Why are distinguished members who have contributed alot to this site over the last 5 years leaving?

reply to post by franspeakfree




Star n flag
I'm honored to post on your thread before it's moved to the rant section.
The political correctness and the allowed insiteful liberal posts and threads, by the multiple "new members" has gone beyond distateful. When I reply to "their" comments in the same spirit , I get multiple warnings and points deducted. But rarly do these insiteful ones, get wacked! In a recent UFO thread, one of these "new members " bragged on how much he had "debunked" a long time member's thread, on the Norway Spiral.
Another "new member" jumped in and praised the other's debunking, stating that his multiple posts on "debunking" was proof of his "expertise."
I would like to know what type of precautions ATS uses to prevent one person from having multiple accounts. It seems that someone with a laptop, smart phone, and PC, could set up several email acounts, forming several ATS accounts.
my 2 cents.

Originally posted by nagabonar
read my post a little bit above. truth hurts thats y its on bts now

Seems like thats the end of our chat on this matter as I don't suppose many frequent this area. In closing I hope people do change and I hope in the next 6 months I have to eat my words. All it takes is more experienced members to go and ATS will be sucked in to a childs vortex and the whole process will start again.,

Peace.

reply to post by franspeakfree


Happens every time with threads like this or any other thread that's taking off too quickly and contains potentially negative information about this website. Granted, this isn't really a conspiracy, but why wait so long to downgrade it to BTS, it was on the active thread list of ATS.


And to the mod that suggested we do our part to contribute quality posts to the discussions and debates, how about you see about getting the thread in my signature opened, I'm certain that will get a lot of posts...and this is off topic, but I really want to ask, did all of the mods (or at least a fair number of them) agree that the thread in my signature should remain closed?

EDIT: I'm just sick of being quiet about this, I'm on the verge of leaving, I want answers, and I am going to keep asking questions until I get them.

[edit on 1/9/10 by CHA0S]

reply to post by CHA0S


I was there when WITD happened.

It was a hack. A year or so later, I was on the ATS Council and we discussed security for the forum. There was no call to the police or FBI, no investigation of the site. It was why ATS was taken down for a few weeks in 2003, the software was completely altered to prevent it from occurring.

We get this nearly every year, WITD and "what happened?!?!" There is no super duper conspiracy. Never was.

reply to post by infinite

It was a hack.

Great, if it was a hack, than lets discuss it. Either way, it's still an awesome part of ATS history worthy of discussion, not suppression.

Yet another thread discussing ATS get's hidden away in BTS?

reply to post by CHA0S


It's not worth discussing. There is nothing to discuss. After the security alert, it was altered and explained.

Case closed.

[edit on 1-9-2010 by infinite]

Originally posted by Freeborn
Yet another thread discussing ATS get's hidden away in BTS?

I am not sure of the rules here but I suppose if people keep on track and do not promote any kind of agenda i.e other web sites and such all will be fine. In the end I suppose the fundamental thing that I missed and didn't think about was that ATS is a business and in every business there are winners and losers. As its their business they can do whatever they want as the higher you go the more the rules don't apply.

I suppose due to the amount of U2U's I have received we can see where we are heading now and I don't know about other members but I for one have learnt alot from this thread and how others feel and perhaps I do take things a little personally and perhaps I do get carried away by others. I am going to do what others have suggested and thats take a back seat and see how it pans out over time.

:bash:

[edit on 1-9-2010 by franspeakfree]

reply to post by infinite

It's not worth discussing. There is nothing to discuss. After the security alert, it was altered and explained.

Oh...case closed...it doesn't really seem all that closed to me...more like a bunch of people screaming "CASE CLOSED, MOVE ALONG"...I just find it suspicious when I see that type of activity...I hardly think it's not worth discussing, the stars on that thread were taking off like a rocket before being closed, even a moderately experienced member admitted to not having known about that crucial part of ATS history, many members using this forum at present have never heard of WITD, that's why I thought it appropriate to write a moderately detailed thread covering that aspect of ATS history, that and the existing thread on it was vague and missing many crucial points. But oh no...even though it was just a hack, discussion on it is still apparently taboo...

[edit on 1/9/10 by CHA0S]

Originally posted by Freeborn
Yet another thread discussing ATS get's hidden away in BTS?

Yep, unfortunately it doesn't look good I guess so along with all the others, It's moved to BTS or just closed.

reply to post by CHA0S


Members don't need to know about a security flaw in the website. It is not crucial to ATS history - never has been. Only in the minds of those, who want a grand conspiracy on these forums.

In your original thread, SkepticOverlord explained efficiently what occurred. There is no need to keep going on about it.

Originally posted by neformore
Why aren't YOU helping improve the quality of the posts and debate and topics on the site?

I suppose its something like "what can I do" I don't have all the answers and some of my beliefs are far out nobody would take them seriously and because of that I reluctant to post personal threads. I am trying to improve the quality of posts and to be honest we weren't doing to badly with this thread it was gaining a good momentum of input before it was moved. You must know where I am coming from. You said it yourself every few days a thread like mine is coming up on to the site surely that tells you something? especially if they are from different members.

reply to post by infinite

Members don't need to know about a security flaw in the website. It is not crucial to ATS history - never has been.

