The people have spoken!

I don't think they have. IMHO, given the way the poll was going and the opinions expressed in the thread, the poll was gamed, just like reputation was gamed, and likes will be gamed.

Given something to exploit, FTers have proven themselves to always be looking for a way to get around something. :D

I always get scared when we agree, but we do on this topic! :D

Agree completely

I'm assuming you mean with the comments in this thread & not just the poll (which yes, did jump significantly in a 48-hour period of time & then not much after that). TB members will do their due diligence & consider the poll numbers but also the issues & questions raised by FTers and other TB members.

Quite frankly I think the idea of pursuing another trial without the issues/questions addressed does a disservice rather than a service to FT.

Cheers.

Actually, I was really just being a little silly.

Enough with the "The Poll Was Gamed" nonsense. I've seen some wild conjecture in my almost 13 years on Flyertalk, but the idea that TalkBoard members, or other Flyertalkers, would game a poll over a like button is without a doubt, the most insane theory I've ever heard.

:D :D

I think the idea that people will create new handles just to vote is a bit black helicopter, but to think that FTers & TB members don't lobby behind the scenes on issues (re: of issue) is definitely not insane.

I've seen it happen/experienced it over the years, both as a FTer and as a TB member. Re: of which side of an issue one is on, as long as lobbying doesn't violate TOS, it's allowed (TB general elections by candidates being the sole exception).

Re: the like poll #s itself, there was a sudden influx of votes in a 48 hour period. Prior & post that the voting has been pretty stable/not that many votes. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that there were some PMs being sent encouraging folk to vote yes. That there hasn't been many since then might mean some folk have run out of folk that they feel they can lobby/gone through their FT rolodex :p :D And hey, the folk who are against this also have the option of contacting their FT rolodex to PM them & ask them to consider voting & to vote no ;).

Knowing TB members I know they'll consider both the poll & the comments when deciding whether to move forward with this & not just an either/or.

Cheers.

Just a heads-up. A site wide announcement will appear again tomorrow, and will stay in place throughout the final week of the polling period.

Amen.

Glad to hear it!

I really didn't think you were naive.

Most of the evidence is in the archives or gone, but there was some serious gaming going on.

It's not wild conjecture. It came from RPs own mouth when he discovered it. (IIRC). He was NOT a happy camper.

confused
 

You sure you're not confusing the old "reputation" thing/scandal of sorts-- where there most definitely were shenanigans going on and then Randy turned on the switch revealing to all who had "dinged" them, etc with this current poll???

The post you're replying to says:
As in, the current discussion/poll.

They're people too (technically.)

^^

--

Also, I think the deliberate non-inclusion of a "dislike" or "unhelpful" button will limit the harmful effects of any gaming that may go on. I don't understand the (fortunately few) people who have advocated for the inclusion of such in this thread.

I really think people should quit bringing up the "horrendous scandal" that happened back in RP's days with the reputation feature. It's comparing apples-to-oranges. The old one had a vote-up/vote-down feature and applied to the member himself/herself across FT. The new system as it's being proposed only has the ability to leave positive feedback on a specific post. If post ratings are applied to posts only and not to members, and if the worst thing that can happen is that someone's post does not get voted up, then I really fail to see how such scandalous behavior can possibly ensue.