ma91pmh

I think the key is, by your analogy, these "restaurants" have thousands of very happy customers, who come by every day and are very grateful for the great "food" that they get. But there is a vocal minority of critics who tend to come in, eat the food, and then complain that it's too spicy/salty/hot/cold. So I think they are saying they can't please those customers, and it's probably better those customers go to a different restaurant.

Olive Garden and Applebees are hugely successful businesses yet find me one person on a foodie forum that think they are remotely good??

ingy

It is further complicated in our case by the tremendously grateful rookies that write everyday thanking us for the help and personal attention they get from some of the blogs.

Most of the people in the FT gang, after being here awhile, already understand the basics and want more than we can deliver on a day to day basis. And there are just sooo many bloggers now, you are underwhelmed over and over, day in and day out.

I don't want to start another contentious controversy here, but look at it from our point of view. Do we want to service those that are complaining everyday, or those that appreciate the time and effort we take. We obviously can't serve both masters successfully.

mnscout

They will fix the food you don't find to your liking--and even that within reason--but they will tell you to take a hike if you demand they change the menu. Yet, this is exactly what some flyertalk fellas are trying to do. Even worse, they don't recognize the rights of bloggers to make money to compensate them for the time and effort they put into their blogs. Still, if you insist on using business terminology, then any successful business will cater to the majority of their clientele without giving a lot of thoughts to few disgruntled customers.

Mile-a-holic

(sorry, iPad makes quoting tough.). Very fair point. I think we need a sticky of blogs geared toward rookies vs some that are more geared toward FTers.

BUT where I continue to take exception are the newbie blogs that mislead. For example, one "guide" focused all on getting points (benefitting said blogger) and then said something like "redeem and enjoy" without mentioning ANY of the issues or traditional advice. Contrast that with a blog like Miles Abound

QL_714

They offer low quality so I guess they have a lot in common with bloggers.

Max M

Seriously!!!

There was a blogger there whom I will not name that didn't apparently have anything better to post one day besides post a cookie recipe and opine about Sesame Street's parody of the song "Call Me Maybe", and then tied both to frequent travel/frequent flyer miles because of airlines serving cookies on board.

That's the last day I read this individual's Boarding Area blog.

amolkold

Google search for " 'boarding area' cookies" yielded 15,700 results

Max M

Here's an easier way to find the post.

Go to Google and search:

"You Got Cookie, So Share It Maybe? Boarding Area"

Result should be the first listing.

Mile-a-holic

I disagree: I think most FTers think bloggers deserve to be compensated for their time and effort. Where a lot of FTers take exception is the execution of that on some blogs.

So, were I a blogger, I would look at FT feedback differently. Just like the health "nuts" were the "few disgrunteld customers" to McD's in the early 90s. So, if you broadly group feedback into two groupings:

1) Consumer feedback (add content, keep the TR trip reports and not personal vacation, etc): at some point, today's satisfied clients will likely grow seasoned enough to have the same issues. Do the bloggers want to gamble that the market of newbies will continue to constantly grow? Or, maybe take some of the feedback?
2) Consumer-rights feedback: this is my personal hobby-horse. If a blogger is going to provide a "newbie primer," then it needs to at least mention that redeeming airline miles requires planning. Don't push credit cards that benefit the blogger, regardless of what benefits the newbie (e.g., not even mentioning the USAir no spend card when the person lives in a hub and mentions not spending a lot, but pushing the CSP). The reality is that this game isn't for everyone, but certain bloggers make it appear that way. I get capitalism, but....the "me too" blogs that are clearly out to bilk this are offensive to me.

peachfront

Your work speaks for itself, Rick, and plenty of us are richer/better off thanks to your efforts. However, I wish you had not "dinged" another blogger just for posting a donation button. And the way you phrased it was guaranteed to be hurtful. Posting a donation button is NOT begging or putting a hand out, any more than any other person who works for tips is a beggar. It is perfectly fine for writers to have a way to allow fans to express their appreciation with a tip. My husband's book has been online for almost 10 years now. I can guarantee you that there are emails from fans he will never see, because of changes in his email address over that time. However, those fans who put a small tip into paypal (even though it goes to the wrong address), eventually he sees their "thank you" in his paypal account even though it never comes up in his inbox. It really makes a person feel appreciated and paypal donation button has proved to be a good way for people to find him. Everything can't be about the money, and everybody can't be a credit card affiliate or a seller of a physical product. Sometimes what you're offering IS the writing, and a donation button is a fine way to allow people to say "thank you" for a trivial price. I love donation buttons, as it gives me the option to say a "thank you" that the receiver KNOWS is sincere, yet if the budget is low, it also gives me the option to enjoy a freebie. I don't see how anyone is the loser because of a blogger using donation buttons. Compare that to adsense, which simply causes people to either install ad blockers or remove the blog from the places they choose to visit.

edrags

Wow,

Dozens and dozens of pages of pro and anti blogger rants, and not a single post that actually relates to the subject of the thread.

Mile-a-holic

Actually, there are there (even in the last few pages) but they are mixed in and difficult to find.

I think what we need is a sticky that has blogs listed, and folks can add their pros/cons. That way it isn't page after page of lists (I like 1, 2, 3) but without any reason why. That to me would be much more helpful...but I can also see that getting out of control. And of course, in what order would they be listed

mia

Another thread was merged in at post 973. If you scroll back prior to that point there are a number of constructive posts, interspersed with rants.

HIDDY

I don't read many FF blogs as the info is either taken off FT posts or ends up here soon anyway. Most are mirror images of each other with the same deals being talked about.

I'll just stick to FT thanks.

sosafan

+1