Last edit by: JDiver
Wikipost FAQ
Wikipost / wikipost questions, issues, discussion
Wikipost / wikipost questions, issues, discussion
Q. What is a Wikipost?
A Wikipost contains content that appears at the top of a thread, usually used to summarize important information in multi-page threads: "This is a community-maintained wikipost containing the most important information from this thread. You may start orb edit a Wikipost once you have been on FT for 90 days and have made 90 posts." (Written at the top of every Wikipost.)
Q. Why are Wikiposts here? What is their purpose?
Threads that have high interest can grow very quickly, making it tiresome to sort through sometimes hundreds of posts to find information. A Wikipost is designed to contain a summary of relevant information, and may contain links to especially relevant posts, related threads and off-site resources. Any member with "90/90" can update obsolete information or update Wikipost information, and of course there's plenty of space to discuss or ask about more specific details.
Q. What display modes are offered for Wikiposts?
There are three modes of wiki post display: (c/o IBobi)
1. "Summary view" (default) -- this shows the top of the wikipost only.
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole Wikipost.
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL Wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "Wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view.
(see more below)
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole Wikipost.
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL Wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "Wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view.
(see more below)
Q. Why are so many threads with Wikiposts concentrated on the front pages of some fora?
The most popular / used threads are often those with complicated content - frequent flyer or guest program changes, securing awards, etc. These are the threads most likely to have Wikiposts summarizing key points.
Q. How / why did Wikiposts come about on FT?
Wikiposts came about after requests from members to Internet Brands and a lot of forethought, followed by Beta testing. They are considered a valuable asset to FlyerTalk, and a viable and "closer" alternative to maintaining an off site, separate wiki.
Q. What do "wiki" and "Wikipost" mean?
The word "wiki" (wee-kee) is Hawaiian Polynisian for "fast" or "quick". Here, a Wikipost offers a quick look at the topic covered by a thread.
Q. Can I see a listing of Wikiposts?
Yes. Up in the dark blue navigation bar, a little below the FlyerTalk logo, it says "Flyertalk [sic, should be a capital T] Wiki." Click that and then "Show all Wiki [sic, should be plural]" from the sub-menu.
(Thanks to jackal)
Q. What do I do if I just don't want to read the Wikiposts?
Just continue browsing normally. Only minimized Wikiposts (a few lines) will be revealed until you click on / touch the blue "Click here to display Full Wiki" line. The full Wikipost will only be displayed if you click the link to read it. Ignore the Wikipost if you don't want to read the information therein.
Q. What do I do if I feel there are too darn many Wikiposts?
You can go to the "Wikipost" blue menu bar at the top of a thread page and click on the "-" sign at the right end of the bar, which will minimize all wikis; you never have to see a Wikipost again. That information never has to intrude on your reading of FlyerTalk. And, of course you can turn wiki posts "on" by clicking the "+" in the same menu bar when you wish.)
Alternatively, you can go to your FT Profile, look at Your Control Panel, Edit Options. Toward the bottom of the page you'll see
Wikipost Hide All
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all wikiposts
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all wikiposts
Q. What are the alternatives to wikiposts in a large forum?
1) Multiple (dozens or even more) threads with members having to search them all for answers, or start a new one out of frustration, assuring information fragmentation and dispersion.
2) Mega threads with hundreds of posts to sort through for answers.
Thanks to wetrat0
2) Mega threads with hundreds of posts to sort through for answers.
Thanks to wetrat0
Q. I can't open and edit a particular Wikipost! Why?
A few wiki posts may be locked by moderators to prevent making changes; these preferably should be clearly marked with an explanation.
Q. I can't even see Wikiposts! Why?
If you can not see the wiki posts:
Assuming you are signed in, have been on FT 90 or more days and have made 90 or more posts:
In your FT Profile, look at Your Control Panel, Edit Options. Toward the bottom of the page you'll see
Wikipost Hide All
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all wikiposts
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all wikiposts
Q. How do I open and start a wikipost myself?
To create a wiki, go to the Thread Tools menu on the right of the thread menu bar, click / touch Create a Wikipost
Q. I've got "90/90"; how do I edit a wikipost?
To edit a wiki, expand by clicking / touching the "Click here to display full wiki" message, then see the Edit button in the lower right of the wiki.
Q. What formatting can I use to make a wikipost more "eye-tractive" and readable?
Wikis accepts a lot of common BBCode formatting, some of which is shown below - but not all.
Bold and colors work!
Sizes work as well, from larger than this to this.
However, names of threads like http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/techn...-problems.html are not being normalized. (URL links to FlyerTalk in posts will render such: "Wikipost" / wiki post questions, issues, discussion.
In Wikiposts, they will render as full URL: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/techn...olidated.html; look at the above URL to see how you can adjust that.
See Calchas' post #122 to read about the wiki history rendering.
Q. Can I embed or add illustrations or photos in Wikiposts?
Links to photographs and graphic images can be embedded in wikiposts; framed video links can not be, nor can images be attached as in posts.
