A suggestion for the Debate forum

I have been spending a good bit of time reading in the debate forum lately and it saddens me to see that the forum really does not get the attention is deserves. The debates I have read have been very very good, but I feel like a lot of our members here simply do not see the debates.

A lot of content comes across the site and many times, at least in my case, in an attempt to keep up I usually do not going into any specific forums but choose to look at the "recent post" to see what the active topics are. Now that the debate forum is once again active, many times the debate threads to do not show up in the recent post section. It is understandable how that happens based on the time it takes to reply and wait on a reply from your opponent, but this just tends to bury the topic down the list of other more active and newer threads.

So I began wondering how could we get more people to see these debates? Fact is, if I do not intentionally make it a point to go into the debate forum itself to see what is new, I would have no idea it was an active forum. Is it possible to make a spot on the main page strictly for current debates?

reply to post by MrWendal


I also use the "recent posts" page as my "home" and spend most of my time there. But what you can do is go to the debates forum and add it to your favorites, and then get into the habit of opening the "my ATS" tab every so many refreshes... that will keep you informed of the new posts in any forum you wish to keep up with.

~Heff

There's a lot of activity as the debates get going in swing again, give it time, it will get the attention it deserves

Originally posted by vkey08
There's a lot of activity as the debates get going in swing again, give it time, it will get the attention it deserves

Sounds like a potential debate, vkey, no?

Well I do go to the Debate forums when I remember to do so. The last time I visited the forum I saw several that I some how missed and they were great topics and very very good debates and I just found it so sad that unless you make a specific point of visiting that forum, you really just kind of miss it. Then it occurred to me that if I miss it as often as I do, I am probably not the only one.

Still I don't think it is a bad idea to give it a spot on the home page. If we look at the home page now, there are 5 spots for breaking news, 5 for Politics and another 5 spots for off topic chit chat. It would be kind of cool to give just one spot for a debate. It might help to draw some attention to the forum. At least that was my thoughts on it anyway.

reply to post by MrWendal


Thanks for this post Mr Wendal.

Having just gone to the forum and had the pleasure of reading a few of the most recent, I concur that the new topics page could use a "reference system" of sorts to bring to members' attention very good and valid points about topics that are raised and discussed.

For example - The Moon landing. This is raised quite often and the usual tennis match ensues. What would be good to see is that when an individual starts a thread we have a reference to the relevant debate noted in the section at the top of the page (just below the flags and above the first opener - where the forum explanation is). This would allow:

1. The OP to familiarize him/herself with documentation and links which he/she may have been unaware of.
2. An easy link for not only the OP but also subsequent respondents to reference in their arguments.
3. A "consensus" of sorts for all to see: ie; X debated Y, The Mod results confirmed a "tie" due to better technical skills in debating by Y but X had more valid points related to the debate subject.
4. It would give all members a benchmark for manners and decorum that is expected when posting on ATS.

This, in turn, would allow for a degree of credence to be placed on the overall ATS "mindset" behind those subjects we all find interesting.

I have never entered into official "debates" at school or here but if the debate was referenced at the beginning of threads it may open up the doors considerably to the debate forums current user base - which actually has some of the best minds on ATS discussing the great unknown.

My 2c

NB: Heff - start a thread on your NDE - Id love to hear about it in as much detail as possible. My wife had one and it upset her greatly for a very long time, taking 10 years to even mention it to anyone other than myself - to this day she will start shaking when discussing it - it was as real as the nose on ones face.

Maybe the mods could make the current debates "stick" to the top of the "recent posts" page.

A humble suggestion

Originally posted by adjensen

Originally posted by vkey08
There's a lot of activity as the debates get going in swing again, give it time, it will get the attention it deserves

Sounds like a potential debate, vkey, no?

Would love another one, noone will bite though

I've noticed that some of the mods official Board and Business threads will pop up periodiaclly in the Recent Posts page even though nobody posted in them recently. They seem to have it set up so that they automatically appear there on a regular basis for members who may have missed them the first time around.

Maybe the owners could set it up so that Debates that are currently active do the same thing. That way, more people might be able to see them even if there hasn't been an active post in a while.

I also support the idea of having at least one box on the home page devoted to a current debate topic.

Originally posted by vkey08

Originally posted by adjensen

Originally posted by vkey08
There's a lot of activity as the debates get going in swing again, give it time, it will get the attention it deserves

Sounds like a potential debate, vkey, no?

Would love another one, noone will bite though

U2U me with any subjects you want to have a go at, and if I'm competent at any of them, you're on

I definitely agree the debates aren't getting enough marketing. I only recently discovered them, and found them to be some of the best stuff on the site.

Looking forward to taking on some fighters once I've got some more time as a member under my belt.