They may be crazy to, but that's the true test of how committed to this community they are, isn't it? I suspect we'll continue to see it in non-profit form for a long while.

And as long as it stays that way, I do not see a conflict with the TOS here.

Can you clarify exactly which moderator(s) you are tasking with this responsibility? Are you referring to the Community forum moderators?

My posts above have been subtlely suggesting that this isn't even the role of moderators, it's the role of members of the community to put together the information and to share it, and tha since you've had the idea and feel it's important it's the kind of LEADERSHIP role (to use your earlier capitalization) that you would perhaps be well-suited to step into!

I psoted earlier in the thread with some specific ways that you could do just that, accomplishing exactly what you're talking about, no need to wait for moderators whose description AFAIK doesn't include transcribing notes from gatherings.

I'm following this thread and only have a single question that seems to keep getting glossed over.

Why is recording of the seminar not permitted?

Responding to euromann:

I was merely pointing out a fact: speaker handouts at presentations does not fall under either Talkboard responsibilities nor FT moderator responsibilities.

This thread isn't about that either actually.

My recommendation would be that you post in the Chicago seminar thread in the CommunityBuzz forum your suggestion that some type of presentation materials be made available to non-attendees.

Cheers.

1. Do you have a email routing list of all presenters?
2. Send all presenters an email asking electronic copies of their presentation after the DO seminar has been completed. Seems a moderator would have more credibility than any FT member but I would be willing to send the email.
3. Post and list presenters that are willing to share their ideas. If NONE are willing to share that is their proprietary right but then again were all on FT to share travel ideas, right?


DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the only "do" I've been to there was lots of talk about travel and points, but no expert gave me a step by step instruction on how to say...churn coins.

To me, a "Do" is about getting to know the people behind the IDs. A seminar is about learning, and in most cases, very one way (even with a cocktail hour).

There no "fee" at a Do.

To Euromann:

You keep using the word moderator. FT forum moderators have nothing to do w/ handouts, whether it be handouts over a meal or at a seminar.

Given that several speakers at the seminar are presenting to 450 attendees, I'm a bit perplexed how you can say they're not sharing information.

Again, if you would like handouts provided the best place to post that suggestion is in the seminar do thread in CommunityBuzz.

To Mary2e:

Getting back to Mary's question, my guess is that the non-recording was requested to help avoid the hotel/airline/car rental folk from learning ways travelers might utilize the system to its fullest fruition. ;) But that's just a guess.

To SKOFarrell:

Step by steps can happen at meals; it's not limited to seminars. And I'm confused on why you think people attending the seminar event didn't get to know the people behind the ids. There were breaks, meals, cocktail party, hallway conversations. It was a genuine FT lovefest, and people who only knew each other virtually got to meet in person & hang out & hug. Also, some of the larger dos are also incorporating small administrative fees (hence, the thread started in June '10 re: it) to cover some out of pocket or stuff that needs to be paid before it's garnered from folk attending the dos.

Cheers.

Not glossed over, I think it's just a long thread. :)

In post #74 I said that I thought there was tons of stuff that gets shared in-person amongst frequent flyers, and at all of the DOs, they often doesn't get posted online. Sometimes it's grey area stuff folks aren't comfortable posting. Sometimes it's deals that are likely to be short-lived and especially so if they get too much exposure. But there's plenty of off-line stuff that doens't go online.

As for me, I explained my own aversion to recording in that post as follows:

Well, I would like to see a recording. It seems you folks schedule these things when I'm on vacation and unable to attend. While I learn stuff off-line from other FTers, having them all in one place to be able to view would be nice.

Plus, what's to stop somene from recording the sound at the event? After all, I just want to hear it, no need to see anyone's face :)

The whole no recording issue makes me a bit uncomfortable with regard to the seminars.

That's worth revisiting, actually.

Though there are probably some things that folks would share when the recorder is off, that they wouldn't want to be on tape explaining.

In answer to a question in one of my 3 sessions in Chicago, I explained a certain wway around booking fees at a certain airline that's really not very 'nice' and that I wouldn't want to be so on the record with (plus then the airline would probably fix their systems :D ).

But 99.999% of what I say I'd have no problem with, even though I'd likely be a bit more nervous giving the talk with each word forever on record. :eek:

That said, I can't imagine that's a dealbreaker for many.

Well Mary, schedule your vacations around the seminars then :p :D (kidding).

I think gleff explained the original reason. Also, unless you've got someone running around with a microphone to record every individual's questions that crop up throughout the presentations (most sessions questions occurred throughout, not just at the end), there'd be a lot of disjointed info. And it would slow things down. There were 225 folk in each of the 2 mtg rooms.

It also means more work for the organizers - finding a place to dupe cds, trying to figure out the pricing (usually places that do it do it based on quantity) + shipping domestic & internationally. But logistics of recordings, notes, etc, I think belong in the seminar do thread rather than this one per se.

Cheers.

Just takes one attendee to transcribe all the info and post it for sale on eBay. Does it benefit FlyerTalk for that to happen?

Thanks Gary. I agree about some of the more, ahem, creative things that may be mentioned, but overall, the whole thing should be made available to the community.

That one issue is what has been bothering me the most about the whole endeavor. If it's for the benefit of the community then everyone in the community should be able to share in it, whether or not they can attend.

:D :D I've missed the Freddies a few times and countless other large gatherings because they're held off-season to get the best bang for everyone's buck, and well, I travel at that time for the same reason :)