lin821

Mary, I understand you are not advocating for lounge elimination. But OMNI culture is so unique that it's not in sync with the community lounge thread I know. Not to mention there's 180/180 threshold to OMNI. If the community lounge relocated to OMNI, it wouldn't be a community lounge thread no more. The way I see it, it would just die. Maybe not an instant death, but a quick one, nevertheless.

Not to diminish your effort to understand the community lounge thread, but I am afraid you cannot capture the dynamics of the community lounge thread by taking a glimpse of posts from this week, or even the last 1-2 months. The tone and dynamic has been established since last December and stabilized in 1st Quarter 2011. I am not asking you to read the whole Fly to Me contest and Community Lounge threads. I wasn't able to keep up with all the discussion when the lounge was crowded either. But I have been there since Pre-launch (in the Fly to Me contest thread) and Day One, so I think my observations and participation in community lounge, which I have shared up thread, is more close to the reality.

It's just like visiting a new country. Unless you spend enough time researching, staying and interacting with the local, it will be hard to say you do know about say country or culture with a day or one week's reading.

Same applies to OMNI. I won't say I am an OMNI-ite myself but I do make my serious effort and spend quite some time reading, sometimes participating in OMNI since maybe 2006. Even though I don't post much in OMNI, as you know it, I have no problem visiting OMNI. I witness the changes in OMNI along with counting-non-counting-post, "Googlegate", OMNIite pretest, 180/180, and photo enabling. I would think myself is capable to get the inside jokes and references with no problem at this point.

Most, if not all, of the community lounge regulars are not in OMNI. You can put on your nicest dress and do your best gig, telling them the fun and value of OMNI Fluffy, they will NOT come to OMNI. It's just not their thing. Period.

Just like what I have been trying to communicate with you about the community lounge, I seriously doubt you would ever participate in any lounge thread. Like Sharon, lounge thread is just not your thing. If I don't blame you for that, you can't blame people don't come to OMNI either. You cannot default people's free will.

Whatever issues OMNI is facing, if any, it has nothing to do with the existence of lounge threads. Lounge threads are just innocent bystanders. My feeling about OMNI is different from yours. I have no perception of the red-hair stepchild nor second class citizens. Having a lounge subforum in OMNI is not addressing the issues you think OMNI is facing. The sublounge forum line of thinking is only making an enemy of lounge participants, IMHO.

As for my personal observation for the two recent discussion about OMNI post count and lounge subforum, it only makes people want to distance themselves from OMNI more. Is that kind of FT community you want?

kipper

Because you "cannot capture the dynamics of the community lounge thread by taking a glimpse of posts from this week, or even the last 1-2 months. The tone and dynamic has been established since last December and stabilized in 1st Quarter 2011," means that most newbies and most who have not frequented that lounge thread will not post there. I've looked at a few pages of it, and it seems like it's own little clique and not open to everyone. It is intimidating to those who are not part of that clique, and isn't very welcome, even though the title says, "everybody."

lin821

When I said "established", it doesn't mean the community lounge thread shuts its door to new comers. On top of my head, there are at least two "late" arrivals who didn't join the community lounge thread until the 2nd Quarter this year and they have become active participants. They made effort to be part of the group. So far, I haven't seen we chased any new face out of the community lounge door either.

I am not going to repeat myself about reading a few pages of OMNI or any lounge thread makes one in the know about OMNI/lounges. Subcultures in any live organization and human societies are a must.

I don't recall if you take part in any lounge or not, kipper, but I know Mary and Sharon are not. In your opinion, having a community lounge thread moving to OMNI would change it and/or make it better? OMNI doesn't have "it's own little clique and not open to everyone?"

The way I see what's happening is OMNIites are attacking lounge threads, thinking this will make OMNI not red-hair stepchild and/or second class. That finding-holes-in-lounge-threads approach is not going to help OMNIites to get what they want. It's not in line with the community spirit either.

Are we really thinking for the betterment of FT community?

DeaconFlyer

The problem is with the placement of lounge threads. They are off-topic threads that inflate post counts with such stimulating topics such as "Good morning" and "Good night". Since the TB currently holds the opinion that all off-topic threads belong in OMNI and their posts should not count, this is where Lounge threads rightfully belong.

A simple link stickied in the Community forum that redirects to the thread in the OMNI subforum would work exactly as the current thread.

mersk862

I fully agree with Dovster here.

As someone that regularly partakes in the DL Lounge and has off-and-on participating in Teh Box, a lot of our conversations in these two threads do focus on travel; just more in a free-flowing fashion. I've had some great conversations about ideas for places to eat in different cities, tips for earning/maximizing points/benefits at specific hotel properties, etc.

Yes, while it's not all points/miles/travel all the time, just reading through it often does convey that sense. Given that I've met pretty much all of the regulars in the Delta lounge in person (and many of the CO Boxians), it's a good place to get some varied feedback on travel-related issues, as well as have some slightly off-topic conversations between people, many of whom have met each other in person. I think you'd lose a lot of that personal edge by dumping these threads into a consolidated OMNI thread, where there might not be as much of that personal relationship.

As for post count, is it that big of a deal? At 10k and 40k posts, you get a little tagline under your name. The real value should be the content of the post; there are some FTers that have 10k+ posts, most of which (in my opinion) are garbage. There are some FTers that don't post a ton, but when they do, their words carry a lot of weight. It's up to each individual to determine the value of the quality of each post, rather than simply relying on a number (or a join date) next to a name.

