CMK10

I have directed the other TB members to your and oz's concerns

ozstamps

Well thanks for keeping an open mind on it, but of all the excuses I have heard for not wanting a simple star level for all members, that one takes the cake!

Maybe start another motion that all FT handles must be immediately truncated to FIVE characters maximum like yours as excruciatingly long handles like Gasp - RANDY PETERSEN will send some member broke due to the extra pixels used, due to all that extra text area they chew up.

BoyAreMyArmsTired and many others will be in for some sleepless nights awaiting the TalkBoard Purge of long handles to take place.

And all posts must now be 500 characters maximum to save bandwidth for the TalkBoard members.

Seriously, for the technically minded, this exact gif we are discussing be used, is a truly tiny 25 x 25 PIXELS!



THIS gif on every post on your screen for instance is THREE times that size -




IB will save you an absolute fortune if they remove that bandwidth hogging stuff.

Glen

CMK10

You mock as usual, but in a recent discussion about avatars, that was the most common answer for not having them, that it would lead to longer loading times and more data usage. Maybe this is miniscule but at 15-45 per page, on every page, I would imagine it would add up. But if other people concur with you maybe it will gain enough traction for a vote.

I notice no one has agreed yet on it, however.

JDiver

As a member here and of several other sites (several that do provide significant identification of post numbers / contributions). I'm pretty sure they do so for reasons that make sense, and IMO ozstamps' knowledge as a website owner and operator is illustrative and meaningful, relevant to the discussion.

Perhaps someone at Internet Brands has similar knowledge and can be consulted? Seems like state of the art and proven are applicable terms here; if a further differentiation of members by post count is indeed proven and useful, we would want it; if it's mere slippery and needless distraction, we don't. But we may need more informed input than the vagaries of my gut feelings, that's for sure. (But IMO we need to acquire that input.)

joshwex90

I think it's a cute idea to have multiple tiers. I agree that many FTers are status-driven, but that's for the benefits. If getting "Platinum Premier Poster" got me some type of benefit, I'd try a lot harder than simply so I can sleep soundly knowing I'm a Platinum Premier Poster.
BUT. it is still a nice idea to "reward" those who are active but just haven't made it to 10K

SkiAdcock

Off-topic to the thread:

I'm still a bit perplexed why some think doing motions simply for the sake of doing motions makes sense. TB has been active over the years, both in ozstamp's time (although he's starting to remind me of the guy who says he walked 50 miles to school through blizzards based on all his 'back in my day' comments) & through last year.

There haven't been as many motions this year - USA forum will be the first & done this week - but there also haven't been many requests by FTers this year, as anyone who frequents the TB forum on a regular basis knows and which a simple glance at page 1 of the forum would show.

As bdschobel mentioned, when ozstamps served on the board FT/TB was newer & a lot of things had to get hashed out, to which we're thankful to him & the other TB members over the years. As (any) BB matures, a lot of the issues get sorted & so not as many. Looking back to the 'old days' (2006-2008), a lot of forums & sub-forums & procedural things were created/decided. Since they were it's unrealistic to expect that pace to continue. 2009 there were 10 motions, 2010 (17), 2011 (18), 2012 (15), 2013 (11). We'll see how 2014 goes, but it's not like we get a big star if we hit a high number.

sandiego1k has stated that, even with more limited activity, she still feels TB provides a service to her & FT. If that changes I'm sure she'll let us know.

On-topic to the thread:

Post #250 in this thread where CMK10 said "the only agreement is there's no agreement" is still pretty accurate. I just re-read the entire thread (all 330+ posts) & basically the adding new titles/dif post counts & leaving titles the same/don't change anything is pretty much even on the yes/no's.

I counted each person posting their yes/no one time, even if they posted multiple times discussing and/or arguing with each other or coming up w/ froo-froo/fun names/kidding/joking around for titles. (Example: tcook052 is for leaving titles as they are; ozstamps for creating new titles. While they each posted multiple times I counted their yes/no one time).

For what it's worth, while the # of pages of the thread is rather long, it's still mostly the same people posting & not that many. And as beltway said, in the overall scheme of things he'd rather see changes like the new collapsible wiki than us worrying about title changes. (Sharon's aside: I'd like to see a better mobile app!).

