Actually I am not aware of any forums on FT where posts do not "count" these days. But you are correct, the vBulletin software allows that option on any forum, if Admin chooses to implement it.

There once was that setting made for OMNI, due in part to the many "Mongolian Word Association Thread" type congas etc. One current thread has two members each showing over 10,000 posts to it etc.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/misc....hreadid=309875

As recently as May 30, the elected TalkBoard voted on whether to recommend to Randy that we go back to that system for "OMNI" where posts did not count to overall total.

I supported the idea as like SPAM felt a lot of post padding type activity was occurring from some members, and neither forum really has anything to do with the FT core mission of airline/hotel miles and points and travel advice, but the motion was defeated:

------------------

Motion failed: Don't Count OMNI Posts towards Post Count Going Forward

Moved by ScottC and seconded by ozstamps

Quote:

That posts made in the "Omni" forum of Flyertalk do not count towards ones visible post count. This will not be implemented retroactively, but will take place if the motion passes on any new posts made in "Omni".

Yes: ozstamps, ScottC

No: attorney28, Cholula, gleff, missydarlin, Spiff, wharvey

Abstain: none

Not voting: doc

According to my bio, I believe they have my date of joining these boards in 2001, yet I have less than 70 posts. Most of those are in the S.P.A.M. forum. Why? Simply put, I used to subscribe to Randy Peterson's Flyer Talk magazine. I never really knew anything about the forums' board. It was last year that I found out about certain boards being restricted only to people that had a certain number of posts. Somehow, I was allowed to post to one of the restricted boards. After reading this as well as some other posts on other boards, I guess someone noticed that I had too few posts and the next thing I knew, I had been blocked from that board. The stupid thing about the whole incident is that I was sharing info on a board that someone had asked a question and I knew the answer. One doesn't have to be a poster on these boards with 1000's of posts to be familiar with the different rules regarding travel and the changes the different airlines are imposing and changing all the time. I actually had a 2 for 1 coupon for Intercontinental that I was trying to give away when I was blocked from the board.
Another thing about being able to get on and view the board where people had coupons to give away or trade , I would see things like "giving this free upgrade to a longtime poster, no one with less than 1000 posts". Why restrict the board when these kinds of stipulations are in place?
While I go to other boards, there just doesn't seem to be anything interesting to read or respond to. For example, I was on one of th car rental sites and all of these posters were wondering if they could use this code in a certain city. After reading through the posts I find out that the code in question is for employees of that particular car rental ageny. It became clear to me that many of the posters that were asking about a particular city already knew that code was for employees only yet they were trying to take advantage of what was apparently a glitch in the system. Then there were the posts about the low rates that were found for certain hotels and people were responding that they had booked a whole month but didn't really need the rooms. Greed.
So your suggestion to not have posts to S.P.A.M. not be included in the count, oh well, I guess I'll never get there. But when I ask myself, is it even worth it? Apparently not since you can't miss something you never really had.

The main focus of SPAM is definately the alternative miles sites and point miles promotions. A lot of people like to share great deals/promotions that they find and I have gotten positive feedback from people that they appreciate them and would rather have them here than looking through a fatwallet or slickdeals - it is faster and easier.

That said it is somewhat annoying to find a lot of individual free small item (hair spray, razor, etc) threads. I will spend some time cleaning up SPAM and combining these threads, so we don't need to start a new one each time there is a new shampoo offer. Everyone loves thier free itunes..... I also try to make sure there are no trades going on in the forum.

In the past whenever I have found someone that is delibertly padding thier posts I would delete thier posts. I do not think there is rampant post padding happening in SPAM.

I appologize if the forum has been a little messy lately - I have been travelling a lot over the past few months. My schedule gets better starting next week and I will clean up the SPAM.

Have a great day!

Josh
SPAM Mod

I still don't see < 7 threads per day on any topic as a forum "overrun". To each their own.

