kokonutz

The point of FT is to be able to easily find information on frequency programs and get questions answered.

This core function is becoming difficult to the point of impossible due to the proliferation of mega-threads that have become as general as 'complaints about flight attendant service.' Come freaking on, I am supposed to dig through 15 50-post pages of such a thread to find out if there are one or two FAs on a certain aircraft type in FC? And that's just one example. Look around, the mega-threads are out of control.

Further, when questions are placed in mega-threads they often go unanswered. I'm not going to click on a 20 page thread to look at a general topic, even though I may have a specific answer to a specific question posed in a mega-thread rather than a stand-alone thread, where I would have clicked and provided input.

Some subjects certainly do call for mega-threads. But not NEARLY so many as exist in the major frequency program forums now.

Can the TB consider amending the TOS to limit the over-use of mega-threads?

They really are destroying the user experience on FT.

Spiff

Could you provide us with some examples?

There are some very good "mega-threads" where an index or indices have been created at or near the top of the forum, such as this one in the American Airlines forum:

FAQ: American Airlines and AAdvantage - Please check here first!

There are similar threads in other forums, though not all "mega-threads" have an index. Are you suggestion a recommendation that all threads over length X have an index added? Or something else?

B747-437B

Isn't there a mega-thread somewhere that this can be buried in? Say about 4728 posts down.

The last time I raised this issue, I was told that it was at the discretion of moderators and that discussion of moderator actions was verboten. Expect to see this discussion shut down pretty quickly as well - unless of course the TB members who are also moderators want to discuss it, in which case they can because they are doing so as moderators rather than TB members.

Hmm, perhaps there is something about two class of members after all?

kokonutz

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...d-threads.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-ownwards.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...omplaints.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...er-thread.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ad-merged.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ad-merged.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...questions.html

All of these threads cover a WIDE range of topics under very general titles.

They make finding a specific piece of information intolerable.

Spiff

Would an index help? Or splitting into smaller threads?

For example, in the Channel 9 thread, are all Channel 9 threads merged into this one or are there some Channel 9 threads that remain on their own and only "chatter" appears in this thread? What other information is lost/difficult to find as a result of the large thread size of this particular example?

DeaconFlyer

One of the biggest problems with mega-threads in a technical one. When threads are merged into a mega-thread, a ghost post is left to show that a thread has been merged. However, clicking on that post, takes you to the first page of the mega-thread, not to the merged post itself. So even if you are interested in the original post, you have to go search for it within the mega-thread.

Mega-threads also making searching difficult and less efficient, as original posts usually have more specific titles, that are then lost when they are merged.

Also mega-threads that span many months often have out-dated or incorrect information as programs change and evolve.

Spiff

I can see where that would be frustrating. Perhaps a note to Suggestions/Technical Issues might get the IBB/FT development team interested in correcting that?

Those are good points, but an index/indices + thread maintenance could address such concerns, no?

DeaconFlyer

I would oppose either as this would just increase the moderation of user content. I am fine with moderators editing posts to conform with the TOS, but not to change or correct content.

tom911

On some of these threads that cover multiple years, they really need to be split off into an entirely new thread. Does anyone really care who cleared UA upgrades in 2007? One of their master threads on upgrades starts with that year.

I'd much rather see a new thread at the start of each new year. If someone wants to go back and see who cleared upgrades back in 2007, does that really need to be on the front page of an airline forum? Would make more sense to have separate threads, which would not be as unwieldly, for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and a new one in two weeks for 2011.

Here's the one that goes all the way back to 2007:
Upgrades becoming harder? [Merged Threads]

tcook052

Sorry but is the alternate to mega threads dozens of scattered threads on the same topic? Is that preferable to one mega thread? Not to me but that's MHO and quite obviously YMMV.

Also not all megathreads are created equal for example I use the UA paid upgrade thread a bit to gauge what paid upgrades will cost on certain routes so how hard is it to go to that thread and search within that thread using an airport code? If TB is regulating some mega threads and not others? Who decides which to change and which ones not to?

nerd

Wow - there are over 600 [merged] threads in the UA forum.

The Delta forum, only slightly smaller than the UA forum, has around 75 merged/consolidated threads.

Passmethesickbag

Indeed - the UA forum has become a desert of megathreads. Although UA is the airline I fly the most, I find myself checking out other fora most of the time. In the UA forum, a lot of informative or interesting posts either get buried immediately or never get posted because many members don't even bother anymore. What will happen when this forum is merged with the CO forum doesn't even bear contemplating.

SFOtoORD

That is quite telling. At least it is some quantitative data to help explain the sense I was getting that UA forum is becoming quite useless with all the merging going on.

UAL awesome

The UA forum is the worst. I can understand merging threads if there are a couple on a recent news topic, like UA MP updates. But if I want to ask a question about, say Glenn Tilton, it will get merged into some mega thread that's over 3 years old that has really has nothing to do with the topic and my question will 99% go unanswered. It limits discussion and is just a mess.

tom911

Does the Talk Board have any authority over this topic (megathreads)?

Recall that Talk Board issued a news article posting policy a number of years back, and when I pointed out that it wasn't being followed a year ago, was told the moderators have discretion to do whatever they want.

If you were to come up with some sort of policy on megathreads, would the moderators also have the discretion as to whether they follow that policy, too?

For those Talk Board members with access to the moderators forum, does the topic of megathreads ever come up over there?