TalkBoard Topics - "Omni" versus "OMNI"

Would it be possible to change the capitalization of the name of the forum, so that it matches the case of the other three forum categories to its left ("Miles & Points," "Travel & Dining," and "Community")?

The forum name is not an acronym or abbreviation, and there seems to be no valid reason to capitalize this one forum to the exclusion of all others. Indeed, it would seem to give unwarranted emphasis to Omni, when we know that the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ SPN

Ok, I'll pass this request on to the TalkBoard.

"Omni" is not an English word, but rather Latin.

The generally accepted style for writing foreign words or phrases is to distinguish them but putting them in "quotations", by italizing them, to by writing them in bold face.

I can see where an acceptable alternative would be to write them in CAPITALS.

No, I don't think writing them in capitals is an acceptable alternative, Dovster.

I'm in favor of maintaining the status quo, switching to title case, italic title case, changing the name to "Ominators" (prophets), or to "Omni-Genus" (of all sorts), or finally, I'd all find it acceptable to find a unanimously acceptable acroynm for which OMNI would stand.

I expect this topic and the candidates' positions on it, will be of keen interest to those FlyerTalk members who have not yet voted in the election.

"Omni" is not an English word, but rather Latin.

The generally accepted style for writing foreign words or phrases is to distinguish them but putting them in "quotations", by italizing [sic] them, to by writing them in bold face [sic].

I can see where an acceptable alternative would be to write them in CAPITALS.In legal publications, italicizing or underlining is used, but not boldface, for foreign words or phrases. However, when a word becomes accepted English terminology, italicizing or underlining is no longer called for.

While "omni" has a Latin etymology, the Latin word for "all" is omnis or omnes. "Omni-" as a prefix has become a standard part of English, listed in most dictionaries, and is not set apart from the remainder of the word by underlining or italicizing. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=omni

In any event, this background is no justification for capitalization.

Perhaps the capitalization was placed for emphasis, like the exclamation points in MilesBuzz! and CommunityBuzz!. However, when listed at the top of the page adjacent to the list of the four main groups of fora, it creates inconsistency. Also, it makes for usage problems, as referenced in a pointer-thread on this topic in Omni, so the users would be aware this issue had been raised in TalkBoard.

See "Omni" versus "OMNI" (Omni forum)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=485106

What about a vote for "It ain't broke/don't fix ... ?" @:-)

What about a vote for "It ain't broke/don't fix ... ?" @:-)

here here!

It ain't broke, don't fix it.

Also, it's placement at the bottom of the list de-emphasizes its visibility, so this little stuff is all a wash. And if that's not enough de-emphasis, you can't even access it unless you've been around here a while.

TalkBoard should be addressing other things, IMHO.

here here!

Where? Where?

Would it be possible to change the capitalization of the name of the forum, so that it matches the case of the other three forum categories to its left ("Miles & Points," "Travel & Dining," and "Community")?...

We are pole-vaulting over mouse turds :D

M8

What about a vote for "It ain't broke/don't fix ... ?" @:-)

How about NO vote at all? :)

Is something broken that this needs to be "fixed"?

If there's going to be a vote on this, can we have the Talkboard vote -- with a choice "for change", "against change" or "this change issue is a waste of time" -- rushed through before the election and get a published list of whom voted for which choice? :D

What's the next issue? Should GLBT Travelers have periods ( " . " ) in it (i.e., "GLBT Travelers vs G.L.B.T. Travelers)? ;) I think things are just fine the way they are.

Would it be possible to change the capitalization of the name of the forum, so that it matches the case of the other three forum categories to its left ("Miles & Points," "Travel & Dining," and "Community")?

The forum name is not an acronym or abbreviation, and there seems to be no valid reason to capitalize this one forum to the exclusion of all others. Indeed, it would seem to give unwarranted emphasis to Omni, when we know that the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ SPNBecause FlyerTalk is an Internet bulletin board whose main topic is the discussion of miles and points, I personally would have used a play on words and instead called the OMNI forum a name which has multiple meanings:

What’s Your Point?

Would it be possible to change the capitalization of the name of the forum, so that it matches the case of the other three forum categories to its left ("Miles & Points," "Travel & Dining," and "Community")?


I agree. And "What's Your Point?" would match the other 3 forum categories also. :D

Just in from the did you know files:
The term OMNI as it is spelled and conceived was proposed and put forth by various members of the FlyerTalk in its earliest days. It was not included in the original version of FT nor was ever considered by myself. Changing the course of history that was originated by members themselves might be considered less than admirable. The point being - are you more right than they were? And while i am a bit fuzzy on the exact members involved, i seem to recall that PremEx might have suggested it? But i could be very wrong on that.

What about a vote for "It ain't broke/don't fix ... ?" @:-)

Absolutely.

So do we need to start a thread on making the:

S.P.A.M. Forum

just

spam

Absolutely.

So do we need to start a thread on making the:

S.P.A.M. Forum

just

spamNo.

The S.P.A.M. forum should be changed to the Vegemite forum.

if its going to be spam, what about the vegatrians? how about soy? or SOY?