Having said all that, I think a new thread should probably be started at some point because, as Mary2e mentions, it's rather difficult to plow through a several hundred post thread. When one is created it will have 2 options that we'll ask: 1) leave titles as is or 3) create new titles and a recommendation of what we think the titles/break points are. JDiver, back in mid-April, had some good suggestions that could be tweaked.

Cheers.

ozstamps

Yes although it is very clear that nothing whatever will occur here, my experience of running a very large board where we introduced it, was very positive and productive -

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22968120-post326.html

Kept newer members around, and active, and that is the platform for continued long term success of any board.

Most folks posting above have multi 1000 posts, and possibly do not care about newer members staying active, or aiming to reach 50 and 100 and 500 posts, but I bet IB does.

These tiers needed to start low, exactly as they do on ebay, and they have not changed their model for near 20 years.

As they say, "copy success".

tcook052

I'm equally as perplexed at the conclusions some jump to. Advocating some action is not the same as advocating action for action sake.

ozstamps

"Haven't been as many motions" actually reads ZERO (0) motions for 6 months Sharon, I hate to remind you again of the real world FACT.

And the 'USA' Forum is only being voted on, as CD Carol asked you to vote on it, and she said she thinks it is warranted, so I am sure the vote will be YES. (For the record I think it makes sense too - which probably guarantees you lot will vote against it!)

This simple question of whether to change posting levels has been meandering along aimlessly here for over TWO AND A HALF YEARS with no motion of ANY kind made to resolve it and address it, and your stunning solution is "lets start a new thread on it"!

Inertia in action, sorry. "Send it to another Committee". Even the Civil Service makes SOME decisions now and again! This is not about a $4 Trillion aircraft carrier program - it is what word to change the word "Evangelist" to!

And the rather trite comments from you and VP Bruce that "everything that needed to be done on Talkboard was somehow all done a few years back" is just that - utter nonsense. With due respect to you both. That is an argument the current US Congress could make I guess and vote on no bills for 6 months, but the US voters would not cop that inaction either.

You also say no member suggestions are ever being made here, so no motions are ever made. Well how about THIS thread??? Response - The President says: "it is all far too hard - lets start a new thread on it".

Randy set up TalkBoard many years before Gleff, Spiff, Jenbel, attorney28, Dovster, myself, ScottC, missydarling, Cholula, StarwoodLurker etc, were working together on it.

All of us could also have said "everything has been done on FT that can ever be done" I suppose, and gone on vacation for 2 years.

Perhaps all of us indeed "walked 50 miles to school through blizzards" Sharon, as you rather dismissively put it for some reason, but things got done.

We all of us put 100s of volunteer hours a year each into TalkBoard, and sorry you do not wish to be reminded how things used to happen. But they did.

Motions were regularly initiated by TB members from things we saw being asked on the boards (like THIS) , or amazingly, from our own observations on member posts, and gasp - our own initiatives.

You have access to all the TB member board discussions, and can see how things occurred, if you care to read back on things.

I cannot recall Randy ever asking us to vote on anything. Indeed TB was a member board that voted on things that seemed to need change or tweaking, and it was THEN Randy's final decision as to whether to accept it - or not. Carol I understand is in the same boat now. Talkboard members identified a new possible tweak or improvement, and made a motion, and if seconded, it was debated and voted upon.

I do not recall anything we voted in being vetoed by Randy, and again I remind you were were voting on up to a half dozen motions a MONTH at times. Some minor, some very major. But we were representing member input.

Those motions that passed, made Flyertalk a better Board for members I am sure, but maybe I am still walking "50 miles in blizzards" and am snow blind and confused.

Back then folks garnered THOUSANDS of member votes to get a Talkboard seat. The last election before Xmas saw new members get in with a couple of 100 votes. And they have yet to even vote on ONE motion. Maybe there is a message from members there? @:-)


Show some initiative and leadership Sharon .. make a motion for SOMETHING to occur, put it to the vote, and let the members know the result. That's why TB is elected. To DO things, not to explain limply why nothing is being done for many years, as on this thread.

Starting yet another thread on such a tiny trivial matter, wandering aimlessly for years, is a joke. IMHO. @:-)

You clearly do not like my motion, so word up one yourself for goodness sakes, or there are 8 others who presumably can, if you cannot.

Remember lots of motions are defeated - the TB history shows that.

bdschobel said, paraphrased, "doing nothing on Committees is a great virtue" but I doubt all members would agree.

Glen

CMK10

I think you're being really unfair.

Neither of them said that.