Revised 9 June 2016 - JDiver
FAQ: Wiki post / wikipost questions, discussion, issues (consolidated)
#1
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Wikipost FAQ
Some members have expressed concerns about Wikiposts, their purpose and how to "turn them off" so they won't see them. The FAQ in the Wikipost above has been written to inform about their purpose, provide instructions on how to start, edit and eliminate them from viewing. This extract has been privided in post form forbthose using the mobile skin or who have Wikiposts turned off.
Q. What display modes are offered for Wikiposts?
There are three modes of wiki post display: (c/o IBobi)
1. "Summary view" (default) -- this shows the top of the wikipost only.
2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole Wikipost.
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL Wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "Wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view.
Wikipost FAQs (EXTRACT, for those turning off wiki post function)2. Full display (when you click "Click here to display full Wiki") -- this shows the whole Wikipost.
3. Hidden (when you click the "-" sign at the top right) -- reduces this and ALL Wikiposts on FT to a narrow blue bar that says "Wikipost", until you click the "+" on one of them again, which will return them to default view.
Q. What is a Wikipost?
It is content that appears at the top of a thread, usually used to summarize important information in multi-page threads: "This is a community-maintained wikipost containing the most important information from this thread. You may edit the Wikipost once you have been on FT for 90 days and have made 90 posts." (Written at the top of every wiki post.)
Q. Why are so many threads with Wikiposts concentrated on the front pages?
The threads with the most in-demand information are often those with complicated content - AAdvantage changes, MileSAAver awards, etc. These are the threads most likely to have wiki posts summarizing key points.
Q. How / why did they come about?
Wiki posts came about after many (members and TalkBoard) requests to Internet Brands and a lot of forethought and initial Beta testing. They are considered a valuable asset to FlyerTalk, a viable and "closer" alternative to maintaining an off site, separate wiki.
Q. Can I see a listing of Wikiposts?
Yes. Up in the dark blue navigation bar, a little below the FlyerTalk logo, it says "Flyertalk [sic, should be a capital T] Wiki." Click that and then "Show all Wiki [sic, should be plural]" from the sub-menu. (Thanks to jackal.)
Q. What do I do if I don't want to see / read the Wikiposts?
Just continue browsing normally. The full Wikipost will only be displayed if you click the link to read it. Ignore Wikiposts if you don't want to read the information therein.
Q. What do I do if I feel there are too darn many Wikiposts?
You can go to the "Wikipost" blue menu bar at the top of a thread page and click on the "-" sign at the right end of the bar, which will minimize all Wikiposts; you never have to see a Wikipost again. Wikiposts never have to intrude on your reading of FlyerTalk. (You can turn Wikiposts "on" by clicking the "+" in the same menu bar when you wish.)
Alternately, In your FT Profile, look at Your Control Panel, Edit Options. Toward the bottom of the page you'll see
Wikipost Hide All
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all Wikiposts
Hide all Wiki Posts in Threads
[] Hide all Wikiposts
Q. What are the alternatives to wiki posts in a large forum?
1) Multiple (dozens or even more) threads with members having to search them all for answers, or start a new one out of frustration, assuring information fragmentation and dispersion.
2) Mega threads with hundreds of posts to sort through for answers.
With thanks to wetrat0.
2) Mega threads with hundreds of posts to sort through for answers.
With thanks to wetrat0.
Last edited by JDiver; Jun 17, 2016 at 8:12 am Reason: Add extract from Wikipost for those with Wikiposts suppressed
#2
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
Programs: AA 1MM Lifetime Gold, AA Platinum, WS Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 7,607
Forum Question: Can the 200 Wiki Stickies Be Put Somewhere Else?
Like a link to Wikies? Wiki sub-forum?
There's almost nothing but WIKI buttons on page 1 and 2 now.
There's almost nothing but WIKI buttons on page 1 and 2 now.
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 17, 2015 at 8:04 am Reason: Restore original post title
#3
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,202
There are a grand total of 5 stickies with 4 of them having wikis. Popular posts tend to have wikis to make it easier to find information, and they tend to be commented on so they get bumped to the top.
If the wiki icon is really bothering you, you could <see answer in wiki>.
If the wiki icon is really bothering you, you could <see answer in wiki>.
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 17, 2015 at 8:09 am Reason: Replace with FT built in wiki post suppression feature
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
The wiki "buttons" merely indicate a thread with a wiki post. Other than that, it's a normal thread; it's on the front page because it's a very active thread.
The most active threads have wiki posts to distill relevant data into a wikipost, so members don't have to read a gazillion posts to find the basic information. They can then narrow their questions down when they do post.
To read the thread, do what you do normally.
To read a wiki post, you must click on it to expand it.
Please let us know if you're experiencing difficulty or have further questions.
/Moderator
#5
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: AMS
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Asiana Club Silver, Flying Blue Ivory
Posts: 368
One thing that contributes is that the moderators of this forum have a policy (as far as I can tell), of being pretty pro-active in merging a new thread into old or existing threads and making "big" resource threads out of them.
