Question 3: What technical changes would you like for FlyerTalk?
 

Given the changing nature of technology and how we access the internet (format, platform, etc), what technical changes would you propose for FlyerTalk?

While not a huge tech expert, the IPhone app is fantastic as it is. Would love to see an iPad version including seat maps, rewards charts from all programs and similar screens.

Some of the features on the website are not accessible to people living outside of the US as well as the online store needs more development.

Would also love to see an atlas board with member pins to showcase how diverse the community is.

An alert system on the app for airline flight problems listed daily by members could be a good addition to the mobile version also.

I am not a tech/IT expert, but the mobile platform certainly seems to be the future of FT. Considering the fundamental purpose of FT and how much we are all on the road using hand-held devices, a signficant amount of energy will need to be spent on improving the FT mobile platform. Ultimately, I would love to see FT mobile apps that work as seamlessly as the computer-based app.

I think it will be great to see change a new technology.

I would love to see new world Atlas Map, Flags and etc.

Secondly, I would considered if they can change a brand new forum and more capabilities, more efficient.

I continue to explore possible enhancements for member-driven post rating, making it easier for readers to locate the most valuable content. All the options I've seen have the potential for abuse, and FTers are nothing if not gamers of systems. There is also the quieter, text-heavy "look" of FlyerTalk relative to other Internet boards. Members want content, not pizazz.

If we find a way to support member-driven content rating, it is likely to be subtle. The red and green post ratings of, say, fatwallet, are probably just too brutal for FlyerTalk.

I look forward to discussing the options with members if Internet Brands can offer us any interesting new capabilities in the vBulletin software. Whatever we recommend, we should already have a very good idea of how members could attempt to game it. Because they surely will.

A better mobile site is a must. At the very least, it would be nice for people to be able to see Titles in subsequent posts so we could have fewer moderators tied up with "please put your subject in the body as mobile users can not read your titles".

I am also not a tech expert but "the computer is our friend" and it is a machine that can be made to do what we want it to do so with that.....

The iPhone/iPad/iPod app is great but it can be better-a lot better. I'd like to see the mobile app function more like a browser based version of Flyertalk where one can not only subscribe to threads but also have the mobile app be able to bring you to the first unread post in a given thread. I've recently inherited an iPod touch and am still getting used to the F/t app but those are my 2 big pet peeves (and forgive me if this is already out there but like I said, I'm still learning my way around the app). Also, and again forgive me as again, I'm new to the mobile app scene, but if there is not another platform's mobile app such as android, there should be one as well as while I am a die hard everything mac person, not everyone is.

I'd also like to see if Chat can be improved [if it is going to remain]

I’d also like to see a simple option of also being able to log-in using the e-mail address one uses for F/T communication in addition to logging in with one’s handle because I'm lazy ;) as when I log in to say United using my e-mail address, I simply copy my e-mail address and then paste it into another site which also has that option.

Not a tech expert in the least, but FlyerTalk needs better mobile access, along with a good iPad app. An area with general information (maps, seat maps, basic airline info, etc) would be nice as well.

A completely redesigned iPhone app. I love the app but, not being able to see the full title, an ad that always stays there, and unable to refresh; are necessities in the app. Also, the creation of an iPad application. How many of us have an iPad that we only carry around and having a dedicated application will be very beneficial to those that travel a lot. Another introduction, would be a Windows app.

One thing I would love, is to have QuickReply automatically enabled. I've been to other sites where it has been enabled and it made posting that much easier.

I'm definitely not a tech expert, but I'd love to see better mobile apps, along with a new ad-free FT option ASAP, and a way for those not using the ad-free option to quickly and easily report ads that are either causing viewing problems or that are inappropriate or scams.

I am also no tech expert, but I would love to see a way to log in on the home page. I think that expanding on the mobile app would be a great thing also. Lastly, I think that it would be cool to create a notification system with the Itineraries page that will tell you if there is another Flyertalker on your flight. And maybe in the process of doing that, make the itineraries page more uniform. Where you have a drop down of all the airlines, and then a place to put the flight number and your seat number. Although, I don't know if any of that can be completed with my lack of computer knowledge.

Delta747

Some very good suggestions here..

I would love to see the ability to post a response to e-mails directly onto the relevant thread via Mobile.

How bout new corporate point offers, FFP and hotel deals e-mailed to the FT Member per preferences settings within MyFlyerTalk or Member's profile?.. I find some of the offers can be offered and completed sometimes in minutes.. resulting in members wishing that they would have capitalized in on the deal.. Here on FlyerTalk, participation is mainly about miles and points.. I think we've all had good experiences getting in on the deal here on FT.

Additional settings to multi-quotes, and response options would be helpful as well.. Currently some functions would have us cut and paste manually computer code to get the desired displayed effects.

Enhanced screen management would be helpful. Sometimes it takes minutes to navigate through multiple screens. Time is valuable to many of us.. but I can appreciate the information technology and what experts have gone through to get us even this far. Could there be improvement? My belief is there's always room for improvement..

I agree with others ideas to improve the mobile browsing interface and the app. I also thing a refreshed interface could go a long way to improve the site. Switching to icon based navigation vs. text based can make a big difference.

Something else to consider is improving the search functionality to make it easier to find the relevant posts you are looking for or previously discussed topics.

For me, this is a short answer:

Better search, better mobile apps. I would like an iPhone / Android app that is as easy and enjoyable to use as the website is now.

To be completely honest, we're somewhat limited in terms of technological progress by what's on the road map for our owners, Internet Brands.

One major factor is that Internet Brands owns vBulletin, the software platform FlyerTalk runs on. That's a double-edged sword in that we're pretty much tied to vBulletin even if a better product comes out, but the upside is given that it's part of the same corporate family, in theory, some of our key needs have a slightly better chance of making it on the vBulletin team's development road map than requests from third parties.

It's that tie-in that I've worked over the last couple of years. I've formed a good working relationship with some of the key people inside the Internet Brands organization and have brought several technical challenges to their attention. Not all are yet fixed, but many items (including bugs and feature requests with the still-admittedly-lacking iPhone app) are now on the vBulletin team roadmap that might otherwise not have been there.

If it were entirely up to me, I'd fully support looking at a modern platform that both updates the look, feel, and organization/functionality of the forum interface as well as incorporates (in a useful fashion) some of the modern social networking features that users nowadays almost expect. A well-designed mobile (and tablet) app that incorporates all of the commonly-used features is a given, too, complete with push notifications, email notifications with reply-by-email, useful search, is also a given.

However, if my time working with Internet Brands has taught me anything, it's that Internet Brands is extremely cautious when rolling out new versions, and their development teams move at an almost glacial pace. These (and all of the feature requests posted above) are all excellent and should be implemented ASAP, but unless TalkBoard members have PHP and Objective-C coding experience and can do it themselves, the best chance we have of getting our needs met is to elect people who can summarize the FlyerTalk community's primary needs and present them to key people within Internet Brands who have the ability to get those projects put on the road map.

That's me, and I'll continue to do that if I am able to serve another term.