New type of R.A.T.S board

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by Raud

 

Hey buddy!

Long time no speak!

I like the idea but I feel it will drive further wedges between people, like this WATS contributor thingo.

People will have a sad if there was an "exclusive" forum for what could be described as the Moderators "favourites", since applauses are given out by mods.

Yoz!
Great to have you present in the thread.
I don't know about the wedges; the "regular" members (please, misunderstand me right here) have more or less the entire ATS to roam and do whatever in. All I ask for is 1 lousy forum where the atmosphere is a bit different. Besides, this is a private homepage. In the end, the owners are not prone to follow any common laws towards their members. They can ban, kick and edit any way they like, more or less at least.

This WATS thing I have no idea what is up with that. Should I?

Originally posted by anitawee
I remember back in the day I posted everyday in order to get enough credits so that i could enter RATS. I think it was something like 5000 credits for a months entrance.

Hehe, I remember struggling too to get into R.A.T.S but for me it was all about a thread I wanted to post there.

Originally posted by Seiko
To have a proper debate you should hear the unpopular opinions as well as the applauded.

Well, yes. That is why there are a lot of boards at ATS that are open to anyone (to begin with). But for us who post "things have declined at ATS"-threads every now and then would probably stop with that if we could have our own room for grown ups (that sounded totally wrong but I had to write it anyway for the heck of it).

SOUNDS reasonable enough to me.

Might depend on the entry level criteria.

Would need to be high enough to limit shallow 'riff-raff' (LOL)

while allowing more or less maximum seriouis folks.

Could be a tricky judgment call.

However, given the reasons for applause . . . and those metering out same and their values and predelections . . . it would be interesting to see if the assumptions about it resulting in a higher class/level of discourse would really occur.

Applause probably has at least a very SIGNIFICANT component of mod biases . . . usually.

reply to post by BO XIAN


Thank you for the input.

FACT:
The ATS staff has at some point decided to have a "closed" forum for some reason. They named that forum R.A.T.S
To limit access, they first had a limit of a certain number of points and sort of a subscription fee.
Then they changed all that, making the new limit only determined by a (very low) number of posts.
WTH?

If there is to be a closed forum, and if the reason for that is to have a "cleaner" level of discussions in there, the applause-limit that I propose would be the most effective way to ensure that.
The guidelines that the mods have to award with applauses can't be that specific.
As long as a member is willing to focus on quality instead of quantity, stick to the T&C, show manners and decorum, apply self-criticism and be able to take criticism and scepticism from other members without freaking out, apply basic forms of source criticism on their gathered material, they'd end up getting applauses every now and then.
Are these rules totally far out? I really don't think so.

What surprises me however is how little mod involvement there is in this thread so far.
Can't we hear from the owners/top staff soon? That'd be grand!

reply to post by Raud


I think you make a reasonable argument.

I'd like to see it tried.

I think I've upped the quality of my postings a good bit . . . particularly recently.

And it's been a year or longer since I've received any applause. LOL. That's probably a good thing. I'd rather applause's were handed out carefully than casually.

So your criteria would probably be much better than a low level of points.

What number of applause's would you propose.

I think I only have 10.

reply to post by anitawee


Just to extend my Idea....

So to stop trolling...If its feasible, only lets members with applauses post replys to the selected threads inside RRATS.

So anyone who has contributed a certain amount to the site from posting etc can view RRATS.
Only the moderaters can put threads in RRATS, primarily from moving them from RATS.

Btw the first part of my Idea is on page1 of this thread.

So as you can see my idea isn't flawed. It just depends on whether the website technician can implement it.

reply to post by BO XIAN


Oh, what limit it should be I have no idea. That would be up for the staff to decide.
I think I have 30 of 'em which isn't much really after almost 5 years in business.

reply to post by Raud


I guess I've been a signed ATSer for more than 6 years.

However, until recently, my posting was very occasional . . . sometimes once in 1-3 months or so.

My rate of applause was evidently higher then! LOL.

