I think titles add a little something to look for, especially if they are more granular than today. I love my Evangelist title as it shows all the hard posting work I've done on FT over the years.

Oh, wait, I don't have a title anymore. I hate titles and think we should get rid of all of them. Titles don't add anything to the core of FT (miles/points) and really can just confuse people more than anything else.

Oh, wait, I'm pretty close to getting my Evangelist title back. I've decided I like titles again and we should keep them. The more the merrier. :p

Personally, titles are like the post count. At best its just something there to see as I'm looking at the various threads/posts that interest me. I guess my main interest at the moment is in wanting to know whats after the "Posting Legend" title. :D

This is rather off topic, please excuse my ignorance, but how did one become an "original member" of this forum? Of course I realize this is no longer possible.

I think the folk who were on FT when it started were declared original members. I wasn't one of them, so that's just a guess.

Cheers.

Obviously, but there must have been a cut off date, like registration in the first x days?

Thanks! Actually two more rather off-topic (lengthy) questions, my apologies!

The title thing is the equivalent of reputation/like/+1 on other forums, right? As in, user accounts on FT with titles are basically the same as accounts without them (except maybe like not being to accept Coupon Connection, make polls on threads, etc.)? They are not considered "premium"?

I guess my question is really: will there be a change to FT to switch to a pay-for-premium-member system (where the average user pays a fee but the cost is waived for those with high reputations or something like that)?

Personally, I would be very much against such a move but I notice that a lot of previously open/free forums have now split membership into "premium" and "regular"/"nonpaying" and am curious if this is the direction that the having certain titles will morph into.

I think it was anyone that registered in 1998. By the time I came along in 2000, as a member #2,898, FT was not handing out "original member" status. Weren't very many members back in those days and a lot less forums than you see now. We even had a "general travel" forum back then. Now we're up to something around 377,000 members. If you want to know with certainly you can always send a message to Randy Petersen.

Wouldn't Internet Brands take a bit hit in advertising revenue with that model?

That's correct. My original handle was my real full name (what did anyone know about anonymity on IBBs back in 1998!) and is an original member. I registered kokonutz in 1999, and so it is not 'original.'

Ah, thank you. I'm not particularly interested for any ulterior reasons but it was just a question I always had and I thought here was finally a good thread to ask to satisfy my curiosity.

I'm still rather new here so I don't want to step on the toes of the conventions of each forum and such, if that makes sense?

To add (insert cheesiness), I think this forum has helped me understand a lot about flying/traveling and I hope it will always remain free and easy to access.

No such plans... in fact the previous ad free scheme has been laid to rest:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/techn...highlight=free

"Original Member" IIRC is anyone who registered prior to December 1998. There was some sort of software update a number of years ago, that made it difficult to track exact enrollment dates prior to 1999. Even though my profile shows that I joined in May 1998, my recollection is that I really joined in October (and made my first post in November) 2008.

What I've never been able to reconcile is how I am member #71. While there was not a heck of a lot of members in those days, as Koko would possibly attest to, there were certainly well more than 70 by October.

I didn't realize I am in the same boat as koko. I registered using my first and last name sometime in 1999. I realized a bit later (4 years later) that I really didn't want to do that and started a new account and had my old account disabled. I should've asked for a name change and I would've kept my original FT member number and start date.

Name changes were not allowed then, the policy changed only recently.

Rather than risk cluttering nsx's new thread asking for suggestions for new titles I'll renew my objections to adding any more than are already in place. IMHO more aren't needed and it's an unnecessary exercise.

Oops, meant 1998