Nor did she say that.

I really don't understand what you want, we're not going to go ahead and start a vote immediately because you demanded us too. Nor are we voting on the USA Forum because "Carol told [us] too". This TalkBoard prefers to talk issues over and not make rash decisions to vote for the sake of voting or to vote because we're told to do it. If you look at the various threads people have started recently, mainly for forums they want created where demand did not exist, we listened, we talked, we asked people to advocate.

But as Sharon said, there is no consensus on this matter, none whatsoever. Some want action, some don't. I would rather we take our time to have one vote on a good solution, rather than rushing and having either a poor solution or having to vote multiple times.

If you don't like any of that, you are free to run again in 2016 and do things your way. Until then, I ask that you trust us and that you be patient.

SkiAdcock

Sigh - thanks for all the hyperbole ozstamps We always appreciate it when a Fter bas been basically MIA for a very, very long time in the forum and then stops by to tell us what we're doing wrong

Let me state this plainly for you. TB has no problem with discussing items brought up by FTers and even bringing up items on our own. Since I've been on TB we've passed 44 motions, some of which were initiated by FTers and some of which were initiated by TB.

Sorry we're not meeting your pre-conceived notion of having to pass a gaziillon this year. But here's the thing. We're also secure enough that we don't think we have to do motions for the sake of doing motions just because a fter has suddenly decided to come back and pontificate and tell us about the good old days, as though ft is stuck in the past.

're: the actual thread topic. THanks again for telling us we should do a motion and ignoring the fact that FTers themselves are split on the topic equally. They were two years ago and they still are since the thread got bumped. Given that fact it's not totally surprising a motion hasn't been done to date.

And since the thread is unwieldy, yes it does make sense to create a new one. And sorry to disappoint you one more time but when it is created it will include 2 options -whether additional titles should even be created (yes/no) and if yes, then the post count points and actual titles. Based on the responses we'll then decide whether it makes sense we to do a motion.

Btw - since you 're on a roll and think we did be considering multiple things to make FT a better place we encourage you, as we do with other FTers, to start a new thread 're those items.

PS - enough with the eBay references. It's a total apple/oranges comparison. EBay has their system set in place because $$ are involved, something that doesn't' t occur on FT.

Cheers

SkiAdcock

He cam run this November. Doesn't' t need to wait to 2016. Of course it also doesn't mean t her will be a ton of motions even if he runs and wins.

Cheers

ozstamps

Wrong. You really do need to check your facts.

Bruce posted this below yesterday, and Sharon agreed with him above, so yes they both did infer that all the heavy lifting was done years back by others, and the current crop see no need for anything re voting on suggestions, or using any initiative of your own for the past 6 months, as all things are 100% hunky dory around here. That is nonsense of course but that is just my personal view -


Anyway my last suggestions Sharon now regards as "hyperbole", so I guess I am out of here, and will let the snoozing continue, as that seems clear is the preferred TB outcome in 2014, rather than her or SOMEONE use some common sense and leadership, and make SOME motion out of this minor little 2½ year old suggestion.

I'll check back in 2016 and see where we are up to with the "new thread" on this vital matter facing TalkBoard!

Glen

SkiAdcock

Again, hyperbole. Neither Brucee not I said TB wouldn't' consider items and/or vote on them.

We did say doing motions for the sake of doing them doesn't' make sense. Obviously you think motions simply for the sake of making them does make sense. We'll have to agree to disagree on that.

What's really strange,IMO, is your continually ignoring the fact that, while the suggestion of titles was brought up a while ago, FTers are equally divided on the topic in whether additional ones should be considered, Much less the post counts and titles (which also weren't' agreed upon in the 330+ posts). So a lack of a motion to date isn' t that surprising. Doesn't' t mean one won't be done but explains why it Hans' t been done to date. TB usually listens to both sides considering items - or did you forget that?

Cheers.

javabytes

Back to the topic at hand, I don't feel that titles should be something people "aim for". While it might drive traffic, it just encourages meaningless posts and is of dubious value to the community. Similarly, I understand that FT is filled with status-driven members, and titles may foster a sense of affinity and encourage the most experienced people to stick around. For that reason, I'm fine with the current system. Let FT Evangelist be a "one-and-done" sort of thing. Like Million Miler, if you will. Once you get there, you're set for life. The number of people who will hit FT Posting Legend is miniscule. If it continues to exist, fine.