It's time to add the ability to 'red-x' a post too

I think it's time to start the process of better weed clearing that is growing more rampantly here.
Meaning, posts with no substance that just imply 'that's stupid, idiot', 'ya, sure', or whatever form of weediness....
Here's a sort of democratic way of both accomplishing adding the ability to voice disagreement without adding a short post that basically just says you disagree, and pulling weeds...

You could add the inverse of starring to any post.

Maybe a button on the top right where you can red-x a post to express disagreement/disapproval.

The red-x's can also start piling up from right to left like stars from left to right.

Then the policy is that the post gets purged as pollution when there's a certain number of red x's.

Thanks!

Not the first time this has been suggested and it's stupid every time.

If this is implemented, then only one view point will be expressed.

Instead, you should be calling for the staff to actually handle those kinds of posts. They say we have to "make every post matter" and one liners are strictly forbidden. But they aren't really...of course they will say we need to flag them but when mods are posting in the same thread that one liners are rampant what are we to think? that it is ok.

But to reiterate your proposal, it wouldn't really work. We'd have forum gangs coming around nixing all the things they don't agree with.

reply to post by Timelab


If a post violates T&Cs report it.

Anything else is opinion about someone's opinion and there is far too much of that partisan crap as it is.

Differing opinions do not deserve to be blacklisted than ganged up on to be removed

If one does not agree with a post or does not like it, use some logic and debate it. If one does not like or disagrees with a post, simply do not star it.

Posts are ONLY removed for T&C violation, not differing of opinion. One line posts such as you described can be alerted and staff will handle We already have rules on "one line non-contributing posts"


Warnings about one-line posts - read HERE
One Line or less Responses or "me too" atta-boy comments contribute nothing to the discussion. These include rows of smilies, "you're wrong", or other similar short responses.

Originally posted by eNumbra
reply to post by Timelab

 

If a post violates T&Cs report it.

Anything else is opinion about someone's opinion and there is far too much of that partisan crap as it is.

Why isn't starring a post also 'an opinion about someone's opinion'?
Why is there a means for simple approval without an equal way to voice a simple disapproval?
I'm really more talking about non-violating posts in general, not really the one-liners, sorry to mislead.

I don't see why one half of a practice is encouraged and expected to be mostly used responsibly, but the other half is pre-expected to not be used mostly responsibly. (the operative word is mostly in both cases, there is surely always misuse).

Maybe your greater experience than mine tells you that if given this 'weapon', the forum will suddenly become rampant with misuse of this freedom. There's some typical societal fears and assumptions there about giving freedoms, isn't there?

I'll concede that it's a bad idea for enough red-x's to delete a post, though. That might prevent the ganging up you fear.

I remain on the side that it's worth a try.
Thanks for your reponses.

Originally posted by Timelab

Originally posted by eNumbra
reply to post by Timelab

 

If a post violates T&Cs report it.

Anything else is opinion about someone's opinion and there is far too much of that partisan crap as it is.

Why isn't starring a post also 'an opinion about someone's opinion'?
Why is there a means for simple approval without an equal way to voice a simple disapproval?
I'm really more talking about non-violating posts in general, not really the one-liners, sorry to mislead.

It is, and there are still issues regarding people starring buddies and smartass comments that deride someone they disagree with.

People, I think have a greater tendancy towards negativity so I see no problems promoting the better half of the issue.

I have facepalmed dozens of times to posts that have been starred to hell and back and as much as I would love to simply take away some of the stars, the stars themselves are meaningless because they are just opinions on opinions. (pats on the back)

Stars are great simply to allow people to say they agree without cluttering the thread with posts consisting of nothing more than "I Agree". Dissenting opinion is better fully expressed.

Actually, my suggestion would be instead of just a flag option for a post, why not a 'Thumbs up' or 'Thumbs Down' system for the actual thread?

Like the thread? UP!

Don't like? DOWN!

Let's see what others really think. Might reduce the negative posts if someone can just voice a simple 'DOWN' that is seen at the top of the thread instead of ripping on the OP.

A vote of green UP thumbs and red DOWN thumbs would be fair IMO.

Nearly every forum I am a member of, including a couple I mod on, have taken down negative rating systems because they are so open to abuse.

It's not a workable idea, and has been discussed loads of times on ATS already - in fact, there's usually a thread every few months asking the same questions and getting the same answers.

The rating system here is fine - don't like it? Don't flag or star it: it really is that simple.

Originally posted by budski
Nearly every forum I am a member of, including a couple I mod on, have taken down negative rating systems because they are so open to abuse.

It's not a workable idea, and has been discussed loads of times on ATS already - in fact, there's usually a thread every few months asking the same questions and getting the same answers.

The rating system here is fine - don't like it? Don't flag or star it: it really is that simple.

Thats ok but we have threads on here DEBUNKED by the 3rd or 4th post still being s&f 20 pages later because most people on here read the OP and if its their belief they DONT read any other posts.

If a thread is DEBUNKED why not have some way of showing on the OP thats been done! or at least a direct link to the POST that debunks it!

reply to post by wmd_2008


If a thread is debunked it's moved to the hoax forum, I think.

reply to post by Timelab


Maybe a solution would be to show how many of a user's friends consider the thread to be . I've seen a system like this on another site (can't mention the name of course). It shows the user name of any friends who mark a post as being a certain way (e.g., spam, hoax).

This allows for users to work together. If someone has a similar "voting history" as someone else, then those users help each other out by flagging things they come across.

So, I might be more likely to check out something that a friend of mine has flagged, and I'm more likely to ignore something that he or she marked as trolling or hoax or whatever. (Voting criteria should be specific to this site.)

So, the display is tailored to each person based on their friends. It can make things easier.

Originally posted by wmd_2008

Originally posted by budski
Nearly every forum I am a member of, including a couple I mod on, have taken down negative rating systems because they are so open to abuse.

It's not a workable idea, and has been discussed loads of times on ATS already - in fact, there's usually a thread every few months asking the same questions and getting the same answers.

The rating system here is fine - don't like it? Don't flag or star it: it really is that simple.

Thats ok but we have threads on here DEBUNKED by the 3rd or 4th post still being s&f 20 pages later because most people on here read the OP and if its their belief they DONT read any other posts.

If a thread is DEBUNKED why not have some way of showing on the OP thats been done! or at least a direct link to the POST that debunks it!

Debunked according to whose criteria?

I've lost count of the number of times I've read that someone has "debunked" something, only for it to be nothing of the sort - it's like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.
The simplest and easiest way for some on here to detract from a thread they don't like, seems to be to point out some opposing evidence or point of view and then scream "IT'S BEEN DEBUNKED"

If it's not true, it'll be put in the hoax forum, until then, "debunked" is just another troll tactic designed to deflect attention away from something they don't like.

reply to post by budski


Have a look at the 111 giga pixel picture thread for a nice example.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

A link in the OP if followed up EXPLAINS how the picture was taken with a Canon DSLR on a hi tech tripod attachment and is composed of 1665 - 21MP pictures stitched together and processed on a computer for 94 hours to produce the image.

The link was given did many people bother to look NO!!!

No to IDIOT posters on here it was some kind of new hitech spy camera and we get comments like
NASA SHOULD HAVE THAT!

Myself and a couple of others posted the info but pages later it was still some new secret hitech system.

So it DIDNT need to be DEBUNKED but in the end it had to BE, SO whats your comment re threads like that then MR SMART A**

YOU SEE SOME THINGS CAN BE DEBUNKED!!!! AND ARE NOT AN OPINION BUT ARE FACT!!!

reply to post by wmd_2008



This isn't the forum for that, and I will not enter into a discussion about it.

Sounds to me like you have a bee in your bonnet - just take your hat off, and it'll be different.

This comes up all the time in one way or another.

It will never happen. It will be abused. If you don't like a thread just ignore it. Is it that hard to do?

There are plenty of threads I wish didn't exist but you know what I do? I just don't look at them, I move on.

Any kind of system where you can negatively flag or post on a thread will be abused by people.

Not a good idea.