Another GREAT feature of VBB is 'subforums'. Thus, for the multi-use forums where various carriers are grouped, each carrier can now have it's own separate forum under the link on the 'Miles' page. This can also be useful in conjunction with 'stickies' as a 'read only' subforum can be created with answers to questions that are constantly asked and primer threads within each respective airline's forum. Thus, you have the normal discussion forum and a link at the top to the 'read-only' area where the FAQ-like posts would reside.

IMO stickies are VERY powerful and should be used (judiciously) board-wide... it will save the need to bump/link to age-old threads that would be better off in a semi-archived format such as a sticky.

[This message has been edited by kanebear (edited Mar 02, 2004).]

Maybe Omni can be a Forum all to itself, No? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Yes, we're still a little undecided about OMNI. So far we've talked about just ending it, trying to come up with another URL and posting it away from FT, developing a forum of its own, developing a Misc. area which it might be added to, deeding it over to Gaucho100K (grin!), and other ideas not named here. The challenge is that it brings pleasure and interest to a small army of members and we are glad for that; but it also brings a real test of our patience because there is a very small number of members who simply can not put a lid on their zealous distain of others opinions and comprehend that FlyerTalk is quite diverse, not just in issues related to gay marriages, but liberal left wing and other political and religous points of view. We've spent more time on deciding what to do with OMNI than almost any other issue to date when we change over FT.


I do have some bad news. In yesterday's changeover meeting, we have determined that there is no way we can keep FlyerTalk closed during the changeover for less than 4 days. It will probably be a Friday to Monday night close to changeover the threads to the new technology. We're headed toward 3 million posts on FT and its a challenge to port those over.

I'll advise more as we get closer.

Randy,

I would urge you to deal with the Minority of members who cause the problems within OMNI, not close it.

OMNI is a valuable asset to FT and closing it, rather than banishing the troublemakers, would be a shame.

With the new board have bolding? (Love it).

--ducking and running for cover....

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Don't feed the trolls.

Randy,

Thanks for the update.

Please don't close Omni, it's a valuable resource. I have asked so many non travel related questions and received very good and thoughtful replies. Everything from PC stuff to do I need a lawyer?

Members that go on and on about topics which are important to them should be warned and then banished if they don't stop.

Mary

This was my immediate thought also.

People apply for special permission to get access to OMNI and that permission can be taken away.

There are a small minority that cause 90% of the problems in OMNI. I know I can usually predict WHO will disrupt a thread... or all of OMNI.

As others have said, deal with the problem... and do not punish everyone. I would say that many more people get value out of OMNI than actually post to it. I see OMNI as a playground on Flyertalk.... and someone has to deal with the playground bullies. Sometimes the membership tries, sometimes the moderators try... but sometimes they need to be kicked out.

Perhaps removing posting privileges to OMNI only might be a solution.

William

Originally posted by Randy Petersen:

Time to start booking that trip to the web-less archipelago.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

What CameraGuy, Mary2e and wharvey said.

Deal with the minority of brats or give even broader powers to the mods, but please don't close OMNI b/c of a few bad seeds.

While I am not a frequent contributor to OMNI, I believe that eliminating OMNI is not a good idea.

There are many sites throughout the Internet which specialize in topics discussed in OMNI that are not relevant to points and miles. However, there seems to be a certain level of trust amongst members of FlyerTalk to acquire information on topics as varied as cooking, computers or cars. Besides, the frequent flyer community is fairly unique in the fact that FlyerTalk members are experts from all walks of life that have valuable information to impart that is not considered germane to the regular areas of FlyerTalk, whether it be law, photography, construction, financial matters, etc.

For many members of FlyerTalk, points and miles are indeed a serious business. OMNI allows FlyerTalk members the opportunity to “take a break” — to have fun and joke around with each other.

