TalkBoard Elections/07 - Question 16: Non-Travel Related Threads

This question was submitted by member chexfan:
What your thoughts about non-travel related threads?

I use FlyerTalk for the travel threads. I remember how annoyed I would get years ago when I had to weed through dozens of threads on non-travel related topics to read the travel info. Then we got Omni.

FlyerTalk has grown dramatically and the forums have expanded. I support forums that foster community. Since many of us spend many hours a week on FlyerTalk it is nice to have social forums in FlyerTalk so people can communicate with members on other non-travel issues.

From a business perspective it is good to keep people logged into FlyerTalk.

Personally, I place greater value on a travel related forum than a non-travel related forum as the direction for expansion of forums.

Hi
I also use FT for travel related threads and I think we must make sure we dont move to far away from that idea as it may start to annoy folk when looking thru the forum.

I know in another forum (non-travel related) that I visit, I sometimes want to pull my hair out as I have to wade thru all the garbage about all sorts of things apart from what the forum was setup for.

It would also depend on what the thread is all about, if its way OTT then it shouldbe put in omni etc.

I like non travel related threads. OMNI is the largest home of non travel related threads on FT, and I participate in OMNI as I have time.

I'm not sure I understand the question.

This question was submitted by member chexfan:
What your thoughts about non-travel related threads?


I assume the question refers to non-travel forums rather than threads. If I'm not correct, chexfan, pls PM me and I'll adjust my response if necessary.

As long as we maintain a balance between travel and non-travel, I'm fine with non-travel forums.

We're primarily all about airline and hotel travel, mileage and points. Along with the associated forums on auto rentals, credit card programs, and the like.

And that's where I want to see our primary focus remain. If we start trying to be everything to everybody, we'll soon lose our relevance as THE place to come for real-time mileage and points information.

But I also see a need for non-travel forums like OMNI, CommunityBuzz!, Newstand, DiningBuzz!, etc. where the members of FT can interact on non-travel issues.

I just want to make sure we don't take our eye off the main focus and become so disjointed that FT turns into a cumbersome, confusing site to understand.

I'm making the same assumption as Cholula, that this is based on fora, not threads. I have no issue with non-travel related fora, as long as it's in the spirit of sharing and collegial atmosphere FT fosters.

Flyertalk is about miles and points and that's why I'm here. But it's also my home on the internet, because of my passion for miles. And I've developed many friendships. And I enjoy the ability to engage in discourse with the community of frequent travelers and all the subjects of the day.

So as long as the places for such conversations are well-defined, I'm comfortable with Flyertalk having a place for such things. I don't want to build forums, though, for non-travelers to discuss politics and religion. Flyertalk shouldn't be the uber-off topic bulletin board of the internet.

We can't forget who the core audience/customers are, or lose sight of the mission.

In other words, there's a balance to be struck. And I think I have a strong record to judge as far as how I personally go about striking it.

FT is all about the community, baby.

If there were only points and miles forums and threads, I would check in once in a while to see if there were any promotions I missed or see if I could answer questions, but I wouldn't come many times a day and neither, I assume, would a lot of other regular members and posters.

Forums like OMNI and TravelBuzz and even TS&S fascinate me and bring me back. CommunityBuzz keeps me connected and aware of other people and reminds me that we are a community of people.

I tire quickly of the attention given to places like OMNI and the desire of some people to minimalize the contribution to the community that people that post in OMNI bring. Unfortunately, some of that is institutionalized here at FlyerTalk and I would work, as a member of TB, to remind people continually that FT is NOT just about points and miles, but is mainly about the community.

I come to FT for the travel threads. I stay for the community and non-travel threads.

I think most people who keep coming back here for years and years do too.

That said, the Talkboard needs to do a better job of defining forums and what belongs in them so that the moderators can do a better job of making sure that the content of the forums is based on what the community in the forum want. I'm talking here about SPAM, and many of the travel forums. For example, "No, we don't travel the same as you guys. For one thing, we know how to ask for directions." is very cute and all but it doesnt give posters OR moderators any idea at all what is appropriate and what is not appropriate in the Womens Travel Forum.

And since deciding what forums should and should not exist for different purposes is pretty much the main function of the TB, if I was on the TB I'd work to better define those forums based on community input from each of those forums to give posters and moderators guidance as to what belongs where.

Non-travel related threads in travel forums are a necessary evil but must be kept under control. Part of what makes forums work well is the sense of community and an affinity for fellow posters. Part of developing that sense of community is exploring common interests with fellow posters that don't necessarily involve the main topic at hand. I don't have a problem with them as such so long as they're kept in check. One example is the Delta Forum Lounge Thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481066). That, IMO, is an exemplary way to strike a balance between in-forum community and keeping focus on points and miles.

And then, there's OMNI. I love OMNI. I spend way too much time in OMNI. I've been educated, enlightened and greatly entertained in OMNI. FlyerTalk, to me, wouldn't be quite the same without it and would be poorer for the loss. I remember when OMNI "went on vacation" quite some time ago; you don't realize how much you enjoy something until it's gone... and I found out that I enjoy OMNI a *lot*.

I disagree with kanebear labeling non-travel discussions "evil"; while we all have travel as a common thread between us, we also have lots of non-travel pieces of our lives that we'd like to share with others.

The creation of the OMNI threads is the perfect place for such discussion and as long as non-travel dialog remains outside of the travel forums, I'm completely fine with having it a part of our online culture (just like it is with our offline culture.)

Life for many of us is travel, but also non-travel topics as well. So FT reflects the many aspects of a traveler's life.

Almost every popular internet board has an off-topic related area, and those always prove to be the most popular in the long run.

Having a board be a single dimension, whether it be travel, cars, sports, etc only would a relatively boring place to visit after a while. You need off-topic forums / posts to keep people engaged because life is much more broad than any single topic.

While most of us travel (some more than we would like to :D), we also have a life that does not involve travel. FT just duplicates this, with both travel and non-travel threads and forums.

I myself do not see TV news or even newspapers all that much. If it were not for some of the non-travel threads, I may miss many things that happen.

I for one am glad that FT includes non-travel items.