Flyertalk has some of the longest threads of any forum I read.

Some forums now have wikipost feature to help people with long threads.

Basically a wikipost is generally a second post in a thread, that can be edited by any member, to provide a good summary of long threads.

For example, if there were a 100+ page thread on Pudding promotion for AA, the wikipost would be constantly updated with information about the latest promotion updates, people's contributions to the thread, etc. - basically a 2 minute overview of a thread that would take hours to go through.

Is it possible to implement this here?

sounds like a great idea. It might cut down on the request for info that can easily be found in the wiki.

I think this is a brilliant idea, if possible to implement.

The Wiki is the way! The problem is finding one that can be easily(?) managed. If anyone has stories about their wiki implementation, I'd love to hear them because I'd like to do something like that on an internal web site.

Pudding? Perhaps there's a way to make the 2nd post append only by members and write/delete only by the thread owner or mods? Just to lock down the accidental deletion of a wiki? Just tossing that out there. Might be too strict for a wiki-like approach.

Something like this would help with shared hosting duties of Do's too.

There is a very simple way: When you start a thread, immediately make the second post in it and say "This post is reserved".

I have done that for several Meets that I have organized (as have others). In fact, for the upcoming PBI-FLL Meet I reserved the second and third posts -- and continuously update posts # 1, 2, and 3 as needed.

The proposal was for the second post in a thread to be editable by any member.

I, too, think it would be a great idea. Do you have a pointer to a forum that implements wikipost?

Another vote in favor of the wikipost. Imagine how it would have cut down on unnecessary posts in the UA AKL C-class fare thread!

(Or in the OMNI counting threads )

Hi birdstrike - you can see an example of this feature on slickdeals.net - here's a thread where you can see the 2nd post is a wikipost - updated by anyone to include the latest up-to-date info.

Also, a wikipedia for FlyerTalk would be pretty awesome too.

There is an FT wiki (Frequent Flyer Wiki) already - check the pull-down menu under Extras all the way at the top of your page.

As far as this suggestion goes, I'm actually against it as I believe that second post would get as out of control as the thread itself. Too many people, with too many different posting styles, etc.

While I understand your concerns, it would be far better than having to go through dozens of pages to get up to speed on a long thread.

Also, you can click on "revisions" (once you're signed in as a member) and see the corrections various people have made during updates, which is very handy as well.

In the MR Forum YYZ-LCA fare thread, the Mods culminated relevant info from the long thread into a page 1/post 2 executive summary.

Basically, anyone that had updated info jst posted in the thread with a note 'MOD ATTN' and the Mods determined if that info merited being posted on page 1/post 2. Seemed to work pretty smooth, and no major burden for the Mods.

Seems less chaotic if just the Mod can post there. Obviously, success is based on Mods of long threads staying current evrery couple of days, in order to update the page 1/post 2 where applicable.

Piggy-backing on that thought, it would be possible to create a page in the existing wiki summarizing the long thread. There would have to be a link to it in the first or second post of the thread, so someone would need a pretty good crystal ball, the OP or the next poster would have to edit their posts to put in the link, or a mod would have to insert a second post with a link later. (Can moderators put in a post out of order in an existing thread? I don't know.) This should be workable for predictably long threads, like those for regular Dos that one knows will be popular and where the OP is usually an organizer. Might be less so for threads whose popularity comes as more of a surprise, like the original Pudding Guy thread or last summer's Dovster/BEYFlyer thread.

Dov, you completely misunderstood. The intent is for ANYONE to be able to update the wiki post, not just the OP of the thread.

As for requiring the Mods to do the updating of a wiki post, that puts too much burden on them, in some cases.

I think this is something that is really needed on FT. There are many threads where only a few posts have any really useful content, and the rest are just whining (e.g., "I didn't get targeted for this promo! I'm taking all my business to xxx!!!" and variations) or other junk (such as disparaging or name-calling employees of airlines as "stupid" and worse). Instead of wading through dozens or hundreds of such garbage posts, you would have the choice to read the useful info in the wiki. And the burden of summarizing and updating the useful info would be shared -- it wouldn't fall on just one person.

BTW, aren't there other threads on this topic?....