The problem lies with the wasted amount of time and resources spent trying to resolve differences in opinion between FlyerTalk members. If I owned and operated an Internet bulletin board, I would consider doing what many other Internet bulletin boards seem to do: establish a forum where one enters and contributes at one’s own risk. This does not necessarily have to be at an Internet web site separate from FlyerTalk (unless there are legal reasons to do so), and the ultimate judges in what the rules and “laws” of that forum are could be determined by a well-rounded quorum of well-respected volunteer FlyerTalk members of all types (which could include or exclude the moderators of OMNI). This way, Randy Petersen can concentrate on important business matters instead of constantly attempting to resolve member conflicts, which wastes valuable time, energy and resources.

This is hardly a new idea, but perhaps there should be two separate OMNI forums: a fun an informative area similar to the rest of FlyerTalk where members assist each other on all issues other than points and miles, as well as share jokes and play games; and the other (with a specific disclaimer attached where clicking OK means that one agrees to the rules and risks of this forum, as well as permission to enter this forum to be granted contingent upon official approval) which is an uncensored forum of opinions and ideas where contributors understand that they enter only at their own risk. Complaints would be resolved by the aforementioned quorum of volunteer FlyerTalk members, who perhaps could remain anonymous.

The S.P.A.M. forum could be a third forum in this new OMNI zone, as it really has little to do with points, miles and travel.

I would even be inclined to consider including the FlyerTalk Community forum and the Coupon Connection forum, along with the S.P.A.M forum and the two different OMNI forums, in this new area, although that is debatable.

I realize that there will be disagreement to what I propose here, but the main purpose of this post is to keep OMNI in some form that will keep as many FlyerTalk members as happy as possible, while freeing up Randy Petersen from spending a lot of time dealing with FlyerTalk member issues. Therefore, please consider my proposal more of a genesis of what could be some good ideas, rather than a concrete idea of its own volition.

I volunteer my own banishment from OMNI if needed.

Droneklax would be following in my footsteps.

It is no secret that I have permanently banned myself from Omni (and put that fact into my signature block).

This does not mean, however, that I feel Omni should be closed. It serves an important function for those who wish to post there.



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Sir Dovster, OBE
(Omni Boycotter Extraordinaire)

OMNI keeps some of us coming back to FT more than we can imagine and lets us get people interested in FT who would otherwise never have heard of FlyerTalk. Plenty of times I email friends a link about an OMNI posting as a way to bait them into our collective frequent flier addiction. Most of those viewers would never care to post to OMNI but I have found more than a few commenting about topics about their favorite airlines thereafter -- all without any marketing expenditures.

For me, OMNI is one of the best things about FlyerTalk. If I need an update on the news stories of political significance at home while travelling, OMNI is better than a Yahoo News summary while giving you a sense of cross-partisan thoughts on various matter.

On occassion, things get out of hand, but such is the world. If an OMNI poster is getting out of hand -- myself included -- then a self-imposed time out or a moderator imposed timeout (permanent or otherwise) -- by rescinding posting privileges -- is sufficient without eliminating the forum.

I'm fine no matter what happens. There is life beyond OMNI, people. But I do hope it isn't closed.

While OMNI is a somewhat untamed animal, it is immensely valuable.

It is, quite simply, Google In A Can and then some - a truly unique, rare, slightly dangerous, but incredibly prized beast in the virtual world.

Nobody has a problem keeping this beast in a strong cage, poking and prodding it when needed, feeding and nurturing it from time to time as well. BUT DON'T KILL THE BEAST. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

This month's Wired Magazine did a huge story on the usefulness and ubiquity of that multibillion dollar leviathan Google. My first thought was "whatever". Google is a nice place to go if you want to find out how many intentional walks Danny Tartabull drew in 1988. But if I want real information - experiences, common hazards, knowledge, recommendations, advice - I skip Google, Epinions, and Ask.com and go straight to OMNI.

Why do I go to a frequent-travel board for information on car stereos, pest control, scotch tasting, wireless routers, and weightlifting? (I know the people on my sports, marine mammal, running, and financial boards don't talk about these things.) I don't know - all I know is that you have something here that I've never seen anywhere else on the 'Net.

I gotta run...I need to head over to OMNI and see who has helped solve my problem with silverfish eating my suits. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif