The Beast with a thousand posts: Threads that go on for pages, and pages

It is almost a second job keeping up with the posts on ATS. God forbid you miss a day when there is a really hot topic.

Countless times, I have come on only to find a topic of interest that had already grown into hundreds of posts before I could even read the OP. Once read, you want to make a comment, but as a responsible contributor, you don't want to just say the same thing one or more others have said. So you start working your way through, and along the way new comments or new information is added and you need to add that to the reply. If you manage to make it through the hour or more it may take you to get through everything, you either have made dozens of individual posts, or possible one long post with dozens of replies, some to people who have probably stopped following.

It would be nice if there was a page count for threads, say 8 or 10 pages, that would activate a summary post. Mods for forums would be responsible for creating these summaries that would have bullet information with pertinent quotes that outline the thread development to that point. That way, on the topic at hand, people just discovering a thread that has grown so large can get in without having to wade through pages and hours of relevant and non-relevant posts. From the op, there would be an option to jump to the summary, and continue to next summary from each successive one.

Does anyone else think this is a good idea? Or am I the only one who has an issue with this?

who would make the decision on what was relevant and what was non-relevant?
I am new to this site and quite enjoy the long threads as they are usually very interesting with a lot of hard work done by the participants who have spent countless hours researching and debating the subject.
If I am interested in a thread I don't mind reading all the information

reply to post by Wolf321


i have that issue too but i just take info and throw a point in on those threads, Like if its about ufos and aliens coming to earth and eating our brains then it switches to aliens who create zombies to eat our brains i just throw in something like Hey guys what about if the aliens were zombie hybrids! just try to throw in the last idea posted and expand on it, let it go from there, My sugjestion.

reply to post by Wolf321


I know what you mean, it's happened to me a lot of times. But I think that the mods already have their hands full. Especially these days with the threads about OBL's death, given that some people seem to post without using the search function, so there are several threads on the same subject.

Maybe there could be a solution, but until then I think we'll just have to read through all the pages. Or at least the last couple of them, where we're more likely to find answers to what we wanted to post in the first place.

Great Idea!!!

reply to post by Casandra



Well, maybe they need more mods. They may not even need to be mods, but perhaps something altogether new. Something along the line of an archivist or content expert, they could have a Thread Condenser.

It's really hard sometimes when you get threads like this and this that reach 50 pages in a day.

There has to be a better way. I would love to hear some other solutions, but more importantly, I would like to see the owners take on this elephant in the room.

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by Casandra

 

Well, maybe they need more mods. They may not even need to be mods, but perhaps something altogether new. Something along the line of an archivist or content expert, they could have a Thread Condenser.

It's really hard sometimes when you get threads like this and this that reach 50 pages in a day.

There has to be a better way. I would love to hear some other solutions, but more importantly, I would like to see the owners take on this elephant in the room.

Yeah, I'm following the Fox news one too. I had to read ALL pages and it was kind of frustrating seeing the same point being argued over and over again

I like the Thread Condenser idea

Still... who could do it? I mean, you'd have to read through all the threads and we know that mods already have a hard time with the trolls and T&C violations, they can't be everywhere.

So, maybe volunteers for each forum? We have to remember that members have a life outside too, maybe they won't have the time it takes. How many people would be needed for something like this?

Originally posted by JackieO
who would make the decision on what was relevant and what was non-relevant?

Mods responsible for those forums.

There are basically a few characteristics to look for and track: Topic at hand, significant new information since OP or last summary, and counter points.

Significant items would be answers or evidence presented towards the OP.

Someone coming in on a 25 page thread might only have to read the OP and 4 or so summaries and be able to jump right in, avoiding a lot of the off topic comments, banter and responses that are essentially the same.

It would also help keep a thread on topic, and if the discussion does grow, it can be clear where it originated from. I hate jumping from an OP discussing the new Bilderberg agenda to page 36 to see the conversation about Jesus being an Annunaki trying to conceive how we got to that.

Originally posted by Casandra
Still... who could do it? I mean, you'd have to read through all the threads and we know that mods already have a hard time with the trolls and T&C violations, they can't be everywhere.

So, maybe volunteers for each forum? We have to remember that members have a life outside too, maybe they won't have the time it takes. How many people would be needed for something like this?