N965VJ

I really don't know why this is such a concern now; it seems to me that the lounge thread activity has dropped off significantly from what it used to be.

lin821

You *think* the placement of lounge threads is a problem, which I obvioulsy don't.

Have you RBPed and/or ask those forum mods with resident lounge threads if they agree with your view? What did they say? What did they do?

Whenever I see a misplaced post and/or thread, I RBP it. However, MODs don't necessarily agree with me all the times. By their not taking action toward my RBPs, I know what's their take on say post/thread. I suggest you do the same as I do.

ryandc99

Couldn't have put it better as a member of the Community Lounge!

Mary2e

I missed this earlier and am responding now.

[QUOTE=lin821;16810350]Here's what I know about the Community Lounge thread:
This has happened in Omni
Made plenty of friends in Omni across alliances who are always happy to help
See #3 above
See #3
This is almost an everyday occurrence in Omni
Again, a regular occurrence in Omni.
Happens in Omni. As a matter of fact, I just went on vacation without an Omni friend whom I never would have met if not for Omni, and I felt like someone was missing. It was the first time in 5 years I was there without him.

As well, I've gone on vacation and shared a room with another FTer who I also would not have met if not for Omni.

You can also add legal advice, relationship advice, appliance advice, and a myriad of other advice.. all given freely and very quickly.

So you see, nothing at all you claim is unique about these lounge threads is really unique. What is different is that the community is now fragmented and only people who frequent certain forums actually get to interact with each other.

Mary2e

Do you really think we're attacking lounge threads? There was a time Omni WAS the community get together spot. Unfortunately, the PR aspect made many people go away and gave the bad imagine that continues to this day. If you go to Omni-lite it's almost just as it was in the beginning now that PR is segregated out.

If anything, I feel the community is now fragmented because of these lounge threads (and I've been asking around - lots of people feel this way).

The purpose of this request to TB, as well as the thread to make posts in Omni count, is to have consistency, not to take away the playgrounds of others.

However, if you folks would venture into regular Omni, I think you will find that it is not at all what you may think it is - and everyone is welcome - even if they only show up once to ask for information and never come back again.

If the TB decides to normalize all off topic posts to not count and move the lounge threads into their own "Omni Lounge" would it be that difficult for you to click on a link in community and be taken to the same lounge thread you're using right now?

mersk862

I'll agree with this.

I post on several bulletin boards. FlyerTalk is one, but I post on other sites relating to other interests of mine, such as sports or music. Every single one of them has an off-topic discussion board (which fully counts). I don't see why OMNI has to be different. It allows members to find other common interests and make for a stronger community.

The Lounges in each forum do this to a smaller extent, OMNI could just be another venue for doing so.

I see FlyerTalk as a better community having both the Lounge threads in individual forums, as well as posts counting in OMNI. Gives people the option to get to know those in the forum they tend to stay in better, or if they want a broader context, they can get that in OMNI. I have personally posted some things in the Delta Forum Lounge thread that I would not feel comfortable posting in OMNI - the sole reason being that I know most of the people there in person, and the other couple I have not met, we have had enough discussions over the years in that thread so as to I feel they know me well enough that they can give me valued opinions. Not to say anything against the OMNI posters, but the scope of the relationship is a bit more defined which can be helpful in some cases.

monitor

Hasn't this tune been played before around here? And wasn't it tried some years ago and then returned to the original place?

Forget it and leave the lounges where they are.

ryandc99

As a recent new member to the Community Lounge, I have to agree with Lin. I stumbled upon it by accident, and the arguement that it is one big clique is far from correct. I hate to be blunt, but you couldn't be more wrong. It is one of the most welcoming places I have visited on FT, far more welcoming than many other places. It turns out many of the members live in/travel to the SFO area. As a new resident in SFO, literally not knowing anyone, the members of the lounge took me under the wing and I have made many great friends in the real world. The lounge has nothing but welcoming to many new people, myself included. This real life networking would have never took place had this lounge been located in the OMNI, as that is not a place I visit. This real life connection also led to a major meetup in Tokyo with FT members... I think the lounge deserves to stay where it is at.


I also have to ask this question. As a newer member to FT, what is the big deal about post count? Is it really that big of a deal to some of you? Its just a number. If it is so contentious about what counts and what doesn't, why not remove the post count altogether. Then everyone is on an even playing field.

the_happiness_store

As someone who posts frequently in PR, very often in the Lite Music thread, and in the Community Lounge, let me tell you the tone is completely different between the 3.

PR is what it is it is political and we display our biases and learn which side of the political aisle the other posters.
The music thread is more welcoming. Politics is rarely discussed but once in a while a song is linked as a favor to someone of the opposite political persuasion. Some personal details may be revealed.
The lounge is where you actually learn a little about people's likes and dislikes. It crosses airline affiliation which is a true benefit. As others have said you actually get to know and meet people. It is where the posters learned that I am particularly fond of gelato and am familiar with some nice pastry shops in the Chicago area. It is a much more relaxing and welcoming place.

Others have stated the differences in a much more eloquent manner than I but the conclusion is that making a lounge a sub forum of Omni would be the same as closing the lounge down.

I also don't care about post counts. Had Omni posts counted, I would probably be an evangelist but whoopdie doo. You can also take away counting my posts in the lounge. It won't matter to me because I don't go there to pad. Just don't move the lounges.

Dovster

And I would probably be a "legend". I don't want to be a legend. It would only go further to prove that I post so much that I can not possibly have a life.