How to be a Good Citizen of ATS

reply to post by Heike

People like Mike and Internos and Skyfloating, etc., are already "good citizens" and then some.

What! Those slackers???

does it seem to you like the people who aren't here for points are usually the ones who get lots of them?

Usually how it works. Although I'm still way behind the three amigos..

I guess I'll root for DD and hope he catches them.

I just ran across this absolutely PERFECT example of why I wrote this thread, and had to post:

Amazing Pics!

reply to post by Heike


Wow, great thread. You should be a mod.

reply to post by Heike


Really good conclusive thread Heike.

But there are some of us that still don't understand how some of the more serious and controversial threads can be judged by just one MOD and retracted from the forums because he/she thinks it's political trolling or misrepresented topics of discussion.
I have been both rewarded and retracted form some threads, but to me it was a personal inquiry to the finding of facts and the redistribution of my own way of thinking of some issues.
Either way, your thread here carries clout and has my respect..

reply to post by Heike


Thank you very much Heike
everything is clear
Im proud of ATS !!!!!
Because I have learnt so much here more than at school...LOL
ATS is my favourite place

Well done Heike.

My thoughts:

I particularly liked the part at the end where you mentioned about not posting when mad. I have a good sense of humor. I'll admit though that at times I have to fight off the urge to let emotions get the better of me. So I sorta lean back. Tell myself to "THINK!!" before I post.

I try to keep in mind such things as "Will this add to the thread?", "Is this appropriate to the topic?", "Has this already been said before?", (Particularly in the same thread). "Can I say this better and more coherently?".

Especially the biggie "Is this a violation of T&C?". Seeing a post that has been removed because of a mod noticing a T&C violation doesn't help ones status in the eyes of the other posters.

One thing that I've noticed is that posts that contain correct spelling and grammar are usually better received than those filled with "leetspeech" (or at least that's what I call it). The less time that I need to spend deciphering garbled words and sentences the more time that I can spend contemplating the meaning behind the post. I'll will say that I'm no spelling/grammar Nazi (and let alone not perfect by any means myself). However, I find that the more garbled and scrambled a post is the more likely it is that I'll simply skip on and ignore it.

One thing to keep in mind is that this site is for discussion of ideas. One thing I always keep in mind is that I could very well indeed be wrong about something. Therefore I always keep in mind that I could be mistaken and have to be prepared accordingly. Entering a discussion with the conviction that you are right, everyone else is wrong and no matter what evidence is flung your way to not even consider it? That misses the point of intelligent discussion. Likewise be prepared to defend your beliefs other than just "I'm right and your wrong." "Your an idiot!" mentality.

Pretty much a summation:
Take your time and think prior to either posting a reply or starting a thread. If starting a thread then think of possible replys that you are likely to get ahead and plan accordingly. If replying think about your mood, what you are trying to say and could it be done better.

I may add more if I think of something. Thanks for listening to me babble on. By the way, I'd give you a star if I could so you'll need to settle for a flag. I hope that it's sufficient.


Edited to add and correct numbers:

11,120,1.

No more edits I promise.


[edit on 31-10-2008 by Deson]

Originally posted by Allred5923

But there are some of us that still don't understand how some of the more serious and controversial threads can be judged by just one MOD and retracted from the forums because he/she thinks it's political trolling or misrepresented topics of discussion.

There is a process 'behind the scenes' where we as Staff discuss our perceptions of the post and/or thread. The 'One Mod' action is usually an 'alert' by which the rest of staff interact with the reason for the alert and then make a decision.

Hope that helps...

Of course, there are some obvious ones where the F-bomb is heavily used. Those types of posts aren't tolerated regardless and there is no need for a discussion regarding its' vorcity...

A brilliant thread!!!! as a newbie, it not only cleared up some pointers but was more interesting to read than the faq

Originally posted by must be a way
A brilliant thread!!!! as a newbie, it not only cleared up some pointers but was more interesting to read than the faq

you might like to search ATS for

"civility and decorum"
"an end to political baiting"
"911 madness"

it'll save heiki having to retype anymore of these threads that the mods have already posted long before heiki joined 3mth ago.

Obliv_au:

Thank you for helpfully demonstrating that this thread is not redundant, as there are people who've been on ATS for quite a while and still don't "get it."

Your posts in this thread are blatantly critical of me and my supposed motivations rather than addressing the topic, and they contribute nothing.

Perhaps my points have been previously made, and perhaps they have even been made more eloquently or clearly. However, I continue to see people violating these simple guidelines as well as civility and decorum on a daily basis, so apparently not everyone has gotten the message.

Although I personally view your accusation that I desire to become a moderator more as a compliment than an insult, that is not my intent. I simply dislike conflict, despise rudeness and disrespect, and have a low tolerance for stupidity and ignorance. Worn-out rhetoric from closed-minded people continues to derail and sidetrack many otherwise potentially interesting threads, and it annoys me. My suggestions are not likely to actually stop any of it, but at least I feel better for having tried.