I don't know how many it would take. It would depend on the thread page barrier. Not all threads get to 5 or 8 or 10 pages. The mods, or Thread Condensers (TC) of a forum might only have to be worrying about a handful of threads. Some forums needing more than others, so more in that area. The thread authors could be part of it as well, perhaps as a secondary to the TC.

The fact that we have lives outside of ATS is exactly why I would like to see this. I have spent way more time than I should trying to read such long threads.

Maybe the OP is responsible once the thread hits 10+ pages.

Realistically, the OP should be the one reading each post, and have the most vested interest.

The Mods could come up with a generic example of how to create a summary, and the OP edits it and inserts, which the mods then review?

reply to post by ExCommando


Perhaps that is one solution, but I think that two points must be met in any case.

First, these summary posts should stand out and look different from a normal post, in color and style. Likewise, there should be some general content template, much like a breaking news post.

Second, they must be automatic. Meaning, they would be the first post at the top of the page after each thread page barrier. The op or mods would then be responsible for updating it.

reply to post by Wolf321


We'd either need to get a whole lot more mods or perhaps have some sort of automated summary system but I'm definitely for the idea of some kind of thread overview. Sometimes I'll see a thread on an interesting topic and if it already has 6-10 pages I don't even bother because whatever I have to say has probably already been said.

reply to post by Titen-Sxull


I know what you mean. I only hope the owners or webmasters take note of this thread and see the merit and feasibility of it.

Why pass up the opportunity to improve ATS and make it a more enjoyable and engaging experience?

This is entirely the fault of some of our newer memebers who don't have the respect or the love to actually read a thread before their twitchy troll fingers have to fire off a response. Start reporting the jackasses.

Under the User Name of the offender click on the "member" dropdown and choose "Alert"

Type in the following.

Spamming & not reading the thread

This was answered on page [insert page number]
by member [insert members name]

Click on send.


A mod will check it and take appropriate action if merited. Once the twitch trolls start getting slapped with spamming violations they will stop valuing speed over quality.

Doing this type of alert is something only our more thoughtfull and considerate members, the ones who actually read an entire thread, will be capable of.

Power to the people baby!


David Grouchy

reply to post by davidgrouchy


Excellent comment.

I've only been on ATS for a week now, but it always surprises me to read the last post (when there have been 100+ posts), and it's 1 line, stating the obvious.

Especially when that obvious 1 line has been explored in minute detail.

I didn't realise that was a posting offense, and am very glad you've told me

reply to post by davidgrouchy


That may be part of the problem, but I think that in a really good thread, one with a lot good discussion that grows to length, it would be useful to see the understanding or revelation made from 8 or so posts, back and forth between two members, condensed into a bullet to catch people up to speed to a given point when the thread has 327 posts.

I think it would be pretty nice to open a thread that is 52 pages, read the OP and then if I like it, click Read Summaries. Then I would be able to read a page or two of summaries, and be able to start contributing. Elapsed time, minutes vs the hour or more without. Then I have more time to read and post to more threads, yeah!

Just do it yourself if you feel the need.
auto summarizer
www.makeuseof.com...
www.greatsummary.com...

reply to post by Wolf321


I tend to agree with you but I do think its the responcibility of the OP of a particular thread. Something should at least be considered like a post tag that only the OP sees and can activate as a summery as they see fit.

To be honest I've lost count of how many times I haven't bothered to comment because I don't have time to read the whole thing and I get drawn to something else. Now that may be just me (I wonder) yet perhaps there are others that move on without posting.

Good points OP and I must say daring of you -flag

reply to post by Wolf321


It's a nice idea but to be honest the mods already have enough to do, I think a little bit of common sense and experience will prevail however to be completely honest, nearly every thread I've ever read has input from members repeating the same point over and over, it's the nature of the best...

For what its worth as someone who authors some monster threads that can at times accumulate hundreds of pages, I always welcome and enjoy hearing every members opinion or position on the subject.

If they have a question I have answered 50 times already and it's time consuming to look up multiple links I might refer them back to an earlier point in the thread (this annoys some skeptics and would be debunkers) but if it's not a half hour project to answer the question(s) for the 51st time. I don't mind.

Stars are great in that they can be a fairly accurate indicator of how many people share or support an opinion or position, but they don't identify who all really is.

So I always appreciate it, and honestly the bump on the recent posts board that expose the thread to others who might not have seen it yet too.

That's just me, I know everyone is a bit different.