Get rid of points system on ATS.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
Perusal plus pre-planned posting prevent piss poor pointless prattle.

Too funny,...but I like points too.

At first it may seem the object of desire, but after awhile it is almost a non issue, unless you want to shop the store.

[edit on 27-6-2004 by smirkley]

okay while we're on the topic, i have a question about the bars. Why do some people who have 50k points have a really small bar while people with 8k points have a full bar?
correct me if i am wrong but does the color of the bar represent that you participated in some ATS event?

Also i think the point idea is great, although i do tend to be conservative and probably wont spend them until i have enough for everything (excluding webmail)

infinite ATS Points: 26666
Nice number

The three factors I know of,..

The bar size represents post number quantity you have made,..

The redder the bar, means the more awards from staff for quality posts you have received,..(which also gets you points)

and the points reflect your posts in certain forums, along with points for followup posts in the same threads by you and others.

The points and the color of the bar reflect the quality of the posts made, in the number of posts made, in most cases, by any particular member.
(excluding contest points)



edit,..and if you spend them of course the points go down, but the bar size and color do not change...i think that is all of it






[edit on 27-6-2004 by smirkley]

Originally posted by Illmatic67
I only have 8,000 points but I know I've contributed more to this board than most of the people who have 20,000; 50,000; and even the 100,000+ people.

Get rid of the system.

There you go again with your "Im so super uber old schoool yipeeeee"

Get a life. If by adding to this board you mean spamming the same old clunky responses then I agree.

I say this thread has no point, the points system will be here for a while. Like the boolean search.

Why, really, do we have 'points'?

I don't know if this is the idea the mods/admins had, but when I look at/for points a user I'm replying to has I'm really looking for a quality or credibility level. I want to know if I can trust that this 'person' is as smart as they sound... or as experienced as they might seem to be.

I'm not really looking for max posts that have been written back to them... I'm looking for a number that can tell me if they've been written junk, propaganda, or something serious people have taken notice of.

The problem lies in that real world and board politics, along with cultural perceptions and grudges, can influence how 'serious' someone is taken to be. The numbers we assign to posts are always somewhat arbitary... outside of the current system where size and responses are factored in..

So what is ATS to do? How can you define the (arguably) arbitrary... especially if it is IMPORTANT for CREDIBLE conspiracy sites to have CREDIBILITY ratings? Well, right now, I think ATS is doing the best it can do... silly posts might rise and gain mega points for awhile... but if their original posters don't make sense their credibility --- and thus future posting weight -- will decline considerably. However, ATS still awards points (or so I understand) to raw participation in some cases. I think that, if everyone else is also interested in a 'credibility rating', that it might be worthwhile to incorporate a quality/poor quality vote into reading threads (I know ATS had a rating system that was abandoned). Simply put... if a poster receives X number of 'quality' votes a month they might recieve a certain point reward. If they get a certain number of 'poor quality' votes they could lose points. Such a system could offset randomn popular gains in points.

I hope I've made sense and not made too many spelling mistakes. Essentially, I think a mixed system would be best where points were added up as they are now.... but are added to or detracted from based on quality ratings.

O
Everyone who's posted on ATS is going to have an idea about how 'points' should be calculated based on their personal ATS history. Sorry... but this is reality...

darn...
I made an editing mistake above.


Essentially, I'm saying that it is necessary to have quality ratings on conspiracy sites. Since a few judges might otherwise skew the votes, it's necessary to have a popular vote... one that could be translated as total responses.

At the same time, there might only be a few responses to 'quality' posts. So.. what I'm saying (not complaining about the current system) is that you ca take the points someone now receives through participation and add/subtract based on popular quality votes (take the old quality system and reduce it to good/bad). In this way, a great post that had only 2 responses, but that recieved 8 'quality' votes could recieve ATS points equal to that of a "I am Rudolf the Reindeer" thread that had 20 replies.

If you don't like points, pretend you don't have any.

If it bothers you to look at someone else that has more points than
you. Pretend THEY have no points.

Get my point?

Originally posted by Agent47

Originally posted by Illmatic67
I only have 8,000 points but I know I've contributed more to this board than most of the people who have 20,000; 50,000; and even the 100,000+ people.

Get rid of the system.

There you go again with your "Im so super uber old schoool yipeeeee"

Get a life. If by adding to this board you mean spamming the same old clunky responses then I agree.

I say this thread has no point, the points system will be here for a while. Like the boolean search.

This thread does have a point! Read the first post if you havn't. It's about useless posting for points. That is the point of the thread!

Keep moving nothing to see here. Bla Bla Bla........ Why cry about it if you dont like it, dont pay any mind. Just because it is there, it dont mean you have to us it. Maybe SO can just turn off the people that dont like it.

Spittincobra you're right, I don't care anymore as long as nobody else does. Let them post as they wish.

Thread closed or a mod can do it if I can't.

Originally posted by SpittinCobraMaybe SO can just turn off the people that dont like it.

Not a bad idea, but it will cost you 1,000 points first...

I like the points system and it does make you work hard. I tried to garner points at first with my chemtrails question but quickly realized that quality points are what matter if you have any pride whatsoever. I've worked hard for my points, as SO can testify. In fact, the points system also incents you to want to help this community from a technical perspective. I helped out and received some extra points. Will I help out again - you bet. Will I help out again if even for no points - you bet - the points I received the first time was more than generous enough for me. Don't get me wrong though, I love earning points just like I love earning money.

Points are for most people, a sign of their longevity on the board along with the quality of their contributions. I compare it to the old ragingbull site before they thoroughly f--ked it up. I had five out of five stars because I contributed to the site and its forums and members enjoyed my contributions. It's like a credibility rating.

Of course, there are those who would abuse such a system; and when they are found they tend to disappear (well, the newbies at least).

Just my .08 (.02 per paragraph in order to maximize the points I get for this post!!)


[EDIT]: Wow, 85 points for my response here? LOL

[edit on 6/28/2004 by titian]

It's very simple Points are a way to reward the individual for their participation in ats by offering additional board services for their points. It makes no sense to use them as any kind of status symbol, since you loose them when you spend them.

Copy and plagiarize for maximum pharming technique. Of course change it up slightly to cover yer tracks, lol

more bs filler = mo points which you can use to enter heaven.

[Edited on 28-6-2004 by Lysergic]