Multiple posts of same msg. in multiple Forums
 

First a disclaimer, I'm not the FlyerTalk police - just a regular user who is trying to figure out the rationale of multiple posts. I've noticed that many times, people post things in more than one forum. I can understand that as many times, things relate to multiple things: ie, some bit of new information might be relevant for "The News" forum, or it could be about a particular airline and go in that forum, or maybe "Only Randy" forum should be the place.

But, I think that we have gone to far. It looks as though a user name 'Havane' has posted a message about "First Class Beds" in a total of 14 different forums! Yes, the same message, over and over again. I am not trying to pick on 'Havane', but perhaps illustrate this as a prime example of where we might need some guidance from the powers that be at FlyerTalk.

As a user, I regularly check the active forums (you can tell by the lit up lightbulb where new msgs. are) and seeing this same message over and over again is a bit tiresome.

Randy, perhaps you can spell out some rules for multiple forum postings so we can make this a better run bulletin board.

Agreed. Its also bad because then there are 14 different discussions taking place. Maybe the webmaster can sweep these into one place.

Concur with steve100 and pgupta011.

I agree that 14 of the same thing is excessive, and it's hard to follow a particular discussion. BUT, just the other day, both dilbert and I posted similar messages, under differnt threads, within 14 minutes of each other. To get FT involved to move things around, may be a lot for them to do; so each of the two seperate threads are referenced in each of the first.

I happen to really agree. We are in the process of designing and posting a new front end which will link to a policy of practice and also taking advantage of listing the various forums and explaining exactly what is the purpose of those forums.

We've also got another thought, and that is to "deputize" a few voluteers who would be able to supervise those types of things. If you click around these boards enough, you might find comments that would cause us to be sensitive in this area, since it might be viewed by some as censorship. But, with a mission statement and rules of order, hopefully we'll be able to get in line with a standard practice by all those who visit.

Again, thanks for the comments and nudging us along.

What I had in mind was that if the same person had posted the same message in multiple places, the administrator could collect the responses to those (if any) and move them all to one place. No censorship.

I agree.

Further, I believe an email should be sent to the offending party with a "form letter" reminding them that a post should be only done once.

Sometimes ( I have not found the need) it may be worthwhile to post once and put a reference somewhere else). When this happens, if no one add comments, then it will serve to refer for awhile, then just fade away.

Post that exceed the above should be consolidated, as suggested. I know this is a problem as is causes extra work. Repeat offenders may have to be executed, or worse, be banned from the site!

in the "good old flyertalk-times" (last year) we = the flyertalkers, did regulate this ourselves (sometimes by communicating over the issue on the board, sometimes - if it was somehow delicate, by personal emails).

And this didn't work out to bad.

More official rules ? I still admire the "shortness" of the 10 commandements - compared with pages of small print now, if I buy an airline-ticket or want to enter a (flyertalker) board to chat.

Rudi, the "good old days" policing must be leting down its guard, as this multi posting is becoming a problem. This is both true of posting the same thread in multiple places AND those that keep hitting the reply button so as to post 2-5 identical replies! The second problem can be caught, if we all would go back, before logging out, to any thread we contributed to, and deleting any "stutters". That include the big man, Randy Petersen. Could this be a site problem, rather that one of its participants?

I concur that both of the problems ranles mentions are big annoyances. As mentioned in my thread in OMNI, I think it is very easy to accidently make multiple posts in a thread - and very easy to delete them again.

Meanwhile, I think mulitple posting of the same thread is a wilfull waste of people's time and very, very irritating. I think it is something that should be strongly discouraged. The chap that posted the same thing in 14 Forums last night wasted a lot of my time.

Please remember that outside North America, local telephone calls cost money (is this true in continental Europe, Rudi?). That means that mutiple posts and multiple forum posts waste bith time and money for readers like myself.

I strongly urge all readers to take care not to post multiply, to delete their own multiples and to point them out to others who may have missed them. I urge the administrators to take any steps necessary to stop multiple threading including a policy statment and action by the webmaster to unite such threads.

Thanks and best wishes,
James

Alerting others of their multiposts would be easier if it were a requirement for everyone, to belong to this forum, to have their e-mail in their profile.

Maybe it's a little simplistic and/or naive, but perhaps a simple message right up front that directs users to PICK ONE most appropriate topic and make clear that multiple posts are PROHIBITED would do the job!

I agree, but notice you too do not list an e-mail address

I don't think you should make people have their e-mail listed in their profile, but it should be a requirement for registering for FlyerTalk.

