previously, the applause system is leaving out a lot of ‘posters’ on this board. People who contribute to this board regularly and are not trouble makers (getting warns, etc.), should also be recognized. Why not give them something like a good citizenship award? Maybe the most posts in a month with the least warns or other infractions. Check their content for things you frown on like IM abbreviations, etc.

People, PEOPLE!!

Stop arguing!

If no one's noticed, once SO's decision is made, it is final. He won't go back and change it.

Originally posted by thehumbleone
No offense SO, but I hate this idea.

I know a ton of members who don't like to make threads, but they are excellent posters.
[edit on 1-5-2007 by thehumbleone]

I liked the idea of continuing the old system, and then break the ties with the
flags..........

BTW Watch the rocks......SO has always listened to the boards feedback.....I have seen him change things many times based on member feedback....he is NOT a tyrant he is a reasonable person for goodness sake......
He has a solid point that the old system is outdated due to currant membership numbers and needs a workover.............

I am one from the school of thought that WATS should be based on QUALITY over quantity however........and its very TRUE that oftentimes the higher quality posters are NOT the thread starters....................

Personally I will flag a thread for the quality of discussion but it might be 2 or 3 pages into the thread before the higher quality material is actually there.......and the thread starter has nothing to do with said quality except make it possible to be posted on the thread they happened to start......

I will say again quality OVER quantity.
Thats what WATS is all about.

[edit on 1-5-2007 by theRiverGoddess]

watch_the_rocks

I don't think people are arguing.

However, this site has asked for suggestions. Same place as suggestions and complain button.

Or are you saying we the contributors to this board should not give suggestions to make the board a better place for everyone.

I like the old system and I think we should get rid of flags all together. I liked having the views column there instead of this new flags column. I have never flagged a thread and don't plan on it.

I have always liked clicking on a forum and arranging the threads by clicking on the view column thus arranging the threads from most to least views. I can't do this anymore which I don't like.

I wish William would just keep things simple, the way it use to be a few years ago, without all these changes.

For Those Who Hate This Idea

Just give it a few months and SO will have probably come up with something even cooler by then anyway.

I swear, the guy never sleeps.

Meanwhile, way to go Jack!

[edit on 5/2/2007 by Majic]

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
The existing system of voting on individual posts has been failing to provide a clear leader for three months now. I understand some of the concerns raised here... but the previous system some seem to prefer was no longer producing any results.

I dunno SO, it just seems kind of one-sided to us is all. Maybe the reason there's not been a clear winner in the past 3 months is because no one was deserving enough for it. I don't mean that with any mal-intent, but it should at least be said that maybe, just maybe, the members saw nothing of any real interest posted in these past months.

Now, that's not to say that what's been done is a bad thing. What I'm merely suggesting is that perhaps we've overreacted a bit to the lack of recognition. I understand the need for role models, I truly do. But if we have to have one decided every month, regardless of whether they deserve it or not, who's to say that they will be the role model that ATS needs them to be? I must admit that, while being personally recognized for something feels great, it's just a fleeting feeling, as it only lasts for a while.

I will also admit that while I make a lot of what I think are great posts, a good number turn out to be trash, as I'm not always up on everything posted. I respond with my heart, as I have here, and will continue to, regardless of what anyone thinks of it. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I could be right. If I am, how am I to be recognized for it, if not for the Way Above vote? I just think that we should be elected based on merit of our ideals and responses, and not the numbers of times someone clicks our flags just because it's interesting. I dunno about you, but I want to be remembered for my genuine concern for the world, not for an alien thread that got flagged some 40 times...

TheBorg

[Edit]

Congrats Jack!! I've read what you've posted, and must admit that it's a lot better than some of the stuff that I've posted in a while. You ARE truly deserving of this reward, so don't let any of what I or anyone else in here says change how you feel about it. I'm just merely trying to keep things as efficient as we possibly can.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS JACK!!!

[edit on 2-5-2007 by TheBorg]

Way to go Jack!
I am glad to see a WATS holder on the board again I have kinda missed that.....

YEY for Jack!! Well deserved !!

2012 End of the World and other crap

Heres another one of those threads, its got 6 flags and 2 pages already. Now sure would be a shame if the OP got the award

Originally posted by theRiverGoddess
YEY for Jack!! Well deserved !!

Sorry, I neglected to say that as well, congratulations, whatever you get for it.