Make Manufactured Spending Forum Require Login to Read
 

This is largely a "what it says on the tin" thing, but given what is being discussed it would probably be beneficial if the MS forum wasn't externally Google-searchable or readable without logging in. Though the forum has quite a bit of activity, that activity is concentrated in a relative handful of threads (generally one for each of the main venues for MS plus a few others); of the first ten threads below the sticky ones, six have over 1000 posts.

Basically, I'm not sure if having the forum be "wide open" adds anything here while the ability to "peek in" without logging in likely marginally increases the risks of avenues getting shut down. I honestly wouldn't be opposed to requiring a modest level of activity (say, 10 posts) for the forum to become accessible. I know I've seen other sites where some forums are listed on the front page but aren't accessible unless you're part of a given usergroup and/or have met certain base requirements...and unlike most of the forums on here, I do think that in the case of the MS forum there is a sort-of secret to be kept after a fashion.

A similar movement was started a few years back to make Mileage Run forum accessible to members who are logged in only and a motion on that was eventually defeated as noted in this thread so would expect it to be used as a precedent against restricting access to MS forum.

Just a data point for the TalkBoard members: as is typical with many fora, there are significantly more reader-lurkers than members reading.

Typically, those who choose to un cloak and emerge from lurker space ;) post with a "been reading a long time and decided to sign up" followed by a statement or request for assistance.

I have no clue what the numbers are for lurkers as a membership source, but currently (08:05 Pacific) MS has:

We've been down this road before and entry requirements didn't seem to go anywhere. One poster suggested a quiz be required for entry, while another wanted entry level and advanced forums. Others wanted the same entry requirements as Coupon Connection (180 days/180 posts). Didn't seem to be a lot of support for one single type of entry restriction.

Suggestion: Implement Entry Requirement for Manufactured Spending Forum

I have to say, I'm uneasy with this notion. We're supposed to be a community and also a resource. My brother reads FT regularly and has learned a lot but doesn't want to sign up. I don't like closing off certain areas to people (though I do understand why the Coupon Connection is the way it is...less so OMNI). As of now I'm against this.

I'm against this for a few reasons. It's absurd to think the only way folk have access to MS info is only via FT and by making it available only to FTers the info will be hidden. There are bloggers, other websites, etc, that detail same info. I'm also against the let's keep it to ourselves and others don't get access mentality, which is the reason I cast the final no vote on the mileage run forum being closed off and if I were all on TB I'd vote no on this if it got to motion stage.

Cheers

It also to me at least gives the air of either superiority, or that we're doing something unethical that must be hidden. Either way I don't like it. I'm glad the MR forum was not closed off in such a fashion.

Given that the bloggers cover all these subjects more explicitly I don't see any advantage to FlyerTalk or our members to masking any information that is going to make its way to the blogs.

In addition to the fact that MS information is widely available on many blogs and other online sources, the idea that making the MS Forum only accessible to members does nothing to really hide "secrets" or "quasi-secrets" from certain entities. After all, anyone can sign up for a FT account - no one is screening to keep out employees of banks, CVS, Walmart, etc. (nor should they be, obviously)! If one of those firms is concerned with keeping up with latest MS discussions they could just create an FT handle...and some probably already have.

I wonder if this forum is even needed any longer. From the little I've read, most of the good information has gone off FT and into private groups. I think the forum is now a recruiting tool for those groups :) :) :)

I've even seen a few people get reprimanded for posting a question about how to do some of the more creative deals.

As I said, I don't really read it much, but I've now read about this on other forums, usually by people who only care about traveling for free, and really don't, and sometimes can't, figure out how to do it properly.

In other words, the MS train is going to derail soon. Again, that's just MHO.

Forum traffic stat.'s show this is one of the busiest forums on FT.

It may be, but that's from people hunting to try to figure out how to do it.

All of the good information has gone underground.

and MS forum is already written in half riddles (unlike aforementioned blogs)