TalkBoard Topics - Mileage Run forum

Is it possible to rectrict this to registered users like the CC forum?

I only ask as there as been alot of discussion over there that may be better restricted to reg'd members.

(I presume this is the correct place to post this?)

Thanks

If you didn't already come across, this previous ORP discussion might provide some insight:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427653

Just adding my voice to that, but a twist: not restricting the MR forum as a whole, but creating a restricted sub-forum (or separate restricted forum) specifically for the "problem issues", viz. "mistake" fares and exceptionally fares in obscure markets. I have developed the arguments at length elsewhere so will not repeat them here but instead point to the relevant thread/post: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8649310#post8649310

If you didn't already come across, this previous ORP discussion might provide some insight:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427653

It does, and I can see emptions are high! Randy never did follow up though with a resolution? Perhaps it needs to be re-looked at in light of the recent goings ons

IMO the Mileage forum is fine the way it is. Newcomers find fares, old-timers find fares.

Just because someone has been around a long time means they contribute.

I have both found sweet deals and taken advantage of sweet deals, FT is about sharing, to restrict makes no sense.

It does, and I can see emptions are high! Randy never did follow up though with a resolution? Perhaps it needs to be re-looked at in light of the recent goings ons

Recent goings ons? :confused: In the MR Deals Forum? I would answer if asked that I was fairly up-to-date with happenings in MR Deals Forum and I hadn't seen any more than the usual misposts. That is the foum we are discussing, isn't it?

Restricting the MR forum makes little sense. Some say that it should be done to preserve the fares for longer.

The last good fare was posted by a newbie that would not had an access to it if some post count restriction would have been in place.

I'm basically fine with how things are.

I see nothing wrong with it now that it as been divided up.

The problem isnt who should be able to see it as much as those who Book 'em should know better then to start calling up and asking or demanding things till the error or whatever has been fixed. and not to call up and ask 1,000,000 questions and Guarantees if in fact a person goes and makes a purchase

The Mileage Run fora have become balkanized to the point of near unreadability. Here's what I'd like to see:

1.The hotel deals subforum has become a ghetto: reintegrate it with the MR deals forum.
2. To prevent abuse/lame 'know a cheap flight/hotel in Cleveland' posts as well as keeping the FatWallet crowd at bay, institute a CC-like post threshold of 100-150 posts for access.
3. All deals found must be spelled out. This latest fad of posting cryptic 'deals' really must stop.

1.The hotel deals subforum has become a ghetto: reintegrate it with the MR deals forum.
2. To prevent abuse/lame 'know a cheap flight/hotel in Cleveland' posts as well as keeping the FatWallet crowd at bay, institute a CC-like post threshold of 100-150 posts for access.
3. All deals found must be spelled out. This latest fad of posting cryptic 'deals' really must stop.

1. agree
2. agree
3. disagree - the info is there, but the OP gets to set a perceived threshold
of sagacity to delay the inevitable disappearance of the deal. Would you
rather the good fares be whispered off echo altogether?

The problem isnt who should be able to see it as much as those who Book 'em should know better then to start calling up and asking or demanding things till the error or whatever has been fixed. and not to call up and ask 1,000,000 questions and Guarantees if in fact a person goes and makes a purchaseThat is precisely the point of having a post count/length of membership threshold, so that those accessing the forum have some degree of FT experience and be, on the whole, more likely to know what they are doing. This is not an absolute guarantee, but it does lessen the risk.
The last good fare was posted by a newbie that would not had an access to it if some post count restriction would have been in place.True, but what does this show? It is not as if none of the FT regulars and old-timers knew of this. Clearly, several did but would not have mentioned or discussed it on FT.
The typical set-up now is that a hidden good fare is known by only a handful of FTers who will only discuss it privately off FT or through pm. Then, at some point, a fairly new FTer posts the fare. Everybody jumps on it. Some call the airlines in relation to it despite repeated admonitions in the relevant threads not to do it, and within a few days the fare, which had been around for quite some time, disappears.
My guess is that there would probably be more willingness to discuss some attractive fares by established FTers in a more restricted sub-forum rather than the current anarchic free-for-all.
In addition to this, mistake fares tend to generate a high degree of noise going around the same issues as to what should be posted or not posted, how much information to give or not to give, discussing what is in the spirit of FT and mutual accusations of begin selfish or conversely irresponsible, etc... and give the moderator a lot of tidying-up work. To me, this is far from ideal.

