Why did you post on MilesBuzz
 

For over a year now, MilesBuzz has been intended exclusively for the "Discussion of the latest frequent flyer program buzz..."

Still, a very high percentage of topics that are posted in MilesBuzz are inaccuratley placed. There are different schools of thought as to why people mispost and I think it would be interesting to hear from those who have misposted, what they were thinking when they did so.

Here are some of the reasons that have been suggested for these mispostings:

1. I honestly didn't know I was posting in the wrong place.

2. This really seemed like the most logical place to post my question.

3. I am just too lazy to look for the right forum.

4. I am careless and don't really care where I post.

5. I actually know where to post, but decided to post here instead, thinking my post would get broader readership.

6. I just stumbled into FlyerTalk and posted in the first logical spot I found.

7. I understand perfectly well where posts should be place but I am being stubbornly resistant to change.

8. Other. Please explain.

Please share your thoughts on this subject.

I personally have had one topic moved as I recall and my reason for misposting was #2--This really seemed like the most logical place to post my question.

Do you have any suggestions on how to solve this mispost problem?

Lest start with this post, which has nothing to do with miles, why did you put it in MilesBuzz?

I think this a great topic, but it belongs in the Talk Board or Suggestions forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I don't remember any of my topics being locked or moved. However, many topics I read or contributed to have disappeared.

The main problem IMHO is that there is no one place to post topics containing information of broad interest or that will benefit FT'ers beyond the regulars of any single program forum. The solution (as I've suggested before) is to either:

1) Relax the rules to allow information of general interest. This should include big or easy bonus promotions and incredible fares (e.g. the recent $1 sale from National Airlines). Or

2) Create a new forum for such general posts. This forum could be called "Hot tips" or something similar and could be limited to a single announcement style post with a link to the appropriate forum specific topic which would contain the details and discussion.

3) Improve the "Click Here To View Today's Active Topics (all public forums)" feature to indicate which topics are most active. The current list includes every active thread, even if only one new post has been made. By 9AM EST the list usually includes over 200 topics. If these could be sorted by how many posts were made today, it was be easier to find the hotest topics.

The problem with putting it somewhere else is that we don't know whether or not the misposters will find it somplace else.

We can assume that they will find it here, because here is where they misposted. My guess is that many of them have no idea that a Talk Board or Suggestions forum exists. I am of the opinion that their unfamiliarity with FT is at the root of the problem. If we put the question in Suggestions (where they probably wouldn't find it) and that would be alter the results of the survey. Logically it has to be placed here to be of any value.

I can't offer a solution beyond what the moderators are doing already. I would suggest, however, another possible explanation:

9. OMNI used to be under FT Miles, but now that it's gone, MilesBuzz! becomes the bin that catches stuff not specific to a program.

10. Everyone else does. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Frequent Freak (edited 09-16-2002).]

Punki,

I also have to pose the question, why here in "MileBuzz"? You have an active thread covering the same basic subject in "Talk Board".

Respectfully,

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Craig6z
Buzz & United Moderator
[email protected]

OMNI still exists, it's just under the FT Travel board. This is another reason for misplaced posts - people don't realize the other boards exist. That, in turn, causes people who do know the other boards exist to post in MilesBuzz because they realize many folks don't know the other boards are there and won't see their post.

I believe that the vast majority of misposts fall into one of these two categories. In which case I don't really care whether the poster is offended, disappointed. etc. that his post was moved.

I see this on occasion. My guess is that after someone's mis-post is pointed out, they will make a better effort the next time to post in the proper forum.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif That IMHO is no reason at all.

Exactly as Randy and the moderators have been dealing with the problem over the past year or so - - move the post to the proper forum.



[This message has been edited by cactuspete (edited 09-16-2002).]

The problem with the current approach is that it is not working. Most days 1/3 to 1/2 of the threads on the first page of MilesBuzz are locked. So many locked topics on FT's "front page" only serves to intimidate new visitors and lurkers, causing some not to register or contribute for fear of doing somthing wrong.

Hi Craig,

My intent in making this post in this position was to get direct feedback just from those folks who had misposted in this forum. The other thread is full of lots of other people's opinions as to the cause of the misposts, but they are all only speculation. In order to find a solution to this ongoing problem, it is essential to determine the real cause and only those persons who have misposted have that information.

Since many of the folks who have misposted are brand new FlyerTalk members or very infrequent posters who obviously don't navigate well in FT, it is entirely possible (even likely) that this is the only forum which can receive a representative response from those who have actually misposted here.

The only other alternative for obtaining this necessary information would be to e-mail everyone who misposts to gain their feedback. I actually think that putting together a survey and automatically e-mailing it to anyone who misposts in this forum would be an excellent way to obtain data.

It is apparent that this problem is not going to just go away without some changes to the board.

[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 09-16-2002).]

So it could be moved to the talkboard thread

Talk about a counterproductive thread

Sheesh!!!!!

[This message has been edited by TrojanHorse (edited 09-16-2002).]

It is kind of humorous that you posted a question primarily directed at newbies yet the only people to comment so far are people that have been here forever and a day.

I am one of those newbies that had started a thread that was closed and moved. The reason I posted it where I did (MilesBuzz) was because I did not know any better and MilesBuzz is the first board everyone sees. Like most americans I refuse to read the instructions until after I have a problem.

Now that I am more aware of the posting rules I will do my best to post new threads in appropriate areas.



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"I have made up my mind, please do not confuse me with the facts"

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif "Problem" solved! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

Yet the "MileBuzz" forum's description is:
I respect what your goal is, and you're certainly welcome to push for it. However your thread is not on topic, so a better home for it should be found. I will move it to "TalkBoard". Of course now there will be a locked thread in "MilesBuzz" which people can read, and then know to look in "TalkBoard" for further response.

Respectfully,



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Craig6z
Buzz & United Moderator
[email protected]