ATS, BTS, What would you like to see in the future?

I originally posted this over on this thread Seeking Support for a New ATS Forum and someone helpfully suggested to post it here, so I took the quote and added it here.

Yo Dave, for this idea you owe me -(my negative score)

Anywho when I click a link to an article I want it to go to the last page at which I left a comment first (instead of having to find that page again). I know this is simply to do, easy and will save you bandwidth.

P.S. Sort this stupid negative score, it all began because your "mods" deleted half the posts on TU24 thread and I was caught in the misfire, sure some of it is my own undoing but this is Spanish class all over again.

PLEEEEEAAAASSSSEEEEEEEE!! The most annoying thing on your site by far

Suggestion: New HOAX and Reporting System

I have reposted here as the original post was in the wrong place and died a death accordingly.

UFO Sighting/Alien Encounter Posts

ATS is swamped/blessed with posts where the OP is reporting a UFO sighting/alien encounter.

Unfortunately it usually takes around 3 or 4 pages of questioning and an onslaught of ad hominem responses before we actually start to get a clear picture of what actually happened with some of the relevant facts.

It is usually at this stage that these posts are then labelled by the ATS Mods as a hoax while some turn out to inconclusive and are therefore left open to discussion.

The first point to this post is that ATS has the technology to speed up the process and add quality and clarity to the original post. This could be done by creating a post template using the same process that any poster needs to adopt when reporting breaking news items.

The template would require the OP to include the following fields (possibly mandatory) prior to submitting the post. The following have been raised from Gazrok's list as it was comprehensive and impressive :

Date of sighting?
Time of sighting (include time zone, am or pm)?
How long did the sighting last?
City, state of sighting (or nation, province, etc.)?
How many other witnesses?
Just lights, or shape discernable?
Color of lights and/or object/s?
Number of lights and/or objects?
Apparent altitude?
Direction of travel?
Apparent brightness?
Path of travel (straight, curved, etc.)?
Any pictures or video?
Any sound?
Any aircraft around?
Can you illustrate what was seen (if no photos, video, etc.)? (even MS paint can be used to illustrate where things were during a sighting, etc.)

By providing all of this information in the original post ATS members will enjoy quality information in the first post rather than having to wait for all and sundry to fire out the right questions in a sometimes gruelling interrogation over a matter of days/pages of posts.

Another point worthy of mention is the current HOAX tag system. I appreciate the work that the Mods do and how difficult the task is to sometimes make the call on HOAX posts. Actually, some posts are apparently quite easy to call while others can be evasive and cause consternation when finally branded HOAX.

Maybe I am wrong but I have a feeling that there are some HOAX-labelled posts on ATS that not every member agrees is actually a hoax.

So we have two potential problems: The Mod's job/decision and Members opinion.

These problems can be resolved efficiently and satisfactorily with a new HOAX rating system.

This system would be based on the Flag technology already doing a fantistic job on the site.

Essentially, there would be 2 buttons on the thread: HOAX / BELIEVABLE. As members vote the scores would be published as (example) HOAX: 79% / BELIEVABLE: 21%.

This saves Mods from any bashing and criticism and it also factors in the opinion of those members who believe it to be plausible. The opinion could also be left open so that you could change from HOAX to BELIEVABLE (or vice versa) should you wish to do so as the thread progresses.

I believe that these changes would thoroughly enhance the ATS experience by adding quality, clarity and a democratic platform of opinion on a category of posts that has, without doubt, the potential to be the most exciting and important on the web.

reply to post by skibtz

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In addition to my above suggestions:

The fact that the form takes time time to fill will put off some hoaxers and the inclusion of mandatory items would be a definite.

There has been a rash of hoaxes recently, mainly due to the kids being on holidays, so the time is right to get a system in place that encourages honest, noteworthy sightings to be reported using an adequate system.

The fact is that by using the template system, ATS could actually compile a database of very credible, well-documented and immensly important sightings that could be the start of an amazing online experience.

The ATS Online Sightings Catalogue system could prove to be the new research tool of choice for any one interested in the subject.

All of this with the added bonus of the new HOAX/BELIEVABLE rating system that gives an instant, true refelction of what ATS members believe could be a fantastic change for ATS.

It would take a little time but it could work. I am sure we could put together a volunteer group who would be willing to transpose all previous sightings post to the new template format.

Any comment ATS?



[edit on 4/8/2008 by skibtz]

I would like to see the owners send each and every active poster here a digital camera, something around a $100, so that we can all be SATISTIED and post every little green man, every craft, every flash of light in the night and therefore satisfy EVERYONE.