That still doesn't mean that SPAM or FlyerTalk is the proper place for such threads (IMO). That also equates to 75% of the forum not relating to points and miles.

Seriously, if people want freebies or discounts on random items why not just go to fatwallet or SlickDeals?

Perhaps we keep S.P.A.M. under its original charter and guidelines and then set-up another board for Freebies / Discounts but perhaps using the same restriction in terms of Coupon Connection of those being permitted to post / view the forum having 100 posts. I think this would help the problem and provide an outlet for these posts/ ^

Not everyone is familiar with fatwallet and Slickdeals (with yours truly being one).

Being that you have already made the "priveledged" list, I guess that's very easy for you to say. I wonder what your reactions or suggestions would be if you only had 75 posts? :confused: :rolleyes:

So? Are you incapable of typing www.fatwallet.com (for instance) and browsing there? :confused:

Remember that FlyerTalk's original focus was frequent flyer/stay programs, i.e., miles and points. Over the years, it has expanded beyond those boundaries to other travel topics. But it's still primarily miles, points, and travel.

There are zillions upon zillions of places where you can find "deals" (coupons, discounts, free samples) of one kind or another. Just start with Google and go from there. Having these deals on FT really doesn't enhance FT that much, and having them mixed in on the same forum with genuine "points and miles" deals is frustrating to those who have to wade through tons of cr*p to find what one is seeking.

And you can argue all you want that free samples are related to travel; by that logic, though, pretty much ANY topic is related to travel. So should FT be all things to all people? When a board tries to be all things to all people, it runs the risk of becoming, eventually, nothing to anybody. @:-)

Well as someone who also has not heard of fatwallet or slickdeals & certainly didn't feel the need to go google it or type it in :rolleyes: Lighten up folks - geesh...

I don't think the forum is 'overrun'. I mean really - how many extra seconds does it take to scan thread titles to figure out which ones you're interested in. Reminds me of the periodic argument in Community Buzz re: birthdays being posted, cuz it detracts from Dos & takes too long to scan through...

I do take advantage of the freebie offers (a lot of which I bring on the road as indicated by another poster). I know SPort who posts a lot of the freebies has said that he wished those offers were just kept to that single thread re: free toiletries (which I agree w/) rather than starting new threads, but others have started new threads & short of a mod dumping them into the free toiletries thread, that probably can't be helped.

I'd be fine w/ starting a sub-forum for the freebies, such as Mileage Run did w/ Hotel Deals. Or - just make the free toiletries thread a stickey and people can post/update there, similar to magazines and itunes.

In the Contests/Sweeps forum, we posted a sticky saying that Thanks aren't necessary, that it's taken for granted that folk are thankful for good info/posts.

Also, as long as we're talking wading through extra threads, do we need multiple threads stating that MyPoints, etc, is no longer as valuable? ;) :D

Cheers.

Is it OK for a forum for porn where we can share our free porn sites...? it is the same thing. NOT related to travel, but it can enhance our travel experience. :rolleyes:

Oh good grief chexfan - give me a break. It's not the same & you know it.

As mentioned my vote would go to just making the freebies a sticky like magazines or itunes; if folk are interested, they can go there. If not interested, then they can go to the other threads, and being a sticky it doesn't require folk to take the extra few seconds to read thread titles. Or, if we're really going to focus on just mileage/points stuff in the forum, then drop the magazines & itunes stickies as those aren't related to travel or for the most part miles/points either ;)

Anyway, Randy will be back at some point to announce his decision, so we'll all just have to wait until then. I'm sure it will be posted in the forum at that time. Cheers.

When will that forum be??? :p :D

I just take a few seconds (if that long) to look at the titles of the threads on S.P.A.M., and if they don't interest me, I do not check them! :rolleyes:

Really, my point is that SPAM has lost its focus. If a forum has more than 50% of its content that is not related to its intention that is a problem. Posting freebies and deals on non-travel related items really is a shift of focus for flyertalk.com.