Ahhhh welll . . . here's some applause for your thread:

.

reply to post by BO XIAN

(read with hillbilly-accent)
That there can positively be the most heart-warming applause I ever did get!


Still no mods/staff interested in this topic?

reply to post by Raud


how do you know when you have had applause

wait spell check


also would we with little or no applause still be able to read these threads ?

but I still disagree and long for the days when researchers like Valhall investigating Katrina camps first hand and reporting back, or Mike Singh (sp?) debating space anomalies, or even the guys in weaponry talking about the latest secret weapons

Now those are names I haven't heard in years. To this day I still reference her piece on the history of Marijuana.

About the RATS thing. What about the members that have been here from the start (like myself) but choose to remain "in the background", are you going to exclude them just because they don't contribute and have all these warm fuzzy applauses?

Shadow is right the true warriors of deny ignorance have moved on. This site has sold out and it is no longer as it use to be. sorry off topic but it's been gnawing at me for sometime now.

reply to post by maryhinge


The applause is accompanied with an U2U informing you about it. Then you'll see it in your profile, in the left side column.

The details of how that kind of forum would work out I haven't figured out just yet. Giving it strict access denial unless you are permitted does add to heightened expectations which can result in disappointment (as we've seen plenty of in RATS today), but maybe the motivation to join a closed part of ATS has to be fuelled by some shroud of secrecy?
There are plenty of material in RATS that do belong outside the general boards. Just sneak around for a bit and you'll find em.

reply to post by rancid1


I feel you, and let it be known that I have nothing but sincere respect for the veteran members.
However, I see people with ATS history way longer than mine and still all they post is crap!
I don't think the length of membership applies here, sorry.

Hehe, but there could be ianother forum opening for members who joined during the first shaky 3 or so years! That would be cool

I would love to see something like this. I also long for the days when ATS had more serious content. I didn't actually join until 2007, but I lurked for a couple of years reading fascinating things. Although I am usually too late to start a thread because someone beats me to the punch, I have contributed to the forums and have earned a few applauses myself. I still contribute my opinions here and there, but sometimes it does feel as if the 4chan crowd has infiltrated and there are too many moronic threads and comments to wade through now. Not that I am for supressing "free speech", but a more serious forum for the more serious posters would be nice.

Originally posted by purplemer
Its a good idea.. Im not sure if I would get in though I only got five applauses

Originally posted by Rising Against
I think that's actually quite a nice idea...

Originally posted by Chadwickus
I like the idea [...]

(hehe, a little arbitrary editing of your post there mate, hope you don't mind)

Originally posted by BO XIAN
I think you make a reasonable argument.
I'd like to see it tried.

Originally posted by tallcool1
I would love to see something like this.

Mods...?
Can we have some input here, plixx?

On one hand, I do agree with this.
On the other, I don't have any applause, so I'd be excluded.
I'm not a troll

reply to post by CodyOutlaw


Awards don't come cheap, and they shouldn't either.
Think hard, pay attention and consider your posts and threads twice before submitting and those applauses will start rolling in!

reply to post by Raud

got my first one today for my reply to your thread
off a MOD cool
ps plus 500 points

reply to post by Raud

I admit I don't head over to RATS very often, just never enough time.

I don't think RATS is one of the busier forums on ATS.
And, while your idea might be a good one, I don't know how hard it would be to code something like that....that even fewer members would use.

And, how would you staff it, as many mods don't really have all that many applause: we don't get them once we are staff

Also, I do think that the Overlord is a busy guy, though, keeping things running smoothly

reply to post by DontTreadOnMe



Hello DontTreadOnMe and thank you for your input!

Maybe you are right that this kind of forum would attract a much smaller portion of members, but maybe that is the whole point?
Applause limit could be set fairly low; maybe 10 as was previously suggested.
That mods couldn't get any more after they've reached that status I had no idea, though it makes sense. I don't think there is a single mod here that has less than 10 applauses however.

Maybe this threads' topic is drifting to more be about the true value of an applause and how that value could be turned into good use?

I hope to get more input from other high-ranking mods and also from the staff.