I would like to see a post padding report icon introduced, where people can report non-input to the thread, or something to reduce post padding, all I see these days is 30% post padding with non answers and quick jokes/statements which mean nothing.

Already the high post counters do it, simple 1 liners, offer not help, or any input. Clock up another post.

Maybe a reply limit based on the quote is needed to reduce this?

I have seen this used on a various msg boards in the past, where you must quote, and you must exceed the quote given in your reply.

example: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=662301

2nd Post

I could pull these out of any forum you would like

Requiring quotes would be a BAD idea, imho. Often quotes are not needed early in threads or in situations where someone is responding to the post directly above their reply. Requiring quotes in those situations just forces readers to scroll through more stuff before being able to continue following the discussion. Quotes have a place. But they shouldn't be required.

I'd suggest that one can simply use the "Report Bad Post" icon that is already enabled to alert the Moderators of any problematic posting or TOS violations, which includes post padding. I suspect many other members already do.

I agree. And in the RBP dialogue box, add that you think a member is just post padding and the forum moderators will then investigate.

Having said this, I wouldn't suggest that members go on Post Padding Patrol throughout FT to decide who is or isn't post padding. But if you do come across an obvious example as you read through FT, don't hesitate to report it.

I'm supposed to add something, too?

Unnecessary.

Could you imagine OMNI without post padding? I mean come on!

If the OP thinks things are bad in regular FT, just wait until he gets access to OMNI where there are dozens of threads like "count down from 1,000,000,000" where people with too much time on their hands rack up not even hundreds, but thousands of posts.

No you couldn't

If you delete the "quick jokes/statements which mean nothing," might you not run the risk of removing the entertainment value of many threads? FT can be read (1) for the information, but also (2) for frequent wit and humor.

I hope it stays the same. ^ (Can't say that I care for the occasional really rude post, but that is another issue entirely, I suppose difficult to control on the Internet, and probably not nearly so much a problem on FT as maybe other web sites?)

Question in all seriousness... why do you even care? It is what it is.

(And the "example" you cite - the poster was giving his opinion. Why do you get to judge what is padding and what isn't?)

Any post that references USC is obviously padding.

I went to the thread and read it in detail. I found it to be a very interesting post and it would have angered me to deal with this situation myself. I really could not find any post padding as mentioned by the OP nor could I find anything wrong with any post. So I guess I would say the OP must have too much time on their hands. I think FT is the best forum on the net and is just about as perfect as it gets.

Did the OP forget that he raised this topic in this forum only two months ago ?

If at first you don't succeed...........

OP must really hate us.

1) Plenty of FT'ers have already reached FT Evangelist status via the "one sentence reply with sarcastic emoticon strategy". For example:

I believe my own B.S. ^

2) Post padding can take the form of posting the same topic or providing the same reply to a topic previously posted. For example:

Question: "When will UA upgrade their premium cabin seats?"

Reply By FT Regular: "I've replied to this topic each of the past 100x it's been posted, but I'll do so again even though I never have flown UA! The premium cabin is unimportant. UA must upgrade their so-called soft product!"

3) My participation in this thread is perhaps not sincere, but appears so to the rest of the FT'ers reading it. Nevertheless, it inflates my post count. ^

4) In before the lock. ^

5) Perhaps this is a tounge in cheek strategy employed by the orignal poster to help reach the threshold necessary to participate in the Coupon Exchange forum.