Defining the mission of MilesBuzz; Adding a Flame Free Q&A Forum?
#16
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
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...For example why have one idine forum, which sees only a few threads created per month, and a separate DiningBuzz! forum when the two could be consolidated into something that serves both purposes? Call it "Dining Discussion & Meal Plans" or something similar to indicate the dual purpose but it just seems natural to me to have both together....
#17
Join Date: May 2004
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But isn't that education already happening within the individual airline fora as well as the alliance forums? Why create yet another redundant layer? Rather than create an award 'answer desk' I'd rather us encourage members to learn by seeking their own answers by breaking down a multifaceted question on air & hotel into more manageable components and research each component within the applicable airline or hotel fora.
That's exactly where the problem is.
We want to have a setup that encourage people to participate and contribute on FT. When one has to break down a complicated award planning for one single vacation that mixes hotels & airlines into a dozen of threads all over FT, it does nobody good. Multiple threads could even bleed over to the fringe of cross-posting, a clear violation of TOS. Not to mention how frustrating and challenging it would be for the potential OP to break things down in order to fit FT's current structure.
I don't deny education is and has been happening in our individual airline/hotel/alliance forum. However, the current setup doesn't make it easy when FTers need help across different airline and hotel fora. I, for one, surely don't want to read someone's vacation to say Hawaii in 3 airline & 2 hotel fora.
Case in point: [Primer] Using Points for French Polynesia
Where should this French Polynesia on points thread go? Or in your line of reasoning, how many threads do one have to break up his vacation planning in order to visit French Polynesia on points? Five or 10 threads?
Strictly speaking, this French Polynesia doesn't belong to the MilesBuzz! Forum in my mind since it's not any FFP buzzing. However, it would be the ideal example for my proposed Award Planning Forum.
Not every award planning would be as challenging or complicated as French Polynesia. My hope is when an award planning forum is created, every FTer can learn something out of it, either for education or fun. My vision for say forum is NOT a boring "answer desk." Rather, it should be a new corner for brain storming where FTers can compare notes about award planning.
Last edited by lin821; Jul 10, 2013 at 9:54 am
#18
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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In the case of airlines, don't the alliance forums cover multiple carriers already? What would you do with the planning threads in those? Would they get moved to the new award planning forum being that they involve multiple carriers?
#19
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
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1. MilesBuzz! could host threads to list hot deals, but I think the discussion should be elsewhere. A list could be maintained in a Wikipost. The obstacle is that locking a thread also locks the Wikipost. Another obstacle is that updating the Wikipost does not generate a Subscription notification; there must be a reply to the thread.
2. Rather than a single mixed thread I suggest following FlyerTalk's established layout with separate threads for: airline, hotel, auto rental and credit card deals. We already have a credit card thread (temporarily relocated to Credit Card Programs).
#20
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
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Two thoughts:
1. MilesBuzz! could host threads to list hot deals, but I think the discussion should be elsewhere. A list could be maintained in a Wikipost. The obstacle is that locking a thread also locks the Wikipost. Another obstacle is that updating the Wikipost does not generate a Subscription notification; there must be a reply to the thread.
2. Rather than a single mixed thread I suggest following FlyerTalk's established layout with separate threads for: airline, hotel, auto rental and credit card deals. We already have a credit card thread (temporarily relocated to Credit Card Programs).
1. MilesBuzz! could host threads to list hot deals, but I think the discussion should be elsewhere. A list could be maintained in a Wikipost. The obstacle is that locking a thread also locks the Wikipost. Another obstacle is that updating the Wikipost does not generate a Subscription notification; there must be a reply to the thread.
2. Rather than a single mixed thread I suggest following FlyerTalk's established layout with separate threads for: airline, hotel, auto rental and credit card deals. We already have a credit card thread (temporarily relocated to Credit Card Programs).