A consequence is that the AA/AAdvantage front page is chock-a-block with wiki-threads. Everytime somebody asks a question where there's already a thread, one of the consolidated resource threads gets bumped.
A consequence is that the AA/AAdvantage front page is chock-a-block with wiki-threads. Everytime somebody asks a question where there's already a thread, one of the consolidated resource threads gets bumped.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,959
I only see 5 sticky threads that permanently take up space. Wiki is just a tag and those threads are listed in last updated order just like any other thread. I need to deal with Marriott consuming the entire page with 10 stickies, so maybe AA isn't as bad just by comparison, but I don't find 5 to be a problem.
I'm assuming the links to the old, closed forums will go away before long - they're a bit useless now, IMHO.
EDIT: Perhaps a bad assumption - United still has the long-closed UA/CO forums.
I'm assuming the links to the old, closed forums will go away before long - they're a bit useless now, IMHO.
EDIT: Perhaps a bad assumption - United still has the long-closed UA/CO forums.
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Matre-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
We do try to minimize "stickies" because they can take up too much "landscape". We've merged the lounge dashboard thread into the WELCOME GUIDE thread (which has a growing wiki of resource links) so new members can find the forum guide and index to most frequently asked or bumped threads useful to booking, flying, earning and spending, lounges, airport hub master threads, etc.
In a mega forum of this type, we're trying to contain information fragmentation (we don't surface dozens of threads when we're looking for an answer, forcing us to pore through those threads) and to honor the many members who have taken the time and effort to post answers and valuable information.
Ergo, threads with wikis and that are curated to archive off older and obsolete posts.
The "wiki" appearing by a thread title is just a label.
JDiver, Moderator (enjoying my release after four years of Senior Moderator status - aaah, nice to not get mod notifications and post reports from every forum without an appointed moderator as well as my own!)
In a mega forum of this type, we're trying to contain information fragmentation (we don't surface dozens of threads when we're looking for an answer, forcing us to pore through those threads) and to honor the many members who have taken the time and effort to post answers and valuable information.
Ergo, threads with wikis and that are curated to archive off older and obsolete posts.
The "wiki" appearing by a thread title is just a label.
JDiver, Moderator (enjoying my release after four years of Senior Moderator status - aaah, nice to not get mod notifications and post reports from every forum without an appointed moderator as well as my own!)
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,658
Congrats!! Who is the new senior moderator who gets our condolences, um I mean our congratulations?
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,436
I was hoping that the forum will be tidied up and the 2 closed fora will be moved to the discontinued section - there is a USDM pre 2005 merger forum there, it would seem sensible and tidy to relocate the fora there
#10
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,410
#11
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SEATTLE, WA USA
Programs: UAL, AA, AS, CX
Posts: 1,972
WiKi for all the WiKi's?
As i try to read this forum lately ever page is nearly solid with WiKis, seriously!
Shouldn't there be one WiKi for all the WiKis?
Maybe some other threads can be seen then.
Shouldn't there be one WiKi for all the WiKis?
Maybe some other threads can be seen then.
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
similar WIKI-RAGE on display here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25793842
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25793842
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,436
There are not that many wikis cluttering - most are not sticky so are only there when active
I think that the forum area is overly cluttered with 2 dead fora ( which would seem to be logical to me to move to discontinued programmes ) , 2 announcements and 6 sticky threads
Would be nice to reduce the sticky thread count and relocate the dead fora imo, but the wikis themselves are no more obtrusive than other threads imo
I think that the forum area is overly cluttered with 2 dead fora ( which would seem to be logical to me to move to discontinued programmes ) , 2 announcements and 6 sticky threads
Would be nice to reduce the sticky thread count and relocate the dead fora imo, but the wikis themselves are no more obtrusive than other threads imo
#14
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
You realize this is a feature, not a bug, right? The threads with labels that say "wiki" are regular threads that happen to have a wiki attached to them. Many of these threads have dozens of pages of posts. Attaching a wiki allows the collective wisdom of the posters to be distilled into useful information. Not everyone reads FT every day and even those who do don't read every thread. A lot of traffic to FT is people looking for the answer to a question. The wikis at the top of popular threads help them find that information more efficiently.
Just as an example, one of the threads with a wiki near the top of the page today is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ilability.html, which has 272 pages as of this post. I don't think I've ever been in that thread, so if I wanted to book a F award on CX I would be very happy that the wiki is there, so I don't have to look through 272 pages to try to find where to start.
Just as an example, one of the threads with a wiki near the top of the page today is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ilability.html, which has 272 pages as of this post. I don't think I've ever been in that thread, so if I wanted to book a F award on CX I would be very happy that the wiki is there, so I don't have to look through 272 pages to try to find where to start.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Programs: AA P-Pro, Chase SP, SPG Gold
Posts: 556
similar WIKI-RAGE on display here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25793842
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post25793842
Last edited by Microwave; Dec 21, 2015 at 12:54 am Reason: Corrected invalid quote syntax