I think sometimes it's overly difficult to find what should be a simple answer. So how about a forum where you post a simple question and expect a simple answer. Tonight I was looking to see if UA sold qualification miles, and didn't see anything to lead me to believe they do, but an easy question forum would be a great place to ask. I think it might also help newbies get more engaged, because they could ask what DL or EYW mean without getting attacked and told to search the glossary.

I'll attempt to answer the questions it seems TB examples for forums.


1. Will the forum be (or is it now) beneficial to FlyerTalk?
I believe so. I think it can help newbies to learn in a more relaxed forum, and can be an easier way for people to ask questions.


2. Will the new forum benefit a relationship with FlyerTalk? E.g., does the forum provide value for FT members, such as a friendly ear highly placed in the company
I think a lot of the general type easy questions wouldn't need company involvement. A question about why a flight isn't available doesn't need a company response, but a quick KVS search could do it.


3. Is FT the best place to discuss this subject?
Sure. Think of it as FT for Dummies, Intro to FT, or for our British friends, the Prime Minister's questions.


4. Is there a passionate following? This is essential in order to provide dedicated expert helpers to get questions answered.
I think there would be. My posting numbers aren't the most prolific, but I feel like I'd spend time in the new forum trying to knock out the easy questions.


5. Is a critical mass of posts and readers anticipated or existing? We need adequate traffic to keep everyone visiting frequently. One living forum is more valuable than two mostly dead ones.
How many posts are active each day that would fall into this category? Wouldn't 100 posts a day be a low end of the expected numbers?



6. Is this the best place on FlyerTalk for this subject? This is the classification issue. The answer depends primarily on achieving and maintaining critical mass. It also depends on whether or where the discussion might (or does) occur in the absence of the forum.
I think pulling out these easy questions can lead to more in-depth discussion and a first step of knowledge.

7. For proposals to split a forum, is the split expected to improve the signal to noise ratio? Why?
N/A

Procedural Statements by the TalkBoard

8. The TalkBoard does not anticipate using automatic sunsetting of forums, preferring instead to create forums only when we they are strongly expected to succeed.