#21
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
People tend to do it using one single thread in MilesBuzz! Forum, where I visit more often than individual airline forums. Sometimes people don't even know their awards can be booked across airlines/alliance and/or hotel chains. For example, sometimes people have to pull miles/points from different loyal programs, say UR, Amex, SPG + different airlines into one or two designated accounts in order to accomplish their goals for a family trip. All these will be good candidates for the proposed forum. Multiple programs can be both the outcome and the sources of miles/points, hence the need for helping hands in award planning.
WTH is this? A "how can I travel for free" forum?
If the status quo of MilesBuzz doesn't demonstrate the need, I don't know what would.
Last edited by lin821; Jul 10, 2013 at 11:08 am Reason: clarification
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 2002
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Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,441
Then we can happily disagree because I don't see encouraging members to fully explore and utilize the FT we have at present as a "problem". In fact quite the opposite as I see further subdividing FT with ever more forums that overlap existing ones as a problem in and of itself, though that is merely MHO.
Who says you have to or would even notice those separate threads? Not sure also how separate threads on separate topics in separate forums is bad or contrary to TOS as that's exactly what I did when asking about UA awards on NH, Hilton hotel info and destination advice in the both Japan and San Francisco forums while planning a recent NRT trip. How does that do nobody good? It sure worked for me as I got the answers to the specific questions I had when I had them so why do we want to offer what seems to me to be a disincentive to utilizing the present resources FT has? I can't say it makes sense to me but that's merely MHO and YMMV.
We want to have a setup that encourage people to participate and contribute on FT. When one has to break down a complicated award planning for one single vacation that mixes hotels & airlines into a dozen of threads all over FT, it does nobody good. Multiple threads could even bleed over to the fringe of cross-posting, a clear violation of TOS. Not to mention how frustrating and challenging it would be for the potential OP to break things down in order to fit FT's current structure.
I don't deny education is and has been happening in our individual airline/hotel/alliance forum. However, the current setup doesn't make it easy when FTers need help across different airline and hotel fora. I, for one, surely don't want to read someone's vacation to say Hawaii in 3 airline & 2 hotel fora.
I don't deny education is and has been happening in our individual airline/hotel/alliance forum. However, the current setup doesn't make it easy when FTers need help across different airline and hotel fora. I, for one, surely don't want to read someone's vacation to say Hawaii in 3 airline & 2 hotel fora.
Last edited by tcook052; Jul 10, 2013 at 5:54 pm
#23
Moderator
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I think a thread hosting simultaneous discussion of multiple deals would be difficult to follow, and compete with the parallel discussion in the program forum.
Parallel threads dilute FlyerTalk's knowledgebase. A thread in the airline, hotel, air or card forum will draw the most knowledgeable posters, while a discussion of the same offer in MilesBuzz! often draws lots of questions which have already been answered in those forums. I would like to see MilesBuzz! function as a conduit to direct members to the program forum where they can learn about an offer in context.
A mixed topic thread is also awkward to moderate, because we cannot (for example) easily redirect discussion of one offer to another thread, while leaving the thread open for discussion of other offers.
Parallel threads dilute FlyerTalk's knowledgebase. A thread in the airline, hotel, air or card forum will draw the most knowledgeable posters, while a discussion of the same offer in MilesBuzz! often draws lots of questions which have already been answered in those forums. I would like to see MilesBuzz! function as a conduit to direct members to the program forum where they can learn about an offer in context.
A mixed topic thread is also awkward to moderate, because we cannot (for example) easily redirect discussion of one offer to another thread, while leaving the thread open for discussion of other offers.
#24
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#25
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
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Posts: 5,678
Maybe this will finally lead to some resolution of the MB issues that TB has been supposedly discussing for months.
Whatever MB should be, it's already a help me, newbie, etc thread! So to those wondering about the need, thats already being demonstrated. I already suggested simply renaming it and being done with it.