Sorry, that is what I ment. To facilitate communications, ie. Please remove your multiple posts, 14 at last count, of the same item as it is an inconvenience to others and may be against the rules or Please note that your response to X has 7 identical replies in a row, please delete them at your earliest convenience as a consideration to others.

It is a requirement for registering. Recently when I had to become a ghost I had to give an email address where my password was mailed.

ranles, I assume that your point about email addresses was aimed at me (among others). My correct email address is registered with Flyertalk but I choose not to display it in my profile.

The reasons for this include to maintain my privacy, to reduce spam (for the same reasons I don't like multiple posts) and because if I wish an individual to have it, I will give it to them. Making people publically display their email address is clearly unacceptable and unneccessary.

James

James, it was for Doc, not you. But if you review what I said, it was, alerting others would be easier if it were required to have your e-mail ... and the correct word would have been profile, that is, were others could readily access it.

I would not want you to put your e-mail there unless this posting problem were not addressed by Randy. It was suggested by Rudi that this was handled by the contributor in the past. See how the e-mail would let contributors notifly other contributors of a problem. I have e-mailed a few people with suggestions, or help to their issue, that was not of general interest, or that I did not wish to share with everyone. Also have helped match a few coupon seekers with suppliers. Once, I notified someone of multiple identical replies to a post. No one wants to be spammed, but your fear is likely overdone.

For example, many people cherish there credit card number, but then give it to waiters, shop keepers, and clerks (all over the world).

Almost all surveys on the web, and contests and memberships to sites, require your e-mail address. Most of us give it freely in those cases. If we do not want to disclose our e-mail then we do not participate. IF and only IF this multiposting is not resolved, then I would suggest some more agressive policing. If done by Randy, then having your e-mail with him is good enough. If not, then having it in your profile, as a requirement, should be considered so we can each take some responsibility for policing it.

As you can see, I am not too keen on anonomus contributors. The web is too easy to use to dupe people and we therefore may have to give up some liberties for the good of the whole. Or maybe no. I do support your right to join or not join in on anything, as I do the host's right in setting up common sense rules to insure the content of his/her investment.

[This message has been edited by ranles (edited 06-26-1999).]

I think it is fine to let people come on without posting their e-mail address to the world. Many people are going to feel uncomfortable putting out their e-mail address in the beginning and that is ok.

As long as Webflyer has a way to police anyone who becomes truly obnoxious, people should be allowed to develop their comfort level at their own pace. Eventually, they will become part of the community and everybody will feel ok about their decisions or they will go away and that's ok too.

It would be sad to eliminate someone from the board just because they are reluctant, for whatever reason, to post their address when they first sign up.

New people have no way of knowing that we aren't just a bunch of nutcases. (Actually, there are probably some of us only come back because we have decided that we are a bunch of nutcases. http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif)

[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 06-26-1999).]

ranles, I understand your points and accordingly (and just for you http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif) I will put an email address in my profile so that I can be notified of mulitple posts http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I don't really agree with you that posting an email address somehow gives your posts credibilty - I think that comes from the substance and information therein. However, I accept that I can't very well ask people to notify others about multiple posts if I am uncontactable myself.

James

Thank you James. Now if ontheroad would do the same, we could ask him/her to remove one of the two threads posted to ask if the AMEX card is worth it. I replied to the thread with what I thought might be useful information, but without the State he/she lives in, I could not be sure if it would be. Now I find the multiple post! I would make mine more complete, if I new how to alter it.

ranles - I disagree. I think that ontheroad's posting is actually the right way to do it, where he directs everyone to continue the discussion in the AMEX thread, but posts on the RANDY thread simply to direct attention that it is an important topic which is being posted elsewhere.

Guess that's what makes a ball game. If I was looking for AMEX or credit card threads, that is where I would look.

In some cases a double post may be the right thing to do. I just do not see a reason to post this to RP too!? Why does it say "Only..."? Who does it serve?

I am 100% happy how ontheroad handled his Amexco "double-posting".

And I "lost" more time reading these postings here then with recent double postings, and I still think that (with very few exceptions) we very seldom had real double-posting-problems here.

Some of us "oldies" know, how we, or in the first place merry, handled a possible bluffer (trying a scam?) on this board last year. I believe that the webflyer-officials were never aware of that "self-defence-action" then.

With all of the free Internet e-mail addresses available (e.g., yahoo, rocketmail, hotmail, etc.), a friend of mine has set up an e-mail address with one of the Internet e-mail systems which he uses for "public" postings, while keeping his "personal" e-mail address private. He says that is a convenient solution to the privacy concern while still permitting him to receive e-mail traffic from people who want to respond to something he's posted.

