Paraphrasing Mark Twain, "The rumors of Flyertalk's demise have been greatly exaggerated." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

(Aargh! It looks like my husband has beat me to the punch – I swear he did not tell me he’d even seen this topic! I’ll go ahead and post what I’d already written. If it’s a bit redundant, well, I guess we think alike.)

If you don’t mind some input from a newbie, markbach, my first reaction to your post is that even with things we enjoy, our interest level waxes and wanes. It would be better to take a holiday rather than burn out completely. And yes, even in my short 2 months here, I’ve seen topics recur, and sometimes felt myself cringe a bit. But no one forces me to read any of it, and sometimes different posters provide new insights on the same subject.

FlyerTalk is a great place to find travel and FF information. I’m sure the vast majority of folks who read these boards leave it at that. There’s nothing wrong with that approach. But some of us get more involved, because we discover a community of People Like Us. I like getting miles, and deals, and most of all having status in travel programs, and that’s been true for 15+ years, but I’ve found that the travel stories and personal perspectives – and the humor - are what I most enjoy about FT. And I’m specially looking forward to attending some FT get-togethers in the future.

It’s also the fact that I have information to contribute that makes FT fun. I’m pretty sure it’s not just a desire to “show off”- that would be very silly in light of the background and knowledge of some people here – but it’s also part of human nature to want to help others, to give something, even if it’s just a bit of advice.

The FAQ idea is good, although my cynical side makes me say that the people who would be most in need of reading it, probably won’t. But with the upcoming FlyerTalk changes, maybe you should check with Randy to see that you wouldn’t be duplicating something he has planned.

Coke is no longer a nickel, gas costs more than 10c a gallon, TV is no longer black and white, and DC3's are not the backbone of the aviation industry.

Things move on. Fine boards like FT get bigger. Much bigger. New people come. Old people go. Look back at any thread from a year back and see how FEW of these are still here posting. It is just evolution. People move, people die, poeple find other interests. Like it or not this is internet life in the 21st Century.

Never forget the newbies of today are the old boys of 2002. Those still here will I am sure impart useful advice to newcomers, and interact socially at FT functions, along with the core of current 'old hands' who clearly will still be here and active.

I posted the above 6 months ago, and it is just as pertinent today. Yes, those who inhabit specific Forums here do often know the rules pretty much backwards. But the rules keep changing. One example - it seems no-one on the UA boards has a COMPLETE understanding yet of the new electronic upgrades, their application 'in practice', and transferability, or more concerning - lack thereof. This is fully three months after they came on stream. Many of the questions about these are being asked by savvy "old timers", not newbies, so a learning process is still taking place by all, for the benefit of all. And would folks have been able to book $27 round trip United fares West Coast to Europe a week or so back if they were not REGULAR visitors to FT? I don't think so. I saw that I could make a phone call and get instant Hilton Gold HH status last week. So can every person reading this post. Don't know how? Ask me, but it shows there ARE neat things out there to learn each day. It sure was very pleasant news to me and the others who did the same. So new and exciting things do turn up.

For anyone who does NOT restrict themselves to reading their own few specific Forums, the amount of info on the General and Buzz and News boards always contains things never previously posted. A fine example was last week's "How to Survive a Hotel Fire":

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/003721.html

Yes, it was rather long, but yes, it may also save your life and that of your family if you read it and remember even 10% of the superb advice in there, no matter how long you've been around Flyer Talk. No matter WHAT airline you fly, we all stay in Hotels.

The wonderful people I have met from all corners of the earth, both here in SYD or at FT events, or whilst travelling are a priceless bonus on top of all the other pluses. Some folks I have had had board altercations with in the past are now good friends after meeting in person, and that is the huge plus of FT over many/most other "chat" type boards.

And that is why FT will continue, and get bigger and always be useful. Quite simply, the last word on safety, hotels/airline/car programs, and promotions etc will NEVER be written. They keep changing, and so will Flyer Talk. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 02-11-2001).]

I log in when I can. Sometimes the info is valuable, sometimes it's not. Sometimes a question is asked a hundred times (such as what are the best seats on a DL 767-300).

As the board gets bigger and there are more people logging on, this can be expected. I do not mind when gehuine newbies ask stupid questions. They are learning and if serious will stay around and get it. If not, they go. Spammers have been around for a long time, they come, they're flamed, they go. The worst flamers have had the same characteristics. I see it degenerating no more that many parts of society.

Hi all,

Yes, FlyerTalk does seem to be less 'focused' than it may have been 12-18 months ago. As with any online area, it continues to grow and evolve quickly as time goes by. Over the last 3-4 years, almost everyone (in the US at least) seems to have gained access to the online world.