Personally, I like the way Mile Point is organized. There is a Newbie forum, a General Miles forum, and.program specific. And the Newbie forum seems to work well. Maybe parochial pride means FT won't consider looking at that for ideas but I hope not.
Other internet boards for other areas of life often have Newbie type, help me forums, too, so I honestly dont see it as unusual.
I do miss the old MB. I think something like it is important to serve as an alternative to blogs, as far as buzzworthy news source. FT should be more willing to experiment and evolve, or will be left behind.
Whatever MB should be, it's already a help me, newbie, etc thread! So to those wondering about the need, thats already being demonstrated. I already suggested simply renaming it and being done with it.
Personally, I like the way Mile Point is organized. There is a Newbie forum, a General Miles forum, and.program specific. And the Newbie forum seems to work well. Maybe parochial pride means FT won't consider looking at that for ideas but I hope not.
Other internet boards for other areas of life often have Newbie type, help me forums, too, so I honestly dont see it as unusual.
I do miss the old MB. I think something like it is important to serve as an alternative to blogs, as far as buzzworthy news source. FT should be more willing to experiment and evolve, or will be left behind.
#26
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA USA
Programs: AA, UA, WN, HH, Marriott
Posts: 7,290
Need an "Asking for Advice" Forum/Sub-Forum
I know this has been mentioned in other threads, but the Miles Buzz Forum is so overrun with posts asking for advice on specific itineraries, which airline to concentrate on, etc that it is getting harder and harder to find a useful post about general ideas for earning or spending miles and/or points.
Please set up an Asking for Advice Forum or Sub-Forum where these posts can go so that we don't have to plow through dozens of posts to find the new, useful ones.
Thanks.
Please set up an Asking for Advice Forum or Sub-Forum where these posts can go so that we don't have to plow through dozens of posts to find the new, useful ones.
Thanks.
#27
Flyertalk Evangelist and Moderator: Coupon Connection and Travel Products
Join Date: Jul 2000
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I have to say that I actually find those posts valuable... and I learn much from the responses members make when helping other members.
We can all find threads we do not like in any forum we visit... the nice thing is that nothing requires us to click on and open a thread we do not like (as long as the OP used an accurate title!).
I still think that we get a lot of "new member" threads in MilesBuzz because it is the first forum people see.... move it down on the list and I think we would probably see a decrease in those threads. But just a guess on my part.
We can all find threads we do not like in any forum we visit... the nice thing is that nothing requires us to click on and open a thread we do not like (as long as the OP used an accurate title!).
I still think that we get a lot of "new member" threads in MilesBuzz because it is the first forum people see.... move it down on the list and I think we would probably see a decrease in those threads. But just a guess on my part.
#28
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
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An advice or whatever forum or subforum has been the subject of discussion, so we've merged these to maintain continuity and continue the discussion for the benefit of TalkBoard members.
/Moderator
/Moderator
#29
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I have to say that I actually find those posts valuable... and I learn much from the responses members make when helping other members.
We can all find threads we do not like in any forum we visit... the nice thing is that nothing requires us to click on and open a thread we do not like (as long as the OP used an accurate title!).
I still think that we get a lot of "new member" threads in MilesBuzz because it is the first forum people see.... move it down on the list and I think we would probably see a decrease in those threads. But just a guess on my part.
We can all find threads we do not like in any forum we visit... the nice thing is that nothing requires us to click on and open a thread we do not like (as long as the OP used an accurate title!).
I still think that we get a lot of "new member" threads in MilesBuzz because it is the first forum people see.... move it down on the list and I think we would probably see a decrease in those threads. But just a guess on my part.
However, I do subscribe to the notion that many new people don't pay attention or try to learn anything about FT before just posting whatever in the first forum they stumble into. It's sometimes amusing.
#30
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 333
I like the idea of an Asking for Advice Forum and the MilesBuzz being a list of new mileage earning deals in one place that could link to the specific airling/hotel etc where the discussion would continue