How about it? I'm not joking- this would eliminate all the "you lie" stuff we see here at night.

And just think, we could be the main reliable bonafide resource of the entire Internet across the world, for the latest visitors and disclosure.

I'm sure ATS could get a good wholesale price. It will be good for business y'all.

I am strongly in support of Skibtz's idea of having a reporting form that must be filled out by people wanting to report a sighting. I think it would discourage casual hoaxers, put much more of the information needed to evaluate a sighting on the first page of the thread, and later on could be easily used to generate a database of sightings or compare sightings to each other.

i would like to see an ats Fortnightly magazine, similar to Fortean times

How about page forwarding at the bottom of each page. Instead of just at the top.
And spell check.
I think alot of people would use that.

Sorry, forget about the page forwarding.
Spell check would be nice.

I would like to see UNLIMITED ignores. I think this will help people who don't want to get into flame wars with others they fundamentally disagree with, it will prevent people from replying to posts with vitriolic remarks that sometimes lead to banning, loss of points, etc.

If I had the option to add more to my ignore list I wouldn't see their knot-headed post and thus would not have had all my points subtracted to the negative for the ONE time I flew off the handle.

-Euclid

[edit on 4-8-2008 by euclid]

I would like to see this thread closed, all posts resubmitted as individual threads in a new forum opened for Ideas, Suggestions and Requests.

A forum like this, structured the same as all the others on this site, would provide ATS with a system that would provide instant , accurate feedback on what the membership would like to see on ATS.

Using the Stars and Flag systems to gauge membership opinion is, arguably, the heart and soul of ATS in my opinion.

By not providing a forum for this subject gives the impression that you do not consider it worthwhile.

Surely membership opinion deserves a forum rather than a sprawling, structureless thread such as this one?

I second your idea! But we can do better...

Perhaps a "RedAlert" function could be made available that allows members issue a Preliminary report/alert to ATS about possible terrorist and criminal activity.


ATS would then have the responsibility of deciding which of these incidents is to be referred to Crime Stoppers or Homeland Security, possibly even Immigration and Naturalization or The National Security Agency.

In this age of Global terror where our Freedoms are at stake - can we really afford to take such chances?

reply to post by TruthTellist

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Sorry this is off topic a bit, but TruthTellist, CONGRADULATIONS, your post is the 666th reply in this thread!

A USER CREDIBILITY RATING for people reporting UFO info. Base it on user activity and contributions. Data, links, and rating for credibility from other members.

I have always been objective and factual on ATS. My USer history should be a clear indicator that I wouldn't post a sighting report without having at least a certain level of credibility.

*** look at Vallee and Hynek. They have quantified criteria for ratingf accounts. ATS should have a similar thing.

Easy reference ATS User Credibility Rating. So a browsing user can scan a thread and only read posts from credible users.

reply to post by djerwulfe

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But what if someone joined ATS just to share an incredible photo or video of an actual sighting? What if a "newbie" showed up with evidence of an UFO visiting earth or some other fantastic info ?
With your system, people wouldn't even bother to look at this member's post, just because he/she hadn't been at ATS long enough to gain any credibilty.

I'm with SpitefulGod on having an option to go to the last page from the thread title/in thread... that'd be nice.

Also what would be cool is maybe a quick reply under the thread? Other than that this site is pretty perfect to me.

I can't fault really anything with the forums ! It's a unique setup, but works great!


Compare it to how the site was in '99 - Zoinks!! And to think of what goes on here now, dimensions apart!!! 8]

Feb 08-99


then

Oct 09-99
ATS 1999



(ps, why are the forums light grey now, did I click a wrong button? Errr)

(edited image location and snipurl to html link, both got borked!)

[edit on 8/12/2008 by bloodcircle]

I wish we could give RED STARS for stupid posts such as this one that interrupted a great discussion on a possible moon base...



I would have loved to have given that stupid post a HUGE red star...
It would just be a ego hit and doesn't have to take away points so that if it is abused the "innocent" stupid poster won't lose anything but their ego.

Yes, I do like the idea of music, maybe a deezer.com player, where we could choose our own music or something.

The t-shirt idea is great. It should be a contest maybe though. DATS (Drunks Above Top Secret on ATS) is sponsoring sort of a challenge right now for a DATS t-shirt. Be sure to check out the thread.

I was thinking I would like to see Audio in chat. Yahoo has it and so does MSN. I don't know if it is possible but it would be great to hear everyone's voice.