The "SPAM" forum title is an acronym and thus correctly used without periods.Just in from the did you know files:
The term OMNI as it is spelled and conceived was proposed and put forth by various members of the FlyerTalk in its earliest days. . . . Changing the course of history that was originated by members themselves might be considered less than admirable. The point being - are you more right than they were? And while i am a bit fuzzy on the exact members involved, i seem to recall that PremEx might have suggested it? But i could be very wrong on that.I would certainly be interested in learning more about the member-proposed origin of the OMNI forum name.

Perhaps it is an acronym whose meaning we have all forgotten? I am always interested in being enlightened, and consider the "institutional history" of a group like FlyerTalk to be very important indeed. :cool:

By the same token, if the title was suggested by members, surely members could change it (with the concurrence of our host), without being disrespectful of the original efforts. Note that my suggestion in the original post was "respectfully submitted." I most certainly wouldn't hold myself up as being "more right" than the inspired originators of OMNI. :o

I look forward to learning more about the etiology ;) of OMNI, perhaps straight from the horse's mouth. ^ ^

Somehow, I suspect that no one, not even the most ardent single-issue voter, will be basing TalkBoard choices on this "important" issue. :)

The "SPAM" forum title is an acronym and thus correctly used without periods.



Really? ;)

You may have missed my original point. FT calls it simply:

S.P.A.M.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=2

Just in from the did you know files:
The term OMNI as it is spelled and conceived was proposed and put forth by various members of the FlyerTalk in its earliest days. It was not included in the original version of FT nor was ever considered by myself. Changing the course of history that was originated by members themselves might be considered less than admirable. The point being - are you more right than they were? And while i am a bit fuzzy on the exact members involved, i seem to recall that PremEx might have suggested it? But i could be very wrong on that.Some etymology:

Back in the wild west days of FT in 1999 or so, there were the airline programs and there was 'The Buzz!' 'The Buzz!' covered everything else, including hotels, trip reports, get together info and, eventually, topics not about travel, points OR miles. Catman used to get on us all if we went off-topic and he said he would stop yelling at us if we came up with a way of identifying off-topic posts so they could be avoided.

It was, I am nearly certain, Merry Flyer who came up with the tag "OMNI" as he points out in this archived thread from 1998 (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-697.html) mentioning how he came up with it:

Non omni possums omnes
"We cannot all know all things"
Virgil 70-21 B.C.


It was not immediately adopted. Rather, he started using it and eventually, naturally, everyone else started using it too. There was no 'decision point.' It simply naturally evolved. Eventually, though, we all did 'The Buzz!' thread titles like this: "OMNI: Happy Birthday Catman!"

Eventually when FT expanded forums, OMNI posts got their own forum.

Now you know! :)

(really weird going through that archive and seeing all those posts by some joker with the screen name "Matt Wald"!!!!)

Totally OT but, what IS the OMNI section? I can't seem to get in.

Totally OT but, what IS the OMNI section? I can't seem to get in.

You need X posts and Y days on FlyerTalk to be eligible.

See the Only Randy Petersen and Technical Issues Forums for more info.

Randy Petersen wrote:

Just in from the did you know files:
The term OMNI as it is spelled and conceived was proposed and put forth by various members of the FlyerTalk in its earliest days. It was not included in the original version of FT nor was ever considered by myself. Changing the course of history that was originated by members themselves might be considered less than admirable. The point being - are you more right than they were? And while i am a bit fuzzy on the exact members involved, i seem to recall that PremEx might have suggested it? But i could be very wrong on that.

Adding to Kokonutz's recollections:

I don't think I came up with it, but I do agree that it's use within the context of FlyerTalk, took on a life of it's own. Here's it's history as I recall it:

Back in the earliest days of FlyerTalk, most of the general travel talk (not specific travel provider related) took place in what was then the main all-purpose travel forum: MilesBuzz (or The Buzz as it was known then). In the normal course of travel related discussions, the conversations tended to wander off-subject as folks either brought forth loosely related stories and reports, or just started talking about their families or problems or jobs or what-have-you. What we used to do was preface a post that was not about the subject of the original thread with something like "Well, I'm going a bit OMNI here..." Meaning that the subject was going Omni-directional. Capable of going outward in any direction away from the original subject. That sort of thing.

As the first indications of a true "community" started to develop, it was Jaws43 who first created an OMNI thread, as a place we could start to put all sorts of non-frequent travel info into. Sort of what the OMNI Forum is today, only contained within one thread. Here's the first general dedicated OMNI thread from 1998:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181

The above was even before the Merry Flyer thread koko posted above.

That was followed by many more OMNI threads that usually contained "OMNI" in the thread's subject title as a sort of warning for those only interested in frequent flyer threads...that they could avoid that one if they wished. Here's a typical example of another of those with an OMNI warning of sorts in it's subject title:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262

The word OMNI had taken on a life of it's own at FlyerTalk. Aside from the use of OMNI to mean basically anything that wasn't travel related, FlyerTalkers Rudi and Catman instituted the "OMNI Award" which was a fun little award given to those that helped foster the earliest "community spirit" of FlyerTalk (of which I was a proud recipient for my FlyerTalk Party In Paradise (http://members.aol.com/hawaiipip) work). As an example of that, here's a thread from 1999 when the OMNI Award was presented to Jon Toner for his "poetic" postings on FlyerTalk:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197795

With the growth of FlyerTalk over the years, it became clear that The Buzz was becoming too cluttered with OMNI-esque threads, and so during one of the major re-designs of FlyerTalk...OMNI got it's own "omni-directional" forum.

So the use of the word is a bit unique in the context of FlyerTalk. Something that's specific to FlyerTalk's past history. Not making any comment or suggestions here. Just a bit of background and what I think Randy is referring to in the quote above.

All caps or upper and lower cased? I don't think it made any difference to us back then and we used both interchangeably. Omni and OMNI. :)

That's pretty good recall, Premex! ^

Could you please pass the Ginkgo?

This is it exactly. I just knew o could count on PremEx. Thanks, this is a great post and one worthy of keeping for all times sake. I just love the history of FT. Thanks PremEx and now we know,,, it was Jaws43.....


Just a bit of background and what I think Randy is referring to in the quote above.

The "SPAM" forum title is an acronym and thus correctly used without periods.You may have missed my original point. FT calls it simply:

S.P.A.M.You can tell one FlyerTalker who seldom goes there. :)

Using the periods is also proper, particularly if it is for an acronym whose elements are not commonly known, and might otherwise be confused with the more widely recognized term. Ask the Man from U.N.C.L.E., or the late Maxwell Smart (with respect to his C.H.A.O.S. nemeses).

Thank you, kokonutz and Premex, for your insightful FlyerTalk history. It is good to have all this documented. ^ ^

I might also point out that someone eventually named their omni-directional airline after our OMNI:

http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/omniairlines.jpg

Okay. Perhaps that one isn't so historically accurate.

;)

I might also point out that someone eventually named their omni-directional airline after our OMNI:

http://members.aol.com/premexfiles/omniairlines.jpg

Okay. Perhaps that one isn't so historically accurate.

;)


No, if it was named after 'our' OMNI, the airline would be called "OMNI AIR INTERNATIONAL' or 'oMNI aIR iNTERNATIONAL' ;)

Would it be possible to change the capitalization of the name of the forum, so that it matches the case of the other three forum categories to its left ("Miles & Points," "Travel & Dining," and "Community")?

The forum name is not an acronym or abbreviation, and there seems to be no valid reason to capitalize this one forum to the exclusion of all others. Indeed, it would seem to give unwarranted emphasis to Omni, when we know that the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ SPN

Frankly, I think that this line:

"the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points"

may well be true since Randy wouldn't have started the board otherwise, but I would visit very rarely if it weren't for places like TravelBuzz, OMNI, and other Community-oriented forums. I am willing to bet that this is true for MANY, MANY regular and long-time posters.

Frankly, I think that this line:

"the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points"

may well be true since Randy wouldn't have started the board otherwise, but I would visit very rarely if it weren't for places like TravelBuzz, OMNI, and other Community-oriented forums. I am willing to bet that this is true for MANY, MANY regular and long-time posters.Amen, sistah!

RichMSN writes:

Frankly, I think that this line:

"the real reason this board exists is for Miles & Points"

may well be true since Randy wouldn't have started the board otherwise, but I would visit very rarely if it weren't for places like TravelBuzz, OMNI, and other Community-oriented forums. I am willing to bet that this is true for MANY, MANY regular and long-time posters.

I most certainly agree.

Eventually we all learn pretty much everything there is to know about our own preferred programs, and need only to check them occasionally for special promotions, etc., but still have a strong connection to the community and its activities.

The best part of FlyerTalk for me is making friends all over the world and attending Dos and learning about new cities and countries from the local point of view. It certainly has changed my life forever. ^

Amen, sistah!

Whenever someone tries to expand the "community" portion of FlyerTalk in a way that is distasteful to someone (for example, the Men's forum), this is the excuse/question that's brought out, though:

How will this help me maximize our earning and using of points and miles?

Well, why is that question important? Shouldn't the question be: How will a forum make the FT experience better, which will directly lead to more visits and more participation in the points/miles forums?

I subscribe, personally, to the Northwest forum and the Marriott forum, as those are the programs I use most. I also look at the other forums when I need to (an unexpected Hilton stay, for example).

But it's time to think about how successful FT would be without the Community-oriented forums and OMNI. How often would I visit FT if the *only* places to visit were directly points and miles related? Once a week? Once a month? Less?

Whenever someone tries to expand the "community" portion of FlyerTalk in a way that is distasteful to someone (for example, the Men's forum), this is the excuse/question that's brought out, though:

How will this help me maximize our earning and using of points and miles?

Well, why is that question important? Shouldn't the question be: How will a forum make the FT experience better, which will directly lead to more visits and more participation in the points/miles forums?


Those are all very (extremely?) good questions. We should remember this next time new forums requests come up @:-) .

Those are all very (extremely?) good questions. We should remember this next time new forums requests come up @:-) .Or TB elections! @:-) @:-)