Wiki posts in threads

The top forums on the Internet seem to have wiki post options. This enables threads like hotel master threads to have summary information that everyone can edit so you don't have to read through dozens of pages.

I'm sure this doesn't require an example, but here's what inspired this post: today I wanted to post a document containing Starpoint Instant Award options for a specific SPG property. All I can do is post it, and if someone could use that info, it will eventually be buried on page 14 or something. If there was a Wiki post, I could post it there and folks could be able to read that with other essential info easily.

Was this ever considered? I was about to make the same suggestion.

Sometimes when a thread gets 50 pages long, it a wiki post in the thread would be very useful. It gives readers a quick summary and stops people from repeating the same questions.

There is FT wiki.

That's not what we're talking about. This has nothing to do with a Wiki website like that.

A Wiki post is usually the second post in a thread and anyone can edit it. It's a Wiki for the thread only.

Here's an example. The 2nd post of this thread is a Wiki post. In this case, people are using it keep track of rebate forms for some offer. Usually it's used to keep track of the most pertinent info on the thread. It keeps people from asking the same questions over and over:
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthr...11248&t=987539

I can think of several cases where a Wiki thread would help. For example, there were very long threads on the NW MilesToGo promo and the Delta 25-Partner promo.

I know exactly what you are talking about.

I visit SD and FW. Those two sites have the built-in wiki post system. Just visit the two sites and click on any thread. You should be able to see how wiki posts work. The wiki-enabled threads actually make updated info more accessible and updating more efficient. Posters can get a good collaborative summary from the 2nd post in a thread. Every active participant can edit/correct the info in the wiki post. The job of summarizing falls on every participants in say threads and wiki posts are built over the course of time.

Take the Presidential Coins thread in MilesBuzz! for example. If we have a wiki post, folks can learn which coin is out of stock (or available) again; how the carriers have been making delivery..etc, just by browsing the wiki post. If there's anything inaccurate info, I am sure FTers will jump in and fix the wrong in the wiki posts.

Granted not every FT threads need an embedded wiki post. The feature will only get "activated" when a wiki post is created. I don't know much about the software engineering and how different is the wiki post system from our current vBulletin. But I do think this will be an excellent add-on improvement.

I actually would like to know from the admin if the wiki post system is part of the software upgrade in the future. Can you guys comment on this suggestion? Will IB consider this wiki post feature?

Ditto. Please?

We have noticed how other forums are using this feature as well, and we like what we've seen. At this point, we're researching available options to see how well/poorly we might be able to integrate this into FT. The wiki post functionality isn't part of the vBulletin core system, so requires the install of a plug-in. Not a deal breaker, but due dillegence is required.

Thanks for the update. ^

I don't visit too many online fora myself but as far as the wiki post system goes, I do like what I see in FW and SD. Please do keep us posted about the research and possible timetable to add this plug-in.

I am sure with a wiki post feature on FT, FTers can be on top of things at all times. It will definitely save some (lazy) FTers' time to browse a long thread before finding answers to their already-asked-by-others questions.

I am not sure if a plug-in means the tech group will write a new piece of software to add on to FT or there's some readily-made plug-in for this wiki post feature. I would like to mention something from my personal experience though.

I recently had a thread in another forum with wiki post feature. Not to go into too much details, it was about a shopping experience and corp/store policy. Some posters confirmed the same experiences while some didn't have the same problems. In the meantime, everybody stayed matter-of-fact posting. Except for one poster.

After reading it, this poster decided to create a wiki post to ridicule my thread. This person made up a whole bunch of fake policies in the wiki post. I don't want to get into a personal "war" with this person so I reported it to the forum mod. The mod reviewed the case and decided to not only delete the wiki post but also remove the wiki capacity in my thread.

I don't know too much about the technical stuff behind it. However, if FT tech dept needs to write a program to allow wiki post on FT, HOM may want to take the following under consideration:

1. allow mods to remove the ill-spirited wiki post, if necessary (such as in my example).

2. reserve the "power" for the mod to "deactivate" wiki capacity in any given thread. Just like what happened to me in the other forum.

3. I don't know if there are that many evil-spirited FTers on board, but we might consider the option to block a say FTer from posting in wiki. Sort of like mask OMNI from folks who can't behave themselves .

Wiki post is publicly accessible and editable to all registered users. It could be a backdoor heaven for spammers as well. The reason why I didn't just edit and remove the fake material from the wiki post in my example is because anybody can edit a wiki post in any given thread. That same person could have posted the same BS things in my thread after I edited it out. There's no point to engage in such a childish back-and-forth wiki editing. In case we do have certain FTers who can't behave themselves in certain threads, it may be a good idea to simply take the wiki posting privilege away from them. I don't know if that can be a thread-specific blocking or only systemwide.

I am speaking from a user's point of view. I'll leave all the technical potentials to you experts.

I think the "evil wiki poster" case is pretty rare. I've never seen one myself.

I didn't even know they existed until it happened to me less than 3 weeks ago.

+1 I was just coming here to make the same suggestion.

This would be IDEAL for those long threads where there are dozens of pages of posts. All of the most essential information can be kept up to date in the wiki post, with links to the relevant posts within the thread.

It would also make it easier for collaboration on the many threads where a single person (the original poster) keeps the first post updated.

Definitely a worthwhile plug-in to consider!

Thank you for reviving this thread.

It seems IB is not done with data recovery on FT yet. Since April 28th, 2009, the phantom post/page index problem has returned to the thread I mentioned in this post. I've PMed the tech team but I don't think they have developed a solution yet.

It seems to me there're reoccurring and new problems with data servers & tech glitches on FT. I hope IB can hurry up and finish rebuilding the data corruption from April. I can't wait to see this wonderful but long-overdue suggestion be implemented on FT!

Me too! Best of luck to the coders...

I, too, have wanted the wikipost feature on FT for a LONG time (ever since I started visiting FatWallet -- that's been a few years now).