I think you could not be more right Heike. I support this thread and your further work throughout the site.

People who insult peoples opinions and intelligences are the people who actually need to be educated. They say things like noob and just flame people in general. I personally consider things to be potentially true until proved false through empirically based evidence. It is fear that makes people react to others in this negative manner.



[edit on 1-11-2008 by Cedik]

reply to post by Heike


actually, you couldnt be more wrong hieki

i did not flame or disagree with you or your post, so please drop the precious, over sensitive attitude where you need to bag and then report anyone who has a different opinion than yourself, even if they did not treat you hostile (being overly defensive is probably a better term)

This is ATS, and we do have a wide range of people + views here and you should welcome them instead of reporting them to sterilise your threads.


Let me ask you this honest question.

do you like people posting the same topics over again?




and yes this post is on topic..
but just to make ill add a few tips for anyone interested in "how to be a good ats citizen"

dont make frivilous reports or get all hostile and defensive just because you dont like something someone said (little boy who cried wolf, anyone?)

nobody likes a blatantly obvious boot licker, they lose the respect of their fellow ATS'ers. its therefore best to leave the mod work up to the mods, they do a mighty fine job already and dont need "bobble heads" to agree with everything they do.

dont gang up on people in chat and start hassling them with your friends or fanboys only to report them when something is posted in return.
its disrespecting of other peoples views and sterilises the forum.

showing a little tolerance and respect to others is generally repaid back in kind.

Its good to accept different views from others even if you dont agree with them or dont like them. this is the whole point of ATS (2 sides to every discussion)

"being a good citizen" can really be summed up by saying that you should give everyone else and their views/posts the same respect you expect them to give you and yours.






[edit on 2/11/08 by Obliv_au]

[edit on 2/11/08 by Obliv_au]

actually, you couldnt be more wrong hieki

Actually, YOU couldn't be more wrong. I did not "report" you or alert your posts. Perhaps I am being overly sensitive, but your repetitive and obviously deliberate misspelling of my name tells me something. That is disrespect in my book.

This is ATS, and we do have a wide range of people + views here and you should welcome them instead of reporting them to sterilise your threads.

I report violations of the T&C. If you don't, then you are not a good citizen of ATS. People who disagree and present different opinions without violating the T&C are not "reported" by me. If you bothered to check my history instead of taking opinions as fact, you'd find that several people have argued and disagreed with me and made some fair attempts to rip me a new one in other threads, and their posts stand.

do you like people posting the same topics over again?

Honestly? It doesn't bother me in the least, since I have the option not to read any threads that I don't like or find redundant. I have to wonder why, considering your obvious opinion of me, you found it necessary to read this thread and post in it instead of just ignoring it.

Perhaps that should be added to the list, but it is more or less represented by #4.

its therefore best to leave the mod work up to the mods, they do a mighty fine job already

Yes, they do. And yet, they repeatedly ask for our help, saying they can't be everywhere at once and asking us to alert them when we see a violation of the T&C.
Perhaps you could let them determine whether or not they need any help. Doing "mod work" requires permissions and privileges that neither I nor anyone else who isn't a mod has; they are the only ones who CAN do it.

reply to post by Obliv_au


Ok,initially I had moved on from this thread deciding that it was one that I agreed with. Today I noticed that on my profile I had been called a 'boot licker lover'. I do understand this, it essentially means someone who agrees with someone who understands and wants to further the fair debate within ATS,

I did not state my opinion on this thread to be called names, threatened or bullied.

I had a look at the threads you mentioned as being identical to this. They are in no way as thorough and that creates a need for this type of thread.

No matter what you thought when you first started writing on this thread, all you have done is gone against what is set out here. That is why I made you a foe, so that I will know when I see your name what I will potentially be about to read.

Good job heike now you are inciting people to make foes!

Seriously. Lighten up people. If the staff consider Heike's post redundant, annoying, bootlicking etc, then she's digging her own grave.

Ok I'm moving on from this brown-nosing thread to some serious stuff. OOoooo the OP has posted on Richard Dolan in the past. I will chime in there.


Edit: added link



[edit on 3-11-2008 by Scramjet76]

You sent a lot of time on this tread to educate use on how to be a Good ATS citizen. Well I have come across a lot of threads like this already. I just wanted to add as a fellow member a lot of people agree with you I can see that, but why not bump the already existing threads. I mean you are just a member and the staff and mods have already in great length have went over this topic. You points in this thread are valid but not original.

Originally posted by silverflame
You sent a lot of time on this tread to educate use on how to be a Good ATS citizen. Well I have come across a lot of threads like this already. I just wanted to add as a fellow member a lot of people agree with you I can see that, but why not bump the already existing threads. I mean you are just a member and the staff and mods have already in great length have went over this topic. You points in this thread are valid but not original.

Its always good to update. Many of the newer members wont bother to search for existing threads on the topic, so a refresher is always handy.

And I think Heike has done a wonderful job on it too, its written a lot better than most threads out there