The security of the website has nothing to to with what we are talking about, that's a poor attempt to divert the subject at hand. It should be obvious why such an interesting part of ATS history is worthy of discussion. Especially in comparison with the many ridiculous threads I see all the time. I saw one the other day where the OP used the term "lol" at least 10 times, but apparently those pile of crap threads are worthy enough to stay open and have discussion. Maybe you think it's not worth discussing, after all, you've apparently been here since 03, but judging by the response to my thread and the U2U's I've received, I highly doubt the majority of other members concur with that opinion.

[edit on 1/9/10 by CHA0S]

reply to post by blupblup


Not heard from you for a while, good and re-assuring to see your still here.

Yeah, another one bites the dust, predictable really when I think about it.

Shame, as some people were just beginning to open up and some good points were being raised.

Still..................??

reply to post by CHA0S


Well, it is. Pranks like that happen all time. We are a conspiracy site, hoaxes are always occurring. There were far greater hoaxes then WITD - which included numerous forums. Isn't that apart of ATS history, or are you just selective? Surely newer members need to be informed about all hoaxes. Isn't that fair?

May be this is why distinguished members leave. Irritation at those want to believe in external conspiracies about ATS, perhaps? I've lost count how many "The ATS Conspiracy thread" have been produced in the last seven years. It's an endless merry-go-around by those who believe EVERYTHING is a conspiracy.

Originally posted by Freeborn


Shame, as some people were just beginning to open up and some good points were being raised.

Still..................??

I've seen a few members of staff and owners talk in the past about "how would you like it if someone came to your house and then moaned about the food and just complained about everything and blah blah..." The rude house guest analogy....

Which IMO doesn't cut it really.... on an open and honest discussion board, people should be able to talk about whatever they wish and discuss both the good and bad points of anything, the site included.

But with the ever increasing numbers, don't want to give a bad impression now do we?

And we also (apparently) have one of these threads a week now, asking why people are leaving or questioning the direction ATS is taking.... as another poster said, doesn't that in itself speak volumes?

Oh yes.... that we're all just moaners and whingers and if we don't like it then go somewhere else.... I forgot, I remember the responses now.


I'm not even talking about the conspiracy stuff others are, I'm just talking about a good old fashioned conversation about the why's and where's of other members and about the site in general.

But yes... people change and they all left because their life dictated it...
I get it.


[edit on 1/9/10 by blupblup]

Originally posted by Terranaut

Originally posted by Karlhungis
Oh and taking away mutter was a bad move.

You were the Mutter King Karlhungis!

I had to laugh. Thank you.

Blup, freeborn,

I'm honestly not having a go at you but I want to ask a serious question if I may?

Why is the moving of a thread discussing the topic of ATS members with the word "members" in the title to the "Members" forum a problem? I mean, we all file stuff in the cabinet it belongs in right?

This moving threads to BTS to bury them theory seems flawed to me because even though BTS gets less traffic the threads remain visible for weeks on end ... if the wanted to 'bury' the subject they wouldn't they just close it?

Originally posted by schrodingers dog


Why is the moving of a thread discussing the topic of ATS members with the word "members" in the title to the "Members" forum a problem? I mean, we all file stuff in the cabinet it belongs in right?

Because most people don't log in to BTS or even know about it really.
It's a discussion about the site and one that all members should have a chance to read and get involved in.


We do file things in the right places yes, but It's just that all complaints are now filed either in BTS or done behind the scenes (complaint/suggestion form)

Again, fair enough.... keep a clean house and all that, don't air your dirty laundry... I get it.


I don't even have an issue with it really.... and I'm not (as I said) looking at it from a conspiracy angle.... just making observations on an open forum to be honest.... What was your point anyway?

This moving threads to BTS to bury them theory seems flawed to me because even though BTS gets less traffic the threads remain visible for weeks on end ... if the wanted to 'bury' the subject they wouldn't they just close it?

Yeah. but if people don't log in to BTS (and most don't) then it doesn't matter if they stayed for a year does it?


[edit on 1/9/10 by blupblup]

Firstly, I did not consider this an "ATS bashing" thread, which I can generally spot a mile away, don't like them, and don't post on them, unless somebody pushes my last button.

This thread was from a member I recognize, and the thoughts seemed to be sincere, and the concerns genuine and realistic.

Secondly, I have had to log in to BTS to post this. :bnghd:

But let me get this off my chest. I believe there ARE members who should be cut more slack, than say a new member who has not "earned" certain rights. You guys might not like that.

If someone has a full contribution bar, is highly respected and liked (even loved) by other members, and they "lose it" on a particular occasion, or concerning a subject they feel very passionate about, then yeah, I think they should be cut more slack.

I have been told by a Super Mod, that things are "talked out" behind the scenes with members. Private conversations that we, as members, might be unaware of, and I appreciate this. Why would Mods want to ban a highly prolific member who keepts the front page full of new topics with multiple flags? It doesn't make sense.

Let me wrap this up. I would like to see more "Warns" and more post bannings for longer periods of time, to give someone ample time to get their act together, rather than just *poof* permanently banned, gone forever.

The day/night might come when I get on a tear and nobody can quiet me. (Of course I have friends who will U2U me, and say "it's time to shut-up now). lol. But if I continued, I would rather get a U2U from a mod telling me "you need to cool your jets, and we are going to shut you down for a couple of weeks", rather than "You're outta here". Ya know?

(The toss side of that is there are some people whose banning I celebrate!, hehe).

I feel *friendship* and *affection* for people here, and it *ihurts* when they disappear over night. I'm thinking, God! Couldn't you just have shut him down for a month? Why ban him permanently?

So.