Yes, many of the newer members ask questions that have been asked several times before. I see it as part of the learning process for them. In order to keep FT the pleasant and civil place that it is, I think it is the responsibility of the 'old timers' to politely answer their questions and point them to the older threads and explain the ability to search to the various forums. There is no need to denigrate their lack of knowledge.

Although I have participated in online fora for quite some time (14 years), I have only been here for about 18 months. In that time, I have learned much and that knowledge has benfited me greatly. In return, I see it as my obligation to help the others that follow me and to provide information that is helpful to others.

PremEx and FewMiles have pointed to the future of FlyerTalk. Bulletin boards are great for sharing information on breaking news, but not so good as a reference. The unofficial United and American sites put together by PremEx and FewMiles filter and organize info for quick use. I'd love to see similar sites for all the FlyerTalk subject areas.

Many subjects come up over and over (e.g., Which Hilton in London? Which American trans-Atlantic flights have DVD players? Which United flights are best on the SFO-JFK runs?) Wouldn't it be great to have this info organized? It'd take some work for the people doing the organizing, but I suspect we'd have a few volunteers (especially if Randy promoted the idea and gave them server space).

FlyerTalk is fueled by high-quality information. An expanded format could take this to a new level.

about once each decade, every newspaper in new york carries stories about the death of broadway or the death of the musical theatre as a legitimate art form.

ten or twenty years later, the very same newspapers and periodicals have run stories referencing that time period - the period in which broadway was supposed to have been dying - as a "golden age."

UK Stages. To take your newspaper analogy a step further. For 80 years "experts" have predicted the demise of daily newspaper. First the radio era was going to do it.

Then since the 1950s the TV set was going to turn daily newspapers into dinosaurs. Most nodded in agreeance. Then fax machines threatened them. And then most significantly the interent, news websites, and emails. "Newspapers will vanish, no doubt about it".

Anyone seen "The Times" or the NYT, Sydney Morning Herald, or WSJ, Straits Times, or 'USA Today' etc disappear yet? They stayed strong despite the doubters.

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~ Glen ~

markbach: Thoughtful post. I know a couple of things happen for me periodically. Once in a while, when chaos breaks out here, I'll just get sick of it and think "FlyerTalk has really gone down the tubes." Another is that after reading the board for almost 2 years, I know a lot of the tips that I didn't when I started, so the whole whole thing seems not very fresh.

I agree with the suggestion about taking a vacation once in a while, especially if you're getting fed up with things. My experience was that I missed the boards after about a month off. I also agree with the suggestion about helping others, when you start to get to know more and more. People really appreciate it when they post a question and have an answer within a few minutes. It can seem uncanny if you're new to the board.

I guess the thing that makes FlyerTalk most worthwhile to me is following the continuing cast of characters, many of whom I count among my friends after having met them in person and corresponded with them. What gem will punki come up with today? What exotic locale will BlondeBomber fly off to tomorrow? What will those writers par excellence Jailer, Opus17, and QuietLion come up with to entertain me next? and on and on and on. There's a real community here, and when you're on the road in a little room at a Marriott somewhere like Roanoke, VA, working all day with strangers who are pounding away at you, you can plug in pretty easily. I value that, and it's a big reason I stay around.

Rumors of the demise have been greatly exaggerated. I bet the same thing could be said about the board in Mar 2000 (e.g. didn't we just discuss this).

Having a FAQ would be a good idea. Cataloging things of interest would be good. Search need to be improved. Having a set of posting guidelines, and having people actually adhering to those guidelines would be useful too.

FT dying? I am 100 posts and growing. Yes, I do get tired of some of the messages and wish members would be less liberal on the "I Agree" comments. However, like the Internet, this is a research tool. When you go to the refridgerator, you don't expect there to be new things all of the time.
When you get that craving for miles, you know what shelf in the fridge to go to. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Another interesting point. Why do you think airlines continue to give safety features including how to buckle your seat belt? Like the Internet, like FT, there are more and more people being exposed to this new thing everyday and more being born as well. Some will find FT marvelous, others will fizzle after being logged on for 3 hours straight! But the smart ones, will research what they are looking for. This is our community.Friends are made, coupons are exchanged, deals are found and miles are earned.

sorry. Now I see your point!

[This message has been edited by MSP2000 (edited 02-12-2001).]

I still consider myself to be a "new member. I could not stand the S.P.A.M. mail on some other boards. I do find it useful and I like the open exchange. I guess, I have a lot more to learn than the "oldtimers" on FT. Thanks everyone for FT. You have built it and we have come here. Give us time and we will become old hands in due time. However, there is no place for S.P.A.M. on every airline board as seen the other day.

Oops!

[This message has been edited by MSP2000 (edited 02-12-2001).]

Suggestions:
1) Eliminate FT status (evangelist, etc.);
2) eliminate post counting; and
3) keep the registration date.