Time for some order, don't you think?

Sifting through the threads in this forum can prove tedious due to misleading titles and duplicate threads.

How many threads on a "grey alien in forest" do we need?

Why does a title say "Must Watch! Saucer Changing Colours", when all you see are some lights?

Maybe there a better way for us to start threads, including some keywords / acronyms within the title?

Alien Grey Found In Forest - Italy - 04/17/2011 [ET,V]
Must Watch! UFO Changing Colours - April 14 2011 [UFO:LIGHTS,VHD]

ET: Extraterrestrials / Aliens
UFO: UFOs with a type (SAUCER,ORB,LIGHTS,X)
V: Video footage
VHD: HD Video
P: Photos
PHD: High Resolution Photos
NPA: Newspaper Article
OWS: Official Website

Set a title out as:

Headline - Location / Date - [TYPE]

I know this won't stop all issues, but at least it would help categorise this forum somewhat.

Does anyone else have any other ideas? Sub forums maybe, keyword links to threads...

You forgot the obvious:

BS: utter hogwash

Extra rules wont work.
Lazy people who dont bother to do a search before posting wont be likely to follow any newly invented categorisation technique.

Some smart software would help. If it could automatically recognise what the user was posting about and match it with other posts and then put up a warning.

Or if moderators could keep a current list of half a dozen annoyingly rerereposted topics and new thread sarters have to acknowledge that they arent posting the same.

Or punishment. Repost a common thing and you get banned for a few days.
Wont help the first time, but it might make them think about doing it ever again.

Edit - not just about reposting threads, but also similar lines to do with sensible thread titles.

reply to post by MiTS1965


Then that wouldn't be posted here would it? That'd be posted in the Hoax forum.

Otherwise why would you post it if you knew it were BS..you'd be banned.

reply to post by dsm1664


S+F
I was considering posting something along the same lines .
We do need some kind of action to be taken as the current situation is getting ridiculous , with closed threads clearly visible on the first page of the A&U forum being reposted over and over .

I would suggest a temporary ban on thread creation to anyone who posts more that three reposts within a certain period .
If you can't be bothered to search or at least check the first page of the forum then action should be taken .

There also needs to be enforcement of the T&Cs regarding OP threads that consist of little more than " I found this what do you think " and then a video .

Yep I agree !! So much garbage ! So much of the same thing ! I wish people would use the search feature or atleast spend five minutes researching before posting a thread. Rather than posting at the bottom a lazy note to a mod "remove if already posted". As you said it may make searching easier if headings had some order. Who knows... Anyway maybe I should of posted this in rant... Bla bla bla Thanks for highlighting the subject.

reply to post by dsm1664


are you applying for moderator?

A very good idea.I hate looking at a thread and miss-led by the title.

That *must watch!! Flying sauser* was a prime example.

Its like taking a chick home from a bar and finding out she has a penis............kinda

This didnt happen to me btw.

Originally posted by sloppypeter
reply to post by dsm1664

 

are you applying for moderator?

Dear god, no.

I prefer to be the one in the shadows, pulling the strings of TPTB on ATS.

I have to agree that it is ridiculous how many threads are being duplicated.

I only registered about two to three days ago and have already seen over five threads all regarding a "Dead Alien Body". The people posting these are supposedly distinguished members too.

Since joining ATS I have not stopped using the search feature, there is so much already covered on here it seems there is at least a 98% chance that whatever you’re thinking about sharing with the community has already been posted.

I like the idea of using a technique to eliminate silly thread titles, but this may actually complicate things more when searching if all threads end up heavily abbreviated.

Just my thoughts anyway.

reply to post by sloppypeter


We should all moderate the forum , take some responsibility for keeping it the best UFO discussion forum on the net .
The Mods can't be everywhere at the same time , this is a big site , so when the need arises its down to the members to either alert the Mods or give advice to other members .
Just my opinion

Maybe add a duplicate thread program that blocks duplicate threads before completed and posted.

Man, you dont know how close I was to starting a thread exactly like this, but was going to call it "Naked Women Using Hula Hoops".

Yeah, I think your idea has some merit. Maybe a mandatory keyword drop down box for titles, ones that describe only what is in the thread without the "Globe" or "National Inquirer" effect added to it.

I think that people should just stop posting things that are irrelevant to the cause.

reply to post by RainboStar


"the cause" - Interesting way of putting it. Makes this sound like 'V'.

It's not just the cr@p that get put on here, it's also the good threads that go OTT on the title. The content maybe great, but it gets lost amongst the rest. If at least the quality posters started to use some consistent method of writing titles, these quality threads should stand out.

I like to know going into a thread what to expect, and some type of information in the title would help.

This makes me not want to read it, I don't expect much:

"Crazy UFO outside my house!!!!"

Even at the very least something like this, which we do see quite a bit:

"Crazy Video Daytime UFO! - Texas - 20th April 2011"

Before I click on it, I expect to see a video that was filmed in Texas on 20th April 2011, and of course some background on the video and comments from the OP.

(1) i think it should be mandatory that all op's use the search function before they post a thread
(2) if somebody does a repost they should have their stars and flags they received for said post taken back
(3) if a person does this 3 times they are banned for 3 months from posting threads
these measures or something similar should make people search for same topic before they post