Just adding my voice to that, but a twist: not restricting the MR forum as a whole, but creating a restricted sub-forum (or separate restricted forum) specifically for the "problem issues", viz. "mistake" fares and exceptionally fares in obscure markets. I have developed the arguments at length elsewhere so will not repeat them here but instead point to the relevant thread/post: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8649310#post8649310Agree. Low-post counters or new user-name creators or newbies can still post mistake fares in unrestricted Mileage Run forum.
True, but what does this show? It is not as if none of the FT regulars and old-timers knew of this. Clearly, several did but would not have mentioned or discussed it on FT.And agree. It's a pity that many experienced old-timers are behind the curtain now. Probably they even don't care MR forum anymore (understandable though). I don't like current trend in Mileage Run forum.

I'm going to re-post my proposal from another thread:

The problem with restricting access to extraordinary mileage run fares is that, in many cases, relative newcomers to FlyerTalk are the discoverers and disseminators of those fares. To me, there is a fairly obvious solution which I imagine is technically feasible: restrict access to mileage run threads (or at least certain extraordinary mileage run threads) so that they are only viewable by established members, but allow thread-starters who don't meet that criteria to view and post in threads that they start. Presumably a non-tenured newcomer to FlyerTalk who has unearthed an exceptional fare and is willing to share it with the rest of us will have a vested interest in protecting the viability of his or her discovery and probably will exercise the common sense to not take actions that jeopardize the lifespan of that fare.

Follow up discussion here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8742501&postcount=83) and here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8742920&postcount=87).

Randy: would this thread be better served by submission as a proposal for the Talk Board, rather than as a suggestion for your consideration?

I hadn't seen a response from Randy, so I thought a friendly bump would be in order.

sorry, i thought it had ben forwarded to the TalkBoard forum for discussion. While it's a topic i could easily make some recommendations to, i think in the spirit of why we have a TalkBoard, that we invite them for their feedback and perhaps actions.

Thanks for the bump, it served as a perfect reminder.

I shall post a thread in the private TalkBoard forum about this matter.

As a former Mileage Run moderator & regular reader & participant of the forums, I don't think that any sort of Coupon Connection type rules should be applied to the forum - this is a forum that attracts & retains new members to FlyerTalk and I don't think these forums should be restricted. That said, I do support CC & OMNI being restricted forums.

Regarding the subforums - I think they're doing their job & are good for the board. They could be moved into their own forums (i.e. no longer subforums of Mileage Run Deals) but I think they are doing a good job of keeping the clutter out of the MR Deals forum (which was their original intent).

{deleted off topic remarks}

The TalkBoard is now discussing this matter in the private TalkBoard forum.

I hope that we do not restrict the Mileage Run forums.... some very new members have posted some great deals... some people need to learn to have patience with new members... :D

I do wish, however, that we did not have subforums... it wreaks havic on the front page with most recent threads.

{deleted off topic remarks}

The TalkBoard is now discussing this matter in the private TalkBoard forum.

Friendly, call me Mister Curious bump.

Whereas I don't support any sort of CC type rules for MR as mentioned in this thread, I do support some of the concepts mentioned in this thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766380.

Friendly, call me Mister Curious bump.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766564

We're not really doing that much while we get the internal elections sorted out

(This is not an excuse to derail this thread to talk about those please!)

Friendly, call me Mister Curious bump.

<Cough>

<Cough>

As nothing came to vote on this from the TB thread that Spiff started, there's nothing to really update - when this happens, its usually because no TB member felt that members were passionate enough to bring it to vote or no TB member felt the need to bring it to a vote & it sort of just dies off...at least until somebody bumps it...