It might be worth a try for those who have similar concerns. It is hard to communicate, even in good will, with someone who does not reveal an address.

Ok Rudi, my curiosity is perked. Any clues on how to find the threads with "Oldies" defense tactics?

baobab - would you please "secretly" (by email) inform punki?

All of this seems to be an invitation for the CatCop's return...

Just for clarification, when I had earlier said something about notifying contributors by sending a simple message upfront, this was not meant to necessarily be via a specific e-mail notice, but rather simply posting general directions for ALL users upfront at the outset, when people first sign up!

We are not really anonymous, or at least not totally in my opinion. With the emails provided to "Randy & Co" when we sign up, things can be easily matched. Yet, not so simply by each independent user. Regarding the additional mailboxes, you can easily run into the unfortunate problem of having too many - as I sadly already have!

Also, there is always the option of having certain specific areas/sections "restricted" either by access or to posting unless an email address is displayed!

I posted the same reply to 2 different forums before I visited this forum. I DID qualify it by saying that I had posted it in another one (just 1).

Since this seems to be a hot topic, I will keep my replies to just one forum.

One of my new favorite things is the little box in the upper left hand corner of the post when you hit the edit key called "Delete this post!"

I saw three multi-posting from myself in another forum and just went DELETE DELETE!!

I love it! http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!

Purr

This is Commander Catcop wishing all in teh USA Happy HOliday weekend (especially YOU BAOBAB, my dear friend!)

I think we have all made the point that multiple postings in multiple forums can be annoying. So I propose that we all move on and get back to focusing on miles and points (and please STOP FIGHING!!! that from the Peaceful Easy Feeling Kitty! http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

It can be a pain but my friend CATMAN tells me if he recognizes the post from another thread he just skipps it or quickly scans it like the newspapers in the morning.

Sometimes less is best, but I wish my furry Friend CATMAN would learn that! http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!!!

Well, this topic sure generated a lot of discussion - and many different excellent points on all sides.

We have another incident, this time on July 2nd, a user named "JMC" posted the same message about PlanetRX in 9 different forums: including Buzz, BA, CO, DL, NW, TWA, UA, US, and AA. Now, this one had a slight twist on the theme (as opposed to the other 14 forum posting mentioned above) as many of the messages just refer you back to the original thread.

I do not believe that this kind of posting should be accepted here as well, and I still firmly believe that the great folks at FlyerTalk should do something 'official' about this as soon as possible.

By 'official', I mean stating up front the accepted do's and dont's, and if somebody has been found to stray very far (note: I mean severe stray, not just a minor infraction), then they should be sent a polite email from the folks at flyertalk reminding them of the rules and deleting unneccesary posts. Why would anyone not agree to this? My two examples I posted are excellent illustrations of the problem.

Once again, I concur!

Agree also

Brought forward for possible REconsideration! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Where does SIA info really go?

So many threads on the VERY same topic now proliferate even within each separate fora! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

FWIW, IMHO, it makes it far more difficult to follow! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

My feeling in that there are two Forums this crash OUGHT to be reported in if possible:

1. Singapore Airlines
2. In The News

Major "disaster" things like this will also (appropriately IMHO) more than likely end up in The Buzz as well, as did Concorde crash etc.

That option, one imagines is restricted to major catastrophes like this one, not a comparatively "minor" airplane related matter - an emergency landing at Dulles or a fuel dump in London etc that involve no fatalities or major damage.

WHY some posters have started multiple threads on it within Forums is anyone's guess. Makes it tough for Doc or others to keep them updated I can well imagine.

There was even a long thread on the SQ crash on the United Forum, which IMHO is certainly a silly place for it to be posted:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/003481.html

Isn't the Singapore forum supposed to be about the Singapore frequent flyer program only?

Opus17 I think ONE thread on the SQ board is entirely appropriate. I don't make any rules, but it does seem perfectly sensible.

If the UA forum was JUST restricted to the FF program, some 50% of the posts would be invalid!

Menus/no menus, aircraft configurations, FA attitudes, Red Carpet Club matters, USAir merger, new routes, on-time performance (or lack of it!) company gossip, things heard from staff, things that happended in airports whilst flying/waiting UA.

I know the same applies to ALL flyer boards. Check one at random and delete the posts that do NOT relate JUST to FF program and you delete most posts. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

A massive explosion of a AA 757 in Miami today would quicly get reported on the AA board. Does that seem out of place?

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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 11-05-2000).]