So, it's been almost two months since the initial move to our new server, and upgrades in forum software. Since that time, we've added:
- Overall graphic improvements
- Refined the forum home to include more information
- Obscure and secret colored ranking bars
- Removed the ability for guests to troll for member e-mails and AIM screen names
- Debate forum
- Collaborative fiction forum
- Integrated chat into the forum (members only)
- Added an "ignore" feature for out-of-control trolls
- Added a "vote" feature to allow members to pick the "Way Above" winner
- Moderators have a "warn" feature that helps manage the uncivilized
- Moderators have an "applaud" button to praise quality contributors
- Added an upload area for members to have a bit of on-server storage
- Many layers of server and XMB security you don't know about

Some of the things we're working on
- Integrated chess (harder than I thought, but getting there)
- Member blogs (most blog-generating software leaves a lot to be desired)
- Optimizing XMB code (it gets sluggish during busy hours)
- Improving main site (Bob88 has taken the horns of this bull)

And as many know, we're still working with some members on the overall concept of clans/clubs/groups/houses whatever. You can click here to join the discussion on that topic.

But now that we've added most of the features the forum staff has been discussing for the past year, we're wondering what our members would like? Or, what about ATS's changes over the past two months don't you like?

We have an exceptionally broad and diverse membership, spanning the spectrum from hyper-skeptical (levitationjunkie, I know you're reading this) to overly gullible... from just learning to express oneself, to university professors... and more... someone from every niche is here.

What would you like to see in your favorite online community?

Somebody must have something to suggest.

I want to see Illmatic67@abovetopsecret.com

yes what happened to member @abovetopsecret.com e-mail addies?

D'oh!

I knew someone would ask.

There are two things holding this up.

1- An easy-to-use automatic account generator. Now that I've upgraded the server, there are possibilities here.

2- SPAM! Our spam filters are good, but the spammers are better. I've promised the accounts will be anti-spam and I don't yet have a fool-proof anti-spam e-mail server (if anyone has any tricks, let me know). I'm looking at several tools for SPAM blacklists and reverse-lookup confirmation... more on this in the future.


I'm also looking at some ways to proactively fight spam fire with fire.

Ok, William. That's good news. Glad you guys are going forward with our addies

Oh, while your at it, why not give Illmatic67 a sixth star. j/k

Absence of suggestions could be a sign that the netizens are busy planning revolutions, or that they are generally happy with directions and the odd surprise.

dont make it where spam cannot get through, what may look like spam may actually be something we wish, i like hotmail's system personally, make it where everything that looks like spam goes into a seperate folder that is cleaned out periodically, the person can look through it, and if it is something that they want to recieve, they tell the e-mail that it's not spam

just a suggestion

revolution?! I love revolutions!



J/k nothing wrong with ATs.

(This almost needs it's own thread)

Over the past year, I've taken a proactive stance to fight spam. I serve on some industry panels on the very issue. It is a serious problem.

I'm not talking about legitimate messages you get from companies that you like to hear from. No. Instead, there are a definable (and growing) list of the worst offenders of monsterous amounts of spam mail of the worst kind. These are who I go after.

Any features on the mail.abovetopsecret.com that fight spam will be user-definable, so don't worry. Right now, Spam Assassin on our server does a fair job, but smart spammers have learned how to get around it. In many cases, aggressive spamers are just short of hackers.

I have a suggestion how bout a timer to see how long we have been on ats and it would carry over and accumilate so we could see hoe much time we spend on ats and like who spends the most time here.

I'd like to see a forum dedicated to those outside of the usa and staffed by them by region/country.
Oh, and chemtrails forums to keep the nuts out of my posts.

Bring back the words we can't say.

Why not???

Why have banned words???

It isn't like they are bigoted or anything, just controversial.

Isn't that what this site is about???

Controversy


Anyway, you said anything goes.

So are these words an execption???

I mean how many people actually know or even care what Jes-sup is???

Really, how many???

4000???

out of how many people on this Earth???

Hell 4000 is kind of far fetched if you ask me.

I would be surprised if there were even 400 out there who cared about what that word is or isn't.

I mean, it isn't even a word, yet it is banned???

I know why.

So do many others.

Yet is that a reason to keep people from saying it???

Trust me William.

I care not to say the word.

I only care that I can't say the word.

Once I know I can, I won't care anymore.

Until then I will be concerned.

Concerned with the freedoms here at ATS.


(Just one man's opinion, nothing to take seriously.)



Abraham

A forum for discussing corruption and conspericies involving medical / dental / physiological issues

Also a forum that deals with banking and monitary systems

I agree.

Good ideas Eye.


Abraham

I've sent you a U2U on this.

Words are limited for many reaons. One might be to ensure our URL is not banned from use in schools. Others are to make sure we're not indexed by Google, for one reason or another, on those words.

Freedom is always best enjoyed when earned, not received.

I would like to see the news updated more often with as many sources as possible. Some more smilies would be cool, I love those.

Everything has to be a conspiracy to AV.

I think banned words is a good idea.

Come on. I am merely trying to keep freedom abound and peace plentiful.

If you haven't noticed many people are on a crusade against William due to this censorship.

I am only trying to stop this fued.

If you can't see these fueds then take some time to observe why don't you???

Please 67 I want no trouble.

Don't give me any.

And no everything isn't a conspiracy.

Only the conspiracy is a conspiracy.

That is the biggest conspiracy of them all.

You See???

I think them "naughty" words are just fine, nothing at all wrong with them. As long as they aren't